This area features a number of impressive buildings lining a part of Queen Street in the City of London. The southern corner intersects with the Queen Victoria Street and runs further south, all the way to the Thames where it meets Southwark Bridge. In the southwestern corner of the area, Aldermary House is a recently renovated mixed-use office and retail complex. It features a Japanese Canteen and a K10 sushi chain at street level, as well as a popular bar. It stands at the intersection of Queen Street and Watling Street which can be followed westward for an attractive exposition of shops and eateries packed along cosy alleyways. Back at Queen Street, most of its eastern side is taken up by a grandiose building by Foggo Associates – the architects of Cannon Street Station and the infamously named “Can of Ham” near Aldgate.

The bronze-plated building, whose façade has been described as “reminiscent of Islamic mashrabiya screens”, is home to an HSBC branch at ground level. Around the corner, Pancras Lane is an unassuming backstreet which one would typically pay no attention to. It is, however, the location of a medieval graveyard dating back to the 12th century. Of the Victorian buildings populating the western side of Queen Street, Regina House belongs to the Mercer Company – one of the City’s livery companies, while The Golden Fleece pub, with its traditional wood interior, is located adjacent.

Queen Street itself has been a distinctive thoroughfare since the Great Fire of London in 1666 when, together with King Street, it was among the first to be reconstructed following the catastrophe. Cutting across Cheapside as well as other ancient roads, the route constitutes a direct link between the Thames and Guildhall – the administrative centre of the City of London Corporation. The area has been historically associated with shoemakers: it sits in the ward of Cordwainer which is a distortion of ‘Cordovan’ – the word for a kind of Spanish leather. By 1439 the Guild of Cordwainers had obtained a charter and the following year they settled into their first hall.

In the 12th century, a church was built at Pancras Lane. At that time, this part of the area belonged to the ward of Cheap and hence this was its parish church. After the Fire, however, the church was not rebuilt and all that remained of it was the aforementioned graveyard. The parish was absorbed into St Mary-le-Bow and All Hallows.

Whilst the area has not been residential for quite some time now, one notable figure associated with the locale is the alderman of Cordwainer Ward, Roger Gifford. Banker by profession, Gifford began his career working for SG Warburg. After joining Skandinavska Enskilda Bank in 1982, Gifford was selected to participate on the committees of various charities and arts organisations. The banker is most well- known, however, for serving as the Lord Mayor of London between 2012 and 2013. His main initiative in this role, ‘The City in Society”, has encouraged philanthropy and arts sponsorship in the City. Gifford carried the Mourning Sword at the funeral of Margaret Thatcher during his time as Lord Mayor.

Getting to the area currently involves coming through one of the City’s chronic headaches. Bank station is struggling with a 50 percent increase in demand over the past decade and the current infrastructure gives rise to frequent delays. However, works are underway to deliver a new Northern Line platform and more walkways within the station. Cordwainer Ward remains a popular destination for leisure.

One recent new development seen here was the European Bloomberg headquarters. Located just south-east of the neighbourhood area, these span a total of 3.2 acres with their design having achieved a BREEAM Excellence award. Recent improvements have also been made to Bank Station including a new entrance on Cannon Street, and an expanded Northern Line platform with step free access via a new concourse. Above this new Cannon Street entrance will also sit a new office block. Taller than originally planned, planners recently gave permission for TFL to add an eighth floor to their plans, with work scheduled to start by the end of 2022.