Dominated by Saint Bartholomew’s Church and Hospital in the centre, with the Central Criminal Court aka ‘The Old Bailey’ and the London Stock Exchange to the south, this neighbourhood area is central to both the city’s cultural appeal and its day-to-day functions. Displaying a range of British architectural styles, this neighbourhood showcases the development the city has gone through as far back as 800 years. Once described as “the busiest thoroughfare in the world” by Charles Dickens, this neighbourhood is now simply one of the many routes that connect the East End, The City of London, and the West End. Its role as part of the modern financial centre of the City, however, still remains as important as ever.

British Telecom’s (BT) headquarters reside here, one of the key technology companies involved in the creation of modern Britain. Dating back to 1846, BT originated with the founding of the Electric Telegraph Company, which created a nationwide communications network. BT is now a multinational based in over 170 countries around the world. Saint Bartholomew, from whom this neighbourhood area gets its name, was one of the twelve apostles of Christ. The Church and hospital were both built in 1123, with the church named ‘St. Bartholomew the Great’ to distinguish itself from the church of ‘St. Bartholomew the Less’ which was created within the hospital to serve as a place of worship for staff and patients.

The Old Bailey in this neighbourhood area has held many famous prisoners over its 100-year history. Significant among these was Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be executed in the United Kingdom in 1955 for the murder of her lover, David Blakely. Ellis shot Blakely dead outside the Magdala public house in Hampstead, before immediately turning herself into the police and taking full responsibility for the murder. When asked of her intention when she fired the revolver, Ellis responded famously: “It was obvious that when I shot him I intended to kill him.” Thus she could not be charged with manslaughter, and as a result, the judge had no alternative but to issue the death penalty.

The Viaduct Tavern, on the southern edge of this neighbourhood, is a traditional ‘Gin Palace’? A Gin Palace is a late-Victorian English name for a lavish bar selling gin. Thought to be vulgar by some at the time, Gin Palaces were nonetheless hugely popular, described by Charles Dickens as “perfectly dazzling when contrasted with the darkness and dirt we have just left”. It is also noteworthy that the Greyfriars Church in this neighbourhood area was destroyed in WW2, save for the tower. Miraculously it was not directly hit by bombing, and now forms part of a public garden in the southern part of this neighbourhood.

Brexit has thrown many uncertainties over the future of the financial capital, hitting this neighbourhood particularly hard. This has caused some businesses to already begin to relocate into Europe, with more likely to follow. Some local businesses claimed that this could also be a good thing, presenting an “opportunity for new, fast-growing British businesses” to become part of the financial centre of London.

While the economic fruits of Brexit are yet to ripen, regeneration and development schemes continue all over The City of London. The Museum of London plans to make a dramatic move to Smithfield market which is on the northern border of this postcode, with the current site set to close its doors at the end of 2022. The project will cost a total of £250 million, of which the City of London Corporation is funding £180 million. The new site will grant the museum more space, allowing it to create more extensive displays and exhibitions. Slightly to the south, on Little Britain and Bartholomew Close, plans are underway to demolish existing buildings while retaining the front facing facades. The St Barts scheme seeks to maximise utility within the conservation area, creating new office, retail and amenity space while aiming to retain the neighbourhood’s historic character.