This area is bounded by Leadenhall in the south, Dukes Place in the north and Aldgate tube station to the east. On the western end of the neighbourhood stands the iconic 30 St Mary Axe, also known as the Gherkin. Having been historically associated with the insurance market due to the presence of Lloyds of London, the current ‘inside-out’ Lloyds building is an example of the unusual Bowellist architectural style. The Aldgate pump, at the intersection of Leadenhall Street and Fenchurch Street, has been viewed as the symbolic beginning of the east end, or conversely, the beginning of the city – the wolf plaque at the top of the pump commemorates the last wolf shot on city turf. The Baltic exchange is another landmark institution inside the area, a maritime trade centre since the early twentieth century, the original building did not survive an IRA attack in the 90s and hence a replacement stands 38 St Mary Axe. Despite being at the heart of the financial district, a number of elegant bars and eateries can be found here too: Omnino steakhouse has received only the best reviews, whilst The Craft Beer Company at St Mary Axe features taps “too numerous to count at a single glance.” A primary school, Sir John Cass’s Foundation is located within the area and is rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted.

When the infamous 1992 IRA attack significantly damaged the Victorian Baltic Exchange, the ensuing archaeological exploration uncovered the grave of a teenage girl who would have been buried here more than one and a half millennia ago. The area would subsequently acquire the name of St Mary Axe in the twelfth century, when – according to one legend – an axe used by the Huns in the massacre of St Ursulla’s 11,000 pilgrims was on display at the medieval Church of St Mary Axe. Another bearer of local history is the church of St Katherine Cree. An original building dated back to 1108, whilst the current one, erected in the early seventeenth century, has proven to be something of a tough nut. It survived both the fire of 1666 and the Blitz, though the architect of this resilient structure remains unknown.

A final historically significant institution in the area is the Bevis Marks Synagogue – the oldest synagogue in London still in use. This was constructed half a century after Cromwell allowed the Jewish people back into England after a long period of exile since 1290.

The influential seventeenth century puritan, Stephen Charnock, was born at St Katherine Cree parish church in 1628. He was sent to Cambridge at the tender age of fourteen and rapidly became a devout Christian. Charnock discovered his talent for preaching the gospel as an aide to Oliver Cromwell’s son, Henry, in Dublin. Returning to England in 1660 upon the restoration of the Monarchy, Charnock supported himself by practising medicine. Charnock had a unique pedagogical gift – to convey the teachings of the bible in a way that would appeal to the analytical mind. Spending over sixty hours a week on studying the holy scriptures, the preacher would educate his students by introducing clear themes to each of his sermon-like sessions.

Among the many victims of the unknown serial killer of 1888, also known as Jack the Ripper, Catherine Eddowes was found at Mittre Square in the area, at 1:45 on the morning of 30th September. Ripper walking tours now begin daily from Aldgate East station just a few minutes walk away.

The Charles Dickens novel, The Old Curiosity Shop – which allegedly was so popular among its New York readership that the serial’s arrival in the docks of the Big Apple prompted the impatient readers to storm the wharf. It mentions multiple times the street of Bevis Marks as the location of Sampson Brass’ offices.

An inevitable truth of being the financial centre of Europe is that a meal under twenty pounds might be hard to come by. A cod fillet at Adriatico Bacari goes for £19.50. Henry, who works locally, explains that after a long day’s work there are certainly places to let yourself unwind: “Patch East is an easy-going cocktail bar with positive vibes all round – perfect for post-work drinks.”

This is an area that has seen intense development in the recent past, with Kohn Pederson Fox’s ‘Scalpel’ building completed a few years ago. More recently work concluded on the comically nicknamed ‘Can of Ham’ at 70 St Mary Axe, which offers 28,000 sqft of office space. While land within this postcode has become quite congested for future large-scale development, the surrounding area remains sort-after. The second phase of the Aldgate Place neighbourhood development is underway and set to complete in 2024. With 19,000 sqft of offices, 8,000 sqft of retail floorspace, and 159 new homes, this development will push the architecture of the city ever closer to the east end. Looking slightly more centrally, Unite Students has just completed a new private student accommodation building capable of housing upwards of 1,000 young scholars.