St Peter’s Westcheap church yards is the home of the Wood Street Plane Tree, which is said to be the oldest living tree in the City of London.

Sunday in the City is such a special experience.

As both my parents were born within the sound of Bow Bells, I have to say "Gor Blimey Mate"!!! I always find your videos relaxing in a hurried world. Look forward to the next.

I worked in the City for years and used to love to steal 30\40 minutes between meetings and go to all these churches and little gardens. I was lucky enough to go into lots of offices and trading rooms and see the views from the windows. Its an amazing place.

So, I worked in Ironmonger Lane for a few years in the early 90s and walked that corner twice a day and somehow missed the fact about Becket! I worked for a company in St Olave's Church, Old Jewry in Inronmonger Lane which is I believe is another Wren church. We used to have to climb the tower to manually turn the clock forward and back and I was also sent home for a few days when they found some skeletal remains in the basement quite literally under my desk during renovations.

London is amazing and beyond imagination.Yeah,I read somewhere in magazines that France 🇫🇷 wine is famous.London famous for churches ⛪...and William wordsworths sister Dorothy in India . I want to see London once in my life. It's like a dream for me Westminster abbey beautiful place ❤ 😀

Excellent. Our grandson was born on the 17th June at the Royal London within the sound of St Mary le Bow with St Mildred's Bread St. St Mary le Bow also encompasses many other former churches including St Pancras Soper lane.& All Hallows Honey Lane. There is a new paving plaque for an Eleanor Cross in St Mary le Bow church yard. Great project of walks John.

My late Grandmother loved her history and she has been gone for 25 years now. I would so love for her to be around now and spend time taking in the history of London with her visiting old churches and other historical sites. I do remember she took me to the British museum to see the Lindow man when the exhibit was installed there. It’s a shame as I did not go out with her that much as I was young and doing my own thing. Still some nice memories exist. I was a cycle courier in London in the 90’s so know my way around. It is amazing how many back streets I knew and remember watching this video.

@scottwallace901

2 жыл бұрын

Really lovely to read about your memories of your Grandmother. As we remember people who died they come alive in our mind. I hope you are still cycling thess days. Have a good week.

Fascinating as ever. It amazes me how you make Central London look so quiet ☺️

@nicbrownable

2 жыл бұрын

The City of London proper is basically a wasteland on weekends, other than the tourists around St Paul’s and the Tower. This has been amplified by covid. It turns out a monoculture of banks and business services firms don’t make for a vibrant part of the city. There is the odd pub open off the tourist trail, but most of the smaller businesses are only open Monday to Friday.

Thank you for the memories of growing up and the streets and lanes that were short cuts for me. Loved the history and the last street Lombard St was special as I worked in Coutts bank there when I first left school in 1962. All those little courts and lanes had tge odd fantastic tiny shops, tailors, jewellers etc. Oldy worldy types. Loved this tour and being a history buff so enjoyed it. Thank you so much 💕🇦🇺

Fabulous. I worked in and around the City for 20 years or so and loved it so much - history around every corner, and so many interesting places to wander during lunch hours. Work locally now since having a family, and I literally feel homesick watching videos like this, even though I return now and again! Thanks so much. Fascinating.

@ursulaclarke6066

Жыл бұрын

Captured how it makes me feel too Sara x

Every few months I marked exams in Aldermanbury just off Wood Street and I used to wander round the area looking for blue plaques and churches. Great memories brought back by this video, thank you John.

St Mary Woolnoth (final church of the video) has a great coffee shop in the front run by the lovely Melina (Cosy Coffee Corner). St Mary Aldermary also has a great coffee shop inside (Host Coffee). Great to see some of the churches being used that way

@enidbigmore6811

Жыл бұрын

Mi?

@enidbigmore6811

Жыл бұрын

Mi

There's so much history, crammed into one square mile! Always love your films about The City,

Thank you John, as a Londer I absolutely love your walks.

The sound of bow-bells chime was fantastic.......

Looking very fresh today Sir. I was a Cycle Messenger in London for over 20 years.. This brings back some memories for me. Great stuff. them Alleys made great shortcuts..... im long retired now.

Distaff Lane Garden is lovely with what looks like beautiful birch trees. A lot of deep history with the story of Thomas Beckett. Fascinating walk thank you.

Pretty amazing John that, as recently as 2018, they created a garden in the square mile. A plot like that must be worth a few quid and could easily have become home to a Starbucks, a Costa, or some other generic tat.

I love all your walks, but especially like the city of London churches.

Thanks for another super interesting walk around some old haunts for me, nice to see Cheapside today. I loved wandering these streets & lanes when (ostensibly) working for the developer of St Martin's Le Grand & later the Arup architectural practice who designed a fair few buildings in the city. Thanks John.

Thank you Mr Rogers for another virtuoso video displaying your unique, unrivalled and premier talents . Beguilingly you manage to ravel poetry, historical facts/myth and legend with improvised quips and observations . Selfishly speaking please don't even contemplate any form of retirement. Long may your fire of marvel,wonder,enchantment and enlightenment burn.

A nice surprise for the late evening. One of John Rogers' videos.

Can't wait to see these places myself, thanks John

I love your London vlogs John, I have never been down Bow Lane but it looks amazing, I must go! That shot of St Pauls in the background was majestic, nice one!

@JohnRogersWalks

2 жыл бұрын

thanks Rossy

Loved the walk about. I thought you touching on the esoteric side of London's architecture opened a door of interest.

Cramming so much info into 20 minutes... An absolute marvel. Always fascinating.

Thank you, John, for another wonderful walk through history. Well done.

So interesting to see a different perspective on the area I used to walk around many years ago, when I worked in the City of London. Also discovered I have some ancestors buried in a few of those churches, although suspect the gravestones are long since gone. Much of the area still looks reassuringly familiar, despite the constant knocking down and rebuilding that goes on in the city. Always enjoy your walks.

Love the City of London church walks as I remember my Dad taking me round the City on Sundays as a kid.Interesting and entertaining as always John!!!

I’m so glad I found your vodeos. I’m thoroughly enjoying walking with you through history. You have an easy, relaxed coversational style and clearly extremely knowledgeable, plus your personal observations and experiences make each video a joy. I would very much like to see a walk that takes in the City Livery Halls and Companies. Tons of history! Thanks so much.

@JohnRogersWalks

Жыл бұрын

Thanks very much Val - welcome to the channel

Thanks for an interesting stroll and peeks of the old history /architecture. Always amazed at how close together the buildings are, and have remained after rebuilding.

Brilliant John - as soon as you mentioned Iain Sinclair, I had to go back and rewatch your last London walk with him.

fascinating walk

London is a place with so much history. Love your walks...all of them. They include amazing facts, points to ponder... day dream about. Love this channel Mr.John Rogers. 🌸 🌿🗝🙏

What a delight. . Really enjoyed the video. . Wonderful to meet your lovely wife. . You are such a loving couple Love peace and harmony to everybody Namaste

Always love a walk around the City.

When you were at St Peter's that little building next to that ancient plane tree is the oldest on Cheapside. Wonderful video as always.

Another fabulous warm film, full of heart thank you John. At first I thought that suitcase on the cobbles was your audience clapping. Should be!

St Mary Woolnoth always puts me in mind of TS Eliot and The Waste Land: "Unreal City, Under the brown fog of a winter dawn, A crowd flowed over London Bridge, so many, I had not thought death had undone so many. Sighs, short and infrequent, were exhaled, And each man fixed his eyes before his feet. Flowed up the hill and down King William Street, To where Saint Mary Woolnoth kept the hours With a dead sound on the final stroke of nine." In his notes to the poem Eliot remarks that the "dead sound on the final stroke of nine" was "A phenomenon which I have often noticed." Does the clapper perhaps stay resting on the bell on the last stroke of each hour? Is it a quirk of the church's clock - and does it still do it? Or does he just mean that 9am is depressing because it means it's time for work? St Magnus Martyr figures in it, too: "O City city, I can sometimes hear Beside a public bar in Lower Thames Street, The pleasant whining of a mandoline And a clatter and a chatter from within Where fishmen lounge at noon: where the walls Of Magnus Martyr hold Inexplicable splendour of Ionian white and gold."

I love love love church walks - actually I love city walks in which you have a specific goal - while the walks that take place in more natural surroundings benefit from a good ramble.

Wonderful video, a nice end to my birthday. Fascinating as always 😊

Excellent as always. I had really fun bike ride today here (Maryland , USA), enjoyably drifting through a college town then an old rail to trail conversion. Speaking of Iain Sinclair I grabbed some lines from the article you posted on IG and came up with this almost credo: "We search for the missing parts of the map. We ramble and forgive. New memories are made. New oppositions. We wander and thrive."

Thanks John, Love your London walks, as I know her so well, especially as I now live in 'Stralya. I love learning details which every Londoner should know, but doesn't, because we have no oral tradition of history like the tribal people's. I'm so grateful for what you do, and send links to expats in other countries, which always get appreciated.

@JohnRogersWalks

2 жыл бұрын

many thanks for that John - much appreciated

Really enjoying these videos, sometime in the ealy 2000's my partner visited all the Hawksmoor churches & was really impressed. Thank you as always John for an insightful & interesting video.😀

Yay! Perfect timing! Looking forward to this!

@JohnRogersWalks

2 жыл бұрын

hope you enjoy it Robert

For your followers who don't know, St Mary Le Bow church is significant to Londoners as the church of the Bow Bells, whose chimes are key to the original definition of the Cockney....as in if you lived within earshot of them you officially are one! Also, I can't remember if you have visited All Hallows by the Tower yet in this series, John, but if not, can I ask that you please go inside and film the brilliant crypt/museum? It's pretty awesome.

@JohnRogersWalks

2 жыл бұрын

many thanks - All Hallows should be in the next video in this series

Another stunner John.Walked all those routes,but your video has added so much more.👍

Fascinating stuff, thanks so much John

Loving these city walks and looking forward to the next

Just taking out the old world put so nicely 👌

That was truly magical.

@JohnRogersWalks

2 жыл бұрын

thanks very much Jane

Another great one! Fascinating!

Wonderful walk John .

Great video again John! Really enjoying this series and really appreciate the effort you put into making them! Thank you. 👍👏🏻

10:9 John Smith had an extrodinary life, fighting for the kinggoms of Hungary, Wallachia and Transylvania against the Ottamons. He was made a slave in Turkey, sent to the Crimea, escaped to Russia on foot in winter - and then helped plant a number of colonies on the coast of 'America'.

@janebaker966

2 жыл бұрын

I'd now love to read a book about him. He sounds like an ancestor of Flashman.

Thoroughly enjoyable and informative stroll...

@JohnRogersWalks

2 жыл бұрын

thanks Johnny

Such an interesting and calming time watching this. Thank you John.

Thanks John, a wonderful education as always provided by yourself. Regards

Hi John, I am a descendent of those Norman settlers you mention on the Mapley side of my family, in Northampton, there is a document from William the Conqueror congratulating my distant ancestor on the confirmation of their son. They Settled in Great Linford now part of north Milton Keynes and ran the mill there.

Another great video John...very informative.

Another great video, John. Thanks!

@JohnRogersWalks

2 жыл бұрын

many thanks Patricia

Thanks for such a interesting and relaxing walk and a great informative vlog.

A really great video Mr Rogers. Thank you.

I love this series of walks...I was wondering are you going to be covering St dunstan in the east? Or St olavs near fenchurch Street?

Really enjoying your video's John looking forward to the next one on London church's you make everything so interesting, thank you.

@JohnRogersWalks

2 жыл бұрын

cheers William - many thanks

Another excellent and interesting video John. Well filmed, edited and narrated. Thank you. 👍

@JohnRogersWalks

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks John

Another great slice of history, thanks John

@JohnRogersWalks

Жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching David

Thanks again John In Chicago

Watching this morning before I head out into the world asl you uploaded a little late. Really liked the video it seemed to fly by super fast. Who would have thought churches could be so intresting. Have a good week John.

Really enjoying this series John. Cheers

@JohnRogersWalks

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Stewart

Another excellent video! 👍

@JohnRogersWalks

2 жыл бұрын

thanks Vermeer

love the Guildhall, recently went to look at apprentice records in the library

Glad you picked up this one again. I adore churches and London has many. I've no religious beliefs but enjoy exploring them. I viewed the St John The Baptist Holland Park at the weekend. And I've just been given/gift the Ed Glinert Compendium book that you recommended. And I've just read Ian Sinclair FT Article on the Olympic Park area where you are referenced throughout. So thank you for all your advice and great walks. See you soon.

Loving the church walks...keep dragging them out!

Great video. I'm your fan.

Thanks for another cracking vlog,very interesting

@JohnRogersWalks

2 жыл бұрын

thanks David

John you just make me happy

Thank you John....as ever fascinating!

Another terrific walk, John. ☀️ Nice reference to ‘Lud Heat.’ 🙏

@JohnRogersWalks

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Ashley

As always a great video. How The City has changed since I worked there in the 1980s/90s, although there are small parts that I could still recognise.

Educational! Love your videos sir

@JohnRogersWalks

2 жыл бұрын

Many thanks

Speaking of Normans in London, I know that from our coat of arms, the Drurys after the battle of 1066, they were the Duries as Normans in Drieu And then were given land in England specifically in Norfolk and Sussex and change their names to Drury

A nice and interesting video, John, much enjoyed.

@JohnRogersWalks

2 жыл бұрын

cheers Theo

Very interesting.Thank you.

Love the London church walks!

A very informative and enticing walk along some unfamiliar City byeways. So easy to miss hurrying along the main thoroughfares from A to B. 'What is this life, if full of care, We have no time to stand and stare'.

I love this channel

Hermoso Gracias por el video

great breakfast time viewing John. cheers

Once again excellent thanks

Nice one John...

I really love the final scene endings of your videos. Would you ever consider a montage of them without the credits?

Cheers for the shoutout John. Another great video. Keep up the good work !

@JohnRogersWalks

2 жыл бұрын

Cheers Jamie

@MarkWright75

2 жыл бұрын

Hiya Jamie, John mentioned an online map in which you can see a comparison with present day and Victorian London. Would you be able to share that?

@jamiejosh96

Жыл бұрын

@@MarkWright75 sorry mark, I did link the website but it keeps deleting. If you search, for Victorian ordinance survey map it should come up mate

@MarkWright75

Жыл бұрын

@@jamiejosh96 thank you!

@jamiejosh96

Жыл бұрын

@@MarkWright75 no worries Mark, if you have trouble finding it message your email can send you the link

Thank you John 😍😍

Ye olde Watling..my local for few pints in '80s

I hadn’t heard of that John Benjamin book before. I’ve bought a first edition of it on ebay.

Great treat before going to bed 🙂

Thanks John, Keep Safe.

@JohnRogersWalks

2 жыл бұрын

cheers Dave

Much enjoyed!

@JohnRogersWalks

2 жыл бұрын

thanks John