Open House Festival

Neighbourhoods

Back to neighbourhoods

Fleet Street

Leading directly from St Paul’s Cathedral, this Neighbourhood was once the hive of the newspaper and publishing industry, and home to its legal quarter in the west. Take in the home of Dr Johnson, gorgeous livery halls, a Wren church, and impressive contemporary office buildings.

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1 Quality Court

offices

Entry to 1 Quality Court is an alley with Victorian tiles and is now built over by a modern building with Tudor accents. The court was built up around 1700 . 1 Quality Court was originally the Patent Office .

Unknown, 1890

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Apothecaries' Hall

livery hall, online

A courtyard building with some of the best-preserved 17C livery hall interiors. Built on the site of the Blackfriars Priory and replacing the original hall burned down in 1666. Courtyard refurbished in 2017.

Thomas Locke, 1672

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Dr Johnson's House

historical house

Fine example of an early 5-floor Queen Anne town house with original panelling, open staircase and unique 'swinging panels' on the open-plan first floor. Johnson compiled his famous 'Dictionary of the English Language' (1755) here.

Richard Gough, 1690

London's first fireproof building, built to house records of the Court of Chancery. Now renovated to house a fine university library.

Sir John Taylor, Sir James Pennethorne, 1851

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Stationers' Hall

livery hall, historical house, event

17C livery hall with courtroom and garden. Oak panelling and stained glass windows. Undamaged in WWII. Recently refurbished new rooms and air-cooling within, including a new lift for step-free access into the Hall. Selected items from the archives on display. Book binding exhibition in the Hall.

Robert Mylne, 1673

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St Bride's Church, Fleet Street

religious, museum

Wren designed building of 1675, interior lost in blitz of 1940, reopened 1957 with 'Wren inspired' interior

Christopher Wren , 1675

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The Temple Church

religious

Medieval architecture meets Wren's refurbishments in this inspiring building, the Mother Church of the Common Law. The Magna Carta exhibit: has William Marshal and King John where they would have debated and agreed clauses of Magna Carta.

Medieval, 1185