Unveiling The Historic Charm Of Old Streets In London
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London is synonymous with history with many old streets in London dating back hundreds of years.
London is home to iconic buildings, ancient, cobbled pavements, Victorian and antique shops, old gardens and farmers’ markets.
There is much to be seen, held, and experienced on the streets of London.
Although some of the city’s streets have undergone diverse and gentrified changes, the intrinsic parts of the city that tell of its past remain.
A tour of places like Lombard Street, the home of the first London Stock Exchange or grander places like Haymarket will unearth deep facts about how many parts of the city came to be.
If you enjoy history, then take an individual tour or group tour of some of the old streets in London.
Travel down memory lane and take a step back to decades and centuries past when the great city of London was just sprouting like a seedling.
12 Old Streets In London Worth Visiting
Old Street
This historic street on the east side of London comes first on the list for obvious reasons; we are talking about old London streets and this one is called Old Street.
Old Street has its origin in the times of the Romans’ occupation of the city. It stretches for 1.6km and leads to one of the Roman roads that links Colchester to Silchester.
The old street doesn’t look very old anymore, however, it still has shreds of evidence of its historical beginning.
Old Street is also called Silicon Roundabout because of the number of tech start-ups and IT companies surrounding it.
It houses exciting cafes and restaurants like Grind, one of the most famous coffee shops in East London. It is also a delight of popular graffiti artists like Aerosol and Banksy.
Closest Station: Old Street.
Fleet Street
Fleet Street is deeply rooted in London’s literary history. This is where the business of newspaper journalism started and it remains strongly connected with the printing industry.
It was built by the Romans in 200 AD and started as a small road called Strand. Over the centuries, the street has developed and changed.
In the 18th century, it was home to the printing of major newspapers like The Times and The Guardian.
In the 16th century, it was known as the ‘Street of Ink’ because of the number of printing and publishing companies based there.
On this street, you will find St Paul’s Cathedral built in 1675, old buildings previously used by the British media and Ye Ole Cheshire Cheese; one of the oldest pubs in London.
Closest Station: Chancery Lane.
Brick Lane
The street is called Brick Lane because it was formerly built to be a brick-laying area in the centre of Shoreditch. Immigrants have been instrumental in the changes that have happened in the area.
First, refugees from France settled there in the 1600s and then Jewish immigrants occupied it and made it the centre of showcasing their culture, arts, sounds and cuisine.
Brick Lane still has many of its old historic buildings standing and is known today to be the heart of the Bangladeshi community attracting both tourists and locals.
These street houses many curry shops offering delicious dishes.
Brick Lane is home to independent art galleries, restaurants, and vintage boutiques selling second-hand clothes and bars. You can also treat yourself to dishes hawked by street food vendors.
Closest Station: and Shoreditch High Street.
Shaftesbury Avenue
The famous Shaftesbury Theatre sits on Shaftesbury Ave which was built from 1877 to 1886.
The street runs from Piccadilly Circus to Oxford Street.
The avenue is the location of many historic buildings and great theatres like the Shaftesbury Theatre and the Savoy Theatre both on the theatre districts of the avenue.
There are other popular theatres like Lyric, Apollo, Sondheim and others.
Shaftesbury Avenue runs through Chinatown and lets you into the world of Chinese businesses on the street like banks, restaurants, supermarkets, cake shops, hair salons and more.
Street artists make the place a delight to see at night as they gather and make portraits for tourists.
Closest Station: Leicester Square.
Cloth Fair
This street originated from a popular fair that was held in the area in the 12th century where traders and cloth merchants sold materials like silk, wool and linen.
The fair became so popular that it was moved to its current position in Smithfield. The area around the fair location was then named Cloth Fair.
Early in the 16th century, it was a hub of cloth trading and housed many great theatres.
Now it’s known as the Bartholomew Fair – a celebration that offers an illuminated journey through the city’s intriguing streets and hidden squares alongside an arts-filled, night-time cultural trail throughout the city.
Closest Station: Barbican.
Lombard Street
This old street in London is one of the old Roman roads in Londinium dating back to the 13th century and is known to be London’s financial centre.
For a long time, many financial institutions were located here before they moved to other parts of the city.
It has been the location of many historic buildings like Lloyd’s Coffee House, which eventually became the global insurance market Lloyd’s of London.
Today, Lombard Street is lined by many pubs, cafes and restaurants.
Closest Station: Bank.
Kynance Mews
Kynance Mews is located in South Kensington and although quite famous and beautiful, it is a quiet street and is often uncrowded.
Kensington is home to some of London’s wealthiest and has been used as a location for many popular movies like Wimbledon, Finding Neverland, Damage and others.
The Mews has many walls dotted with flowers and weeds that blossom in the spring, turning the area into an Instagram delight with an array of beautiful flowers in different shades of colours.
Residents have taken great care and time to paint their garages and doors in bright colours that add to the beauty of the mews. It is a perfect destination for pictures.
Closest Station: Gloucester Road.
Regent Street
This old street in London is a major shopping location in the West End of London.
Built in the year 1819 and named after Prince Regent, it is known today as the location of the flagship shops of major fashion brands in London.
The Regency buildings on one of London’s most famous streets are now home to stores such as Marc Jacobs, Tory Burch, Burberry, and Kate Spade.
On the same street, you will find some of the best restaurants in London where you can tuck into exquisite meals.
There are award-winning restaurants like Ziggy Green and Veeraswamy on Regent Street. This is the place to tour if you are interested in luxury goods and first-class cuisine.
Closest Station: Oxford Circus or Piccadilly Circus.
Liverpool Street
Liverpool Street is a famous area in London and a leading financial centre.
It’s the home of the London Stock Exchange and is close to the Bank of England Museum.
Another attraction of Liverpool Street is the great architecture. Stylish buildings with lavish designs on the street make it a nice place to visit.
You will find awesome skyscrapers like the Gherkin, the Cheese Grater, the Scalpel, and the Heron Tower.
It is also the location of Spitalfields Market, a trendy east London market that opens every day until 11 pm which is quite unusual for London!
Add Spitalfields Market to your itinerary if you want to do some shopping.
Closest Station: Liverpool Street Station.
Little Green Street
Little Green Street in Camden’s Tufnell Park is one of the few old streets in London that have not gone through many changes over the years.
It is a small, cobbled street lined by houses that were built in the 1780s and have remained the same thanks to the efforts of preservation.
Little Green Street is famous for being one of the few preserved Georgian streets in London.
Closest Station: Tufnell Park.
Watling Street
This street begins from Dover West and was used by the ancient Britons as a major road and was later paved by the Romans when they occupied Britannia.
The street is a great place for exploring London’s history. It is famous for being the location of the Roman defeat of Boudica called the Battle of Watling Road.
It is divided into two sections called the A2 or the Great Dover Road and the A5 respectively.
Watling Street is surrounded today by great old buildings like St Mary Le Bow Church and Ye Old Watling and is one of the oldest streets in London.
You can find the Cordwainer Statue and other monuments on the street.
Closest Station: Mansion House.
Haymarket
The street is named after the Haymarket Theatre which was constructed in 1720, one of the oldest playhouses in London still in use.
Haymarket runs from Piccadilly Circus to Pall Mall. This street started as a market for animal feed, straw and hay.
Changes started taking place in the 1700s and theatres were built on the street for entertainment.
One of the most famous theatres built at the time was Theatre Royal Haymarket. Soon more buildings like the Haymarket Hotel sprung up and the area kept being developed.
Today, Haymarket is a popular area filled with shops, restaurants and theatres.
If you fancy a bit of London nightlife, head on to Haymarket and enjoy yourself at one of the many theatres that are in the West End Theatre District.
If you choose to visit this area, you should check out Lyceum Theatre and catch a performance of The Lion King.
Closest Station: Piccadilly Circus.
This guide has introduced you to some of our favourite old streets in London.
For your next day out, choose one of these places and get exploring.
We suggest you start with Kynance Mews.