WALK 28 - SEARCHING FOR RICHARD WHITTINGTON
Part 1 - The City - Smithfield to the Thames
INTRODUCTION
This walk starts near Smithfield. The route then weaves down to the River Thames.
Along the way, places connected to Richard Whittington will be visited. A range of other interesting old buildings and monuments will be pointed out as we pass them.
We’ll start by comparing Richard Whittington, who was a real person, and whom this walk is about, and Dick Whittington, the fictional character, and who was loosely based on the real Richard Whittington.
Richard Whittington c. 1356–1423. (The Historical Reality)
Background: Richard was born into a wealthy Gloucestershire family, a son of Sir William FitzWaryn. Richard was not poor, although because he was a younger son, so would not inherit from his father.
Legacy: Richard Whittington died wealthy and childless, leaving his fortune to charity. This charity funded projects like a hospital (St. Bart's), a library, drainage systems, and Leadenhall Market.
The charity still exists, called the “Charity of Richard Whittington”, and is still managed by the Mercers' Company.
The charity continues to fund significant charitable work in London, Norfolk, and the North East, with recent data showing grants exceeding £2 million in 2024/25, specifically targeting community building, family support, and older people.
Dick Whittington (The Legend & Pantomime)
The Story: A poor boy from the countryside travels to London, believing the streets are paved with gold, to seek his fortune.
The Cat: The famous legend features a cat that brings him fortune, though this is likely a later addition to the story. There is no evidence that the real Whittington kept a cat.
The Bells: When leaving London via Highgate Hill, the fictional Dick Whittington is famously encouraged to "Turn again, Whittington, thrice Lord Mayor of London" by the Bow Bells. Highgate is 4-5 miles from Bow Church, so being able to hear the bells at that distance is unlikely. Also, Whittington was Lord Mayor of London four times, not three (3 times voted in, once by order of King Richard II).
USING THE WALK
The walk can be used directly from your phone, or you can download a printable booklet.
In this online version:
- Directions will be shown in italic text.
- Notes about places connected to Richard Whittington will be in blue, bold text.
- Other notes about interesting places that we pass will be shown in plain text.
START THE WALK
Start from Farringdon Station on the Elizabeth Line, leaving from the Barbican exit.
ST BARTHOLOMEW
THE GREAT
On your left is the church of St Bartholomew the Great.
St Bartholomew’s was founded in 1123 by a man called Rahere, a court jester and courtier to King Henry I, who eventually became a cleric. St Bartholomew the Great in Smithfield is London’s oldest surviving parish church. It was built originally as an Augustinian priory. The building survived the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the Great Fire of London, and WWII. It features a mixture of Norman and Gothic architecture, and the founder's tomb.
Cloth Fair is so named because, in medieval times, merchants gathered here to buy and sell fabric during the Bartholomew Fair.
Bartholomew Fair was originally supported by Royal Charter from King Henry I (King of England from 1100 till his death in 1135). The Bartholomew Fair was a three-day cloth fair, to help fund the Priory of St Bartholomew the Great. It evolved into a major annual
event on 24 August (St Bartholomew's Day) within the precincts
of the Priory. The fair lasted until 1855, when it was banned due to
the unruly crowd, and having what was seen as inappropriate
entertainment for Victorian London.
Continue walking until you come to Cloth Court on the right. Just
before Cloth Court is 41-42 Cloth Fair, dating from around
1597-1614 it is a rare pre-Great Fire of London building.
On the left hand side of Cloth Court is a Blue Plaque, marking the building out as one of the places that Sir John Betjeman lived.
In addition to poetry, Betjeman was also a prolific broadcaster, who championed conservation, notably saving St Pancras Station, where there is a statue of him. His work made him a popular cultural icon.
Betjeman was celebrated for bringing poetry back to the general reader, with a unique, affectionate focus on English suburban life, faith, and local history.
If you have not been inside St Bartholomew the Great before, and you have time, it’s well worth a look. The fictional legend of “Dick Whittington”, based very roughly on the real Richard Whittington, talks about his cat companion.
Around the corner from St Bartholomew the Great, is St Bartholomew’s Hospital. It has strong links to Richard Whittington.
St Bartholomew’s Hospital
St Bartholomew’s Hospital ("Barts") has a direct historical link to Richard Whittington (c. 1354–1423).
Infrastructure Improvements: In the 1430s, the hospital improved its local water supply with help from Whittington's legacy, which also contributed to rebuilding the main gate of the hospital.
As well as the church, The Hospital of St Bartholomew was also founded in 1123 by Rahere.
The dissolution of the monasteries did not affect the running of Barts as a hospital, but left it in a precarious position by removing its income.
The hospital was founded again by Henry VIII in December 1546, on the signing of an agreement granting the hospital to the Corporation of London.
Carry on walking in the same direction then bear left into Giltspur Street. Walk on until you see the Golden Boy statue on the corner of Cock Lane on your right.
The Golden Boy Of Pye Corner
This statue marks the spot where the 1666 Great Fire of London
was finally stopped
(see pic on the right)
Cock Lane
Cock Lane itself has a notorious past, dating back to the 13th century. It was known for being the only medieval City of London street that was authorized to be used for prostitution.
Carry on down Giltspur Street, passing the Watch House on the right.
The Watch House
Watch houses were shelters for Watchmen, an early form of policing
the City. This Watch House is near the Holy Sepulchre Church, and
also near to St Bartholomew's Hospital. So, it is thought that it
was used to deal with the body snatching for medical science
dissection, which was done in the 18th and 19th centuries.
When you get to the junction with Holborn Viaduct, look on the corner of the church railings to see The First Drinking Fountain in London.
The Metropolitan Drinking Fountain and Cattle Trough Association was formed in 1859 to provide free, fresh drinking water for Londoners and their animals. This was to help combat the poor quality of water in some areas of London, that had caused Cholera and other illnesses earlier in the century. The Temperance Movement also encouraged the building of drinking fountains, and many (like this one) were built opposite to Public Houses.
One of the Association's founding members, Samuel Gurney, who was an MP, paid for this, the first London drinking fountain. Over 800 drinking fountains were eventually erected by the Association.
The church behind the railings used to be called St Sepulchre-without-Newgate, meaning it was just outside the Newgate in the London City Wall. If the church is open, you may wish to go in and see the Execution Bell.
The Execution Bell
‘All you that in the condemned hold do lie,
Prepare you, for to-morrow you shall die;
Watch all, and pray, the hour is drawing near
That you before the Almighty must appear;
Examine well yourselves, in time repent,
That you may not to eternal flames be sent.
And when St. Sepulchre's bell to-morrow tolls,
The Lord above have mercy on your souls.
Past twelve o’clock!’
Cross over Giltspur Street to the Viaduct Tavern, then over Newgate Street to the Newgate Blue Plaque.
Newgate Prison
Newgate Prison was named after the London City gate it was near.
Newgate Prison was originally built in the 12th century. The prison was extended and rebuilt many times, and remained in use for over 700 years, from 1188 to 1902.
As you are looking at the plaque, turn right, walk up to Old Bailey and turn left down it.
In the late 18th century, executions by hanging were moved here from the Tyburn gallows. These took place on the public street in front of the prison. Executions drew large crowds until 1868, when they were moved inside the prison.
Newgate Prison link to Richard Whittington
Newgate Prison has a direct link to the historical Richard Whittington through his will, which funded a major reconstruction of the prison in the early 15th century. Because of his philanthropic efforts to improve its conditions, the notoriously harsh prison was sometimes referred to as "Whittington's Palace".
The Bequest (1423): After dying childless in March 1423, Richard Whittington—who
was Lord Mayor of London - left instructions in his will for his executors to rebuild Newgate
Prison, which had become filthy and disease-ridden.
The Rebuilding: The prison was reconstructed shortly after Whittington’s death, providing better, more secure, and more convenient accommodation
for prisoners.
Other Contributions: In addition to rebuilding the prison, Whittington also left
£500 to aid the poor prisoners within Newgate, as well as those in
Ludgate, Fleet, and other jails.
Legacy: The rebuilt Newgate Prison survived until it was severely
damaged in the Great Fire of London in 1666.
Walk down Old Bailey a little way.
The Old Bailey
The Old Bailey (officially the Central Criminal Court) is named after
the street it is located on. The name refers to the bailey (outer
wall) of the original Roman/medieval fortifications of the City. The
street ran along the outside of the old city wall between Ludgate and
Newgate.
The court has sat at this location for centuries, originally beside the notorious Newgate Prison.
Walk back up Old Bailey and turn right on to Newgate Street. Walk along to the second turning on the right, Rose Street. Walk a few feet further along Newgate Street and look across the road. This is the remains of The Church of Christchurch Greyfriars.
The Church of Christchurch Greyfriars
Richard Whittington, Lord Mayor of London, founded a library at the Friary in 1429, and furnished it with desks and other furniture for the Friars and other library users.
In the Great Fire of 1666, the original church was destroyed, and, its thought, remained untouched until the 1687. This was when the present building was started using the designs of Sir Christopher Wren. It was completed in 1704. It was heavily bombed in WW2 and never fully rebuilt.
Return to Rose Street, and walk down it. Soon you will arrive in Paternoster Square.
Paternoster Square
Paternoster Square takes it's name from the medieval Paternoster Row. This was where the clergy of St Paul’s used to walk, holding their rosary beads and reciting the ‘Paternoster’, the Lord’s Prayer (Paternoster means ‘Our Father’).
In Paternoster Square there is a bronze sculpture of a Shepherd and
Sheep by Elisabeth Frink.
Frink's sculpture is a reference to the Newgate Meat Market, which was on this site from the late 17th century, until Smithfield Market replaced it in 1868. The use of sheep is also a religious nod to the nearby St Paul’s Cathedral.
There is also a large Corinthian, Portland stone column monument in the Square. It is 23m high, and is topped by a gold leaf covered flaming copper urn. The column commemorates two fires that affected this area, the Great Fire in 1666 and in the 1940's when the area was bombed.
Beneath the Square is a service road. The column has, built into it, a ventilation shaft leading to the road.
Walk on to Temple Bar Gate.
In 1878 the Temple Bar was taken down because it caused traffic congestion. It was moved to Theobalds Park, near Waltham Cross, and replaced in Fleet Street with the Temple Bar Memorial.
In 2004, at a cost of £3,000,000, Temple Barr was moved to its current position in Paternoster Square.
Walk through the Temple Barr towards St Paul's Cathedral, then turn right, passing the front of the Cathedral on your left.
St. Paul’s Cathederal
This is the latest in a succession of St Paul’s Cathedrals, beginning
in 604. All but one of the previous Cathedrals burned down, the
exception was destroyed by Vikings in 962. The enormous Norman
Cathedral was both larger and taller than the current building,
boasting the tallest spire ever built in England. See above.
It had fallen into great disrepair over the centuries through neglect, and deliberately mistreated for theological and ideological reasons during the Commonwealth. Following Charles II’s restoration, in 1663 Wren was asked to repair and renew the building. He argued strongly in favour of demolition and a fresh start, but was overruled. His final plan for restoration was agreed only six days before fate intervened, and Wren got his own way via the Great Fire of London in 1666.
Wren made three separate plans for the new St Paul’s, only having the final design approved by the King in 1675. Fortunately, the Royal Warrant, authorising building, enabled Wren to modify the design enormously between sign off and completion 35 years later. In particular, the expected steeple was replaced with the dome that now defines the building.
Carry on walking until you get to Ludgate Hill. Use the crossing to get to the other side and turn right. A few metres on the left is Creed Lane. Walk down Creed Lane. At the bottom, turn left and walk along Carter Lane. On the right, you will come to Wardrobe Place. Walk into it.
Wardrobe Place
The Royal Wardrobe was the department responsible for storing the King's clothes, furs, and fabrics. In the 1360s, it was located near Blackfriars priory, providing a central location in the City for merchants like Whittington to supply goods.
Richard Whittington, a wealthy London mercer (dealer in fine fabrics) and four-time Mayor, built his fortune by supplying luxury goods, such as velvet, silk, and damask, to the Royal Wardrobe of Richard II.
He was not merely a supplier but a key financier for the Crown, lending large sums of money to both Richard II and Henry IV.
In the early 1390s, Whittington made a fortune selling vast amounts of fine fabrics to King Richard II's court. Records show that between 1392-4, nearly £13,000 was spent by the Royal Wardrobe, with approximately a quarter of that going to Whittington.
Whittington continued to supply the royal court under Henry IV, providing items for royal weddings.
Exit Wardrobe Place, turn right, and walk along Carter Lane.
Carter Lane
Carter Lane is thought to originate from the medieval period, although the buildings have been replaced. One theory about it’s name is that it comes from the carters who used it as a thoroughfare to transport goods. Another possible theory is that it’s name is taken from some 14th-century local property owners, who were named Stephen and Thomas Le Charatter.
Continue walking, with St Paul’s on your left. The road will become Cannon Street. After passing a street called Friday Street on your right, use the crossing to get over Cannon Street. Turn right, to continue walking along Cannon Street, then take the first left into Bread Street.
City Street Names
A lot of the streets in the City of London are based on products that were made and sold in them. Friday Street after the Fish Trade that was here (Catholics not eating meat on Fridays meant Fish was the better option), Bread Street obviously was a place that bread was made and sold.
From Bread Street, turn right into Watling Street.
Watling Street
Watling Street is thought to be one of the oldest streets in the City of London. It was originally where a Roman road (Watling Street), running from Dover to Chester, passed through Londinium (the Roman name for London). The Roman route entered London via the Old Kent Road (in the southeast), over the Roman London Bridge, then passing through the city, and heading northwest, via where the modern-day Edgware Road and A5 are sited.
The name Watling Street originates from the Anglo-Saxon name Wæcelinga Stræt, which translates to "the street of the people of Wæcel". The Wæcelingas were a tribe located near the Roman town of Verulamium (modern St Albans), which the Saxons referred to as Wæclingacaester. The road got it’s name because it connected to this area.
Walk along Watling Street, and turn left into Bow Lane. When you reach Bow Church, turn left into Bow Churchyard, then right alongside Bow Church.
Bow Church and Richard Whittington
The medieval church of St Mary-le-Bow that Richard Whittington would have known was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666. The church you see now was designed by Sir Christopher Wren.
According to folklore, the impoverished young Richard “Dick” Whittington was on Highgate Hill, leaving London to seek his fortune, when he heard the bells of St Mary-le-Bow ringing. Dick interpreted the sound of the bells as "Turn again, Whittington, thrice Lord Mayor of London". This story was made up around a couple of hundred years after the real Richard Whittington had died (who was actually the Mayor of the City of London four times). In addition, it is about five miles between St Mary-le-Bow church and Highgate Hill, so the bell would have been unlikely to have been audible from Highgate Hill.
Being born within the sound of the Bow Bells (St Mary-le-Bow) is the traditional definition of a Cockney, a title often associated with this legend.
Cross over Cheapside (the street in front of Mary-le-Bow), and turn right. Pass King Street and Ironmonger Lane, then turn left up Old Jewry.
Old Jewry
This area in the 11th–13th centuries, was where Jews settled in London..
In 2001, archaeologists discovered a medieval mikveh (a ritual bath) near the corner of Gresham Street and Milk Street.
In the 1275 Statute of Jewry, which ended official usury, and following increasing anti-Semitic sentiment, King Edward I expelled all Jews from England in 1290.
Turn left off Old Jewry into Fredrick's Place.
The Mercer’s Company
Frederick's Place is home to The Mercers' Company, one of London's oldest livery companies, which has owned the site for centuries. It features 1770s Georgian buildings designed by the Adam brothers.
Richard Whittington was a prominent member and Master of The Mercers' Company. Among other things, as a Mercer, he traded in luxury fabrics like silk and velvet.
Upon Whittington’s death, he left his fortune to the Mercers' Company, to use and manage for charitable works, which it still does to this day.
Whittington’s charitable works included:
He established a college of priests and an almshouse (known as Whittington College) to provide housing and care for poor men and women.
He funded the construction of the first library at the Guildhall in London, the ancestor of the modern Guildhall Library.
He left funds to repair and rebuild Newgate Gaol, which had become overcrowded and dangerous.
He provided significant donations for the repair and improvement of St Bartholomew’s Hospital.
He financed the improvement of the City's water supplies and, in some accounts, contributed to the building of public toilets ("Whittington's Longhouse").
Charity work done during Whittington’s Lifetime:
Before his death, Whittington used his wealth for civic improvements:
He funded the rebuilding of the Guildhall, the centre of the London local government.
He financed the rebuilding of his parish church, St Michael Paternoster Royal.
Hospital for Unmarried Mothers: He built a maternity ward at St Thomas' Hospital for unmarried mothers.
He supported a charity for poor seamen.
Whittington, in his lifetime, also loaned money to the King to help fund wars. Interest was illegal then, but Whittington gained the favour of the Crown by just lending the money for free. The King responded by excusing Whittington from certain taxes.
Return to Old Jewry, and turn left. At the top of the road, turn
left into Gresham Street, then turn right into Guildhall Yard.
The Guildhall
After Whittington died in 1423, his charity provided money for Guildhall glazing, paving the floor with Purbeck stone, and funded the Guildhall Library.
If you walk up to the door into the Guildhall Art Gallery, then turn left and walk down the avenue of columns to the end, there is a modern (1999) statue of Richard Whittington, or rather the mythical Dick Whittington, called “Dick Whittington and His Cat” by Laurence Tindall.
On the paving in the yard outside the Guildhall is a circular marking, showing the position of a Roman Colosseum that was once here. You can go down and see the remains of the Colosseum in the basement of the Art Gallery, which is free to enter.
There is also a Guildhall library, which has small, changing exhibitions, about London City history. Free history talks are put on here too. If you want to visit it, go through the building on the opposite side of the yard, then turn right on to Aldermanbury. The entrance into the library is at the end of the building on the right.
Return to the yard outside the Art Gallery. Then walk down the pathway on the right side of the Art Gallery, and turn right into Basinghall Street, left on to Gresham Street, and right down Old Jewry. At the bottom of Old Jewry, turn left on to Poultry. Pass by Grocer’s Hall Court and cross over Poultry at the traffic lights.
Carry on along Poultry, until you reach the Mansion House on your right.
Mansion House
The Mansion House is used for some of the City of London's formal official functions, including two annual white tie dinners.
At the Easter banquet, the main speaker is normally the Foreign Secretary, who then receives a reply from the longest-serving ambassador.
In early June, the Chancellor of the Exchequer gives his or her "Mansion House Speech" about the state of the British economy.
The most famous was the Mansion House Speech of 1911 by David Lloyd George, which warned the German Empire against opposing British influence during the period leading up to the First World War.
Carry on in the same direction, cross over Lombard Street. Walk along Cornhill until the junction with Bishopsgate and Gracechurch Street. Turn right down Gracechurch Street, where over the road is Leadenhall Market.
Leadenhall Market
Whittington was also instrumental in building a granary for the city's residents
at the site, with support from other prominent citizens.
The market has continued to operate on the site for over 600 years, evolving into the vibrant, architecturally ornate, listed market that remains active today.
Continue on the right side of the road, down Gracechurch Street. At the end of Gracechurch Street, it curves to the right, passing a Monument tube station entrance. Continue along on the north side of Cannon Street.
Cannon Street
The current name “Cannon Street”, has no connection to artillery. It is a corruption of what it was originally called, which was Candelwrichstrete (or Candelewrithstret), a 12th-century term meaning "candlewright street" or "candle makers street".
The name evolved into Candlewick Street before finally becoming Cannon Street by the 17th century.
Carry on walking until just before you reach Cannon Street station. On the right, at 111 Cannon Street, between St. Swithins Lane and Salters Hall Court, is a monument with a glass panel, behind which is the London Stone.
The London Stone
While the exact purpose of The London Stone is unknown, it likely dates to the Roman period (as a ”milliarium” or central milestone) or post-Roman Saxon times (as a marker for street layouts).
The London Stone was originally situated on the south side of Cannon Street. It was moved multiple times, including being set into the wall of St Swithin’s Church. After the church was destroyed in the Blitz, the stone was housed behind a grill, and in 2018, it was moved into a new protective casing at its current, near to the original site, at 111 Cannon Street.
The "London Stone” was historically used for making proclamations, oaths, and the legal transfer of property. It is surrounded by myths, including a curse that says the city will fall if the stone is removed. It is famously featured in Shakespeare's Henry VI, Part 2.
Carry on walking until you reach a crossing. Walk over the crossing to the south side of Cannon Street. Continue along Cannon Street, passing Dowgate Street on your left. The next street on the left is College Hill. Walk down it. About three quarters of the way down the street, on the left is a blue plaque marking the place that Richard Whittington’s house was sited.
Richard Whittington’s House
There is also a Blue Plaque on the church next door.
St Michael Paternoster Royal Church
St Michael Paternoster Royal was built in an ancient parish in the City of London and was part of Vintry Ward.
This church was first recorded in 1219.
In 1409 Richard Whittington paid for its rebuilding. Whittington rebuilt St Michael’s as a collegiate church, which meant that it was administered by a college of priests, known as Whittington College (which is where College Hill gets its name). When Whittington died in 1423, he was buried in the church, although exactly where in the church is now unknown.
The church burnt down in the Great Fire of London in 1666, and was restored by Christopher Wren in 1690. The spire was designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor.
On July 23rd, 1944, a V1 flying bomb destroyed most of the
building.
Restoration wasn’t finished until 1967.
Records from St Michael Paternoster church, including registers of baptisms (1558-1975), marriages (1558-1954) and burials (1558- 1850) are held at the London Metropolitan Archives.
Walk through Whittington garden, just south of the church. This garden is one of the legacies of WW2, as it sits on land that was badly damaged by bombing raids, and not built on afterwards.
Cross over Upper Thames Street via the crossing. Walk about 37 metres left on Upper Thames Street, and then turn right into Bell Wharf Lane (See the picture on the right.)
Bell Wharf Lane
The Site Of Whittington’s Longhouse.
Bell Wharf Lane was originally known as Vintries Lane, and dates back to medieval times.
Whittington's Longhouse was a public toilet constructed in Bell
Wharf Lane with money donated by Richard Whittington, Lord Mayor
of London. The toilet had 128 seats: 64 for men and 64 for women. It
operated from around 1 May 1421, until the seventeenth century.
The Longhouse, though it was not London's first public toilet, was
the first with separate provision for the sexes.
The Longhouse, and the similarly financed almshouse for five or six
parishioners which was constructed above it, was built on a long dock
over the Thames. The Longhouse was built over the Walbrook, which was
a brook which flowed approximately where the modern Bell Wharf Lane
is. The waste was deposited in a gully which was then washed out by
the Thames tides twice a day.
Bell Wharf Lane saw extensive rebuilding in the latter part of the 20th century, when offices were built over it.
Carry on walking until you come to the Thames River. Turn left, and walk parallel to the river. When you reach the Cannon Street Railway Bridge, turn left and walk along Cousin Lane. Cross over Upper Thames Street and continue on Dowgate Lane, which has an entrance into Cannon Street Station. The station is on the Circle and District Lines.
END OF THE WHITTINGTON CITY WALK
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Part 2 - Optional Whittington mini walk.
If you would like to see some Whittington sites in North London, read on.
Ride to the Archway tube station (Northern Line).
Leave the station using the side exit to Highgate Hill.
Walk about 80 metres up the hill. On the left, is the Whittington Stone Pub.
A few metres further up the hill, on the pavement, is the actual Whittington Stone.
The Whittington Stone
The Whittington Stone is a Grade-II listed monument on Highgate Hill, commemorating the legend of Richard Whittington, the real-life merchant who became Lord Mayor of London four times.
The Whittington legend, that was invented about a couple of hundred years after he died, says that he stopped here whilst running away, leaving London.
It goes on to say that he heard the Bow Bells from here (five miles away!), and turned back to London to find his fortune. The current memorial stone, now featuring a 1964 cat statue, was placed here in 1821. It was sculpted by Jonathan Kenworthy
The tradition of a marker at this spot, dates back to at least the 17th century
There is a superstition about the monument, that if the stone is removed or damaged, it is an omen of disaster.
Walk about 80 metres further up Highgate Hill. On the left is
Whittington Hospital.
The Whittington Hospital
The first hospital on this site was St Anthony's Chapel and Lazar House, a facility built for lepers in 1473. It closed during the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the mid-16th century.
in 1914, it became Islington Infirmary and by 1920, five linked blocks had been added to the south of the original building. The hospital was taken over by the London County Council in 1930 and renamed St Mary's Hospital.
In 1948, St Mary's Hospital (subsequently known as St Mary's Wing) amalgamated with Highgate Hospital to form the Whittington Hospital. This combined facility was named after Sir Richard Whittington, the English merchant, who had left a large sum to charitable causes for supporting people in need.
Walk back down Highgate Hill, past the Whittington Stone. Follow the road as it turns left, then cross Archway Road at the crossing to what is now, Archway Park. Archway Park was the site of The Whittington Almshouses.
The Whittington Almshouses
The Whittington Almshouses were funded to provide homes for "poor or old people". They were administered by the Mercers' Company, and were particularly aimed at supporting elderly women in financial need.
In 1966, due to road widening, the institution moved to a new site in Felbridge, near East Grinstead.
The almshouses in Highgate were composed of 24–30 dwellings for women over 55. They included a chapel, a chaplain’s house, and a garden.
A statue of Richard Whittington, which stood at the Highgate site, was moved to the Felbridge Whittington College in Felbridge, near East Grinstead, Surrey, in 1966.
Today, in Felbridge, the almshouses continue to operate as residential, independent living spaces, and have been modernized to provide comfortable, updated homes.
END OF HIGHGATE WHITTINGTON WALK