“A bishop’s mitre high upon a building near Bishopsgate’s junction with Wormwood Street” That’s how many recognize this historic location. Bishopsgate wasn’t just a gate. It was a vital artery. A north-south route from London Bridge to Shoreditch. One of the original Roman roads. Bishopsgate Street ran through Bishopsgate a gate in the northern city wall. This gate gave its name to Bishopsgate Ward. The area just inside the gate housed the medieval church of St Ethelburga. Legend says her brother St Erkenwald rebuilt the Roman gate. This church dedicated to her is unique in England.
During the Tudor and Elizabethan eras wealthy merchants built homes on Bishopsgate Street. Sir Thomas Gresham Sir John Crosby and Sir Paul Pindar were among them. Gresham’s house became Gresham College. Another important building was Bethlehem Hospital. Often called Bedlam it was a mental hospital. Its name gave us the phrase Jack o’ Bedlam. This describes a madman in literature. The Bull Inn was another significant location. Plays were performed there before Shakespeare’s time. One of its actors Richard Burbage obtained a license from Queen Elizabeth. This license led to the building of the Theatre London’s first playhouse.
Shakespeare’s plays were performed at both the Theatre and the Curtain. Both were located near Bishopsgate Street. Anyone seeing Shakespeare’s plays in the 1590s would have travelled along Bishopsgate Street. The street now mainly features Victorian-era office blocks. Bishopsgate Street has also witnessed both triumph and tragedy. In 1471 during the Wars of the Roses it was attacked. The attackers nearly captured Aldgate and the city. Bishopsgate was set on fire. The attackers were repulsed. The gate was rebuilt by Hanse merchants. Its final form was demolished in 1760. A more modern tragedy struck on April 24 1993. An IRA bombing killed a journalist. It injured many people and caused extensive damage including to St Ethelburga’s church. The church was rebuilt as a centre for reconciliation and peace.
Bishopsgate’s story is one of resilience and transformation. It’s a place where Roman roads intersected medieval walls and where Shakespeare’s plays echoed through coaching inns. Today its skyscrapers stand as testament to the enduring spirit of this vibrant location. Its past however continues to echo in its present. It’s a place where the weight of history meets the dynamism of modern London. A fascinating and memorable place. Remember its story the next time you walk past.