Top Things To Do In London - Spitalfields and The Huguenot homes of Fournier street - a little history walk through London

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Fournier Street view of street

With my good friend, Russ, occasional walking guide and history enthusiast I had the fortunate pleasure of being transported back in time, experiencing London in quite a unique way. When I may have simply passed by oblivious to its significance, Russ pointed out a snippet and anecdote that made the walk a much more enjoyable experience.

7 Fournier street, London

Things got messy in France under King Louis XIV around 1685 forcing The Huguenots (Protestants) to leave the country. Around 50,000 of them settled in England, around half in London and many around the Spitalfields streets we walked through today.

Eleven and a half Fournier street

These homes were built in the 18th century. As silk weavers and clockmakers, the Huguenot's homes were a combination of workshop and living space. These are the largest group of Georgian built homes that still remain standing in London and are currently grade ii listed buildings, which means every effort must be made to preserve them.

12 Fournier Street, London

Fournier street homes


Mostly, these homes are renovated on the inside and fetch huge sale prices. The house on the left sold for £3,500,000 (AUD6.2 million) in August 2021. A little out of my budget!

Insurance Firemark

After the great fire in 1666, London saw the emergence of fire companies that offered insurance to residents to protect their homes. If you had a fire mark above your house, the company would put out the fire on your burning home. If not, then they would let it burn to the ground.

56 Artillery lane, london

56 and 58 Artillery Lane are said to be the oldest shopfronts in London. The building itself dates back to 1690 but during the 18th century, as the demand for luxury items such as silks increased, they were remodelled into shopfronts to attract passing customers. 


Stay well and have a great week.

Nina 😀


Picture of Nina and Russ Hines smiling and enjoying the Van Gogh immersive experience
THE AUTHOR

My Curious Camera is professional portrait photographer, Nina Beilby. That's me. 😃 📷📷

Follow me as I travel through life with my camera by my side, I share snippets and snaps of my daily adventures.

With my camera at my side, I've been able to record moments of jubilation and happiness. When I have had some of my darkest moments, my adventures with my camera have given me purpose and joy. I hope they give you some too.

Nina

Location: Spitalfields, London, UK

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