London’s oldest house that survived both the Great Fire and the Blitz still stands today

Some of London’s most fascinating landmarks are easy to miss because they are hidden down quiet side streets, and this place is a perfect example.

This narrow street near Smithfield Market in the City of London gets its name from medieval times, when traders once gathered here to sell cloth. Today, it is no longer busy with stalls and crowds

Instead, it feels calm and mostly residential, offering a peaceful break from the busy city. One building on the street stands out because of its long and unusual history.

Photo © Chris Brown (cc-by-sa/2.0)

Numbers 41 and 42 Cloth Fair were built between 1597 and 1614, making them the oldest surviving house in London.

What makes this four bedroom townhouse even more special is that it has lived through many dramatic moments in history and even survived the Great Fire of London.

During the Great Fire, more than 70,000 homes were destroyed across the city. This house would have been surrounded by burning and collapsed buildings, but a tall brick wall around it helped protect it from the flames.

This was not the first time the house escaped disaster. During the Second English Civil War, many buildings in London were damaged or destroyed, yet the house survived once again.

Sadly, its builder Henry Rich was not so fortunate. As a supporter of the King, he was captured, put on trial and later executed at the Palace of Westminster.

Photo © Christine Matthews (cc-by-sa/2.0)

The first person to live in the house was William Chapman, who turned the ground floor into an ale house.

Over the years, the building had many different uses, including a wool draper’s shop, a tobacconist and later a cutlery factory, until it was sold in the 1920s. Since then, it has been a private home and is still lived in today.

The 1920s almost brought an end to 41 and 42 Cloth Fair. In 1929, there were plans to knock it down along with other old buildings to improve living conditions in the city. At the time, people also questioned whether the structure was safe.

Thankfully, the house was saved and went on to survive another major event in London’s history.

It came through the Blitz without damage, even though around 1.7 million buildings across the capital were hit and many historic landmarks were lost forever.

Remember - LeaveNoTrace!

As with anywhere outdoors, kindly keep these areas pristine and wild by taking all trash with you. The amount of complaints we have seen since the pandemic is crazy. It's really not that hard to take your rubbish with you!

Litter tends to spread, so if you see any and are able to pick it up and dispose of it outside the hidden gem, it will help keep the area tidy.

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