The Worshipful Company of Tax Advisers

City Walk

A City walk has become one of the regular fixtures in the WCOTA social calendar, and is an event which has, so far, usually been blessed with good weather. This year’s walk, which was held on 5 July, was no exception, and a group of us gathered in the late afternoon sun for a pre-walk drink outside The Blackfriar Pub before heading off to learn about the lost River Fleet.

The walk was led by Paul Talling from Derelict London. Paul, who is a social historian and photographer of parts of London that are disappearing under new developments, had a fascinating story to tell, both personally and in relation to the River Fleet. We started the walk by the Embankment at Blackfriars, with a partial view of the Fleet’s outfall chamber into the Thames. Paul then explained the Victoria sewage system, before walking us to Smithfield market, stopping to explain the names of some of the lanes en route. Despite working nearby for a number of years, I had never noticed Turnagain Lane, and had no idea of the story behind the name. From Smithfield, we then walked up to the Clerk’s Well (at, guess where?) where the walk finished.

Some of the group not rushing to catch trains home, then enjoyed a convivial supper at Vivat Bacchus.