Guildhall is the place where the City of London''s civic life has been carried out for centuries, and where the Livery''s story often meets the City''s. This short history follows the dates given in the City of London Corporation''s visual guide, "The many lives of Guildhall".
An ancient site
The guide notes that the site held London''s Roman amphitheatre, built in AD 70, and that the Romans founded Londinium here about 2,000 years ago. Long before the present building, this was already a place where Londoners gathered.
The Great Hall
Between 1411 and 1440, John Croxton built the Great Hall. The guide describes how the ruling merchant class used the hall to help shape London''s laws. Its scale still surprises first-time visitors.
Feasts and trials
The Lord Mayor''s Banquet has been held at Guildhall since 1502. The hall has also seen darker moments: in 1553, Lady Jane Grey was tried for high treason in the Great Hall and sentenced to death, after being de facto queen for nine days.
Fire and war
Guildhall''s roof was destroyed in the Great Fire of September 1666; the guide quotes Samuel Pepys on "the horrid malicious, bloody flame". It was destroyed again during the Blitz on 29 December 1940, when the roof collapsed as burning timber. The current roof, designed by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, was erected in 1953. It is the fourth roof.
Treasures within
The guide also points to the Guildhall Art Gallery, where the City Corporation''s Magna Carta of 1297 is kept, and to the Old Library and Print Room among the spaces on the site.
Guildhall today
Guildhall remains the City''s civic and ceremonial centre. It hosts royal, national and international occasions, including state visits, and is also an events venue.
A timeline at a glance
- AD 70: Roman amphitheatre built on the site.
- 1411 to 1440: the Great Hall is built.
- 1502: the Lord Mayor''s Banquet is first held here, according to the guide.
- 1553: Lady Jane Grey is tried in the Great Hall.
- 1666: the Great Fire destroys the roof.
- 1940: the Blitz destroys the roof again.
- 1953: the fourth roof is erected.
If you are planning a visit, check the City of London Corporation''s website for access and opening details before you go.