Ye Ancient London Stone

Tweet

At 111 Cannon Street sits an object with a near mystical air, the London Stone. An unassuming lump of limestone, which has seen better times and is smoke blackened from the Great Fire of 1666. The stone, believed to have been quarried in the county of Rutland, once stood on the south side of Candlewick Street, which would be widened and become Cannon Street, not far from where it sits now. First recorded around 1100, it has been object of interest since medieval times. There was believed to have been a Roman Governor’s palace in the area and some people think the stone may be a part of that, while others think it is the remains of a Druidic altar. No one knows for sure about the stone’s origins or purpose. As usual, there is a legend attached to the stone that if it is removed, London will collapse! Incidentally, the street name was first recorded as Candelwrichstrete or Candelwright street where all the candle makers lived. Over time and once Cockney's had finished with it the name changed until it become Cannon, nothing to do with artillery!