Cannon Street looking west towards St Paul's Cathedral, close to the entrance to Cannon Street station.

Cannon Street is a road in the south of the City of London. It runs roughly parallel with the River Thames, and about 250 metres north of it. It is the site of the ancient London Stone.

[edit] Etymology

The area around Cannon Street was the place of residence of the candle makers and in the Middle Ages the street was known as Candelwrichstrete. The name was shortened several times as a result of the local cockney dialect and settled on Cannon Street in the 17th century.^[1] Cannon Street in Birmingham, according to the archives of Birmingham Central Library, is named after the City of London street.

[edit] Overview

It starts at St Paul's Cathedral, and goes east, meeting Queen Victoria Street near Mansion House underground station, passing Cannon Street station, and finally meeting King William Street and Gracechurch Street near Monument tube station.

In the late 19th century Cannon Street was occupied by large wholesale warehouses, especially of cotton goods and other fabrics.^[2]

The London Stone (in the Roman days distances were measured from this point) was originally situated in the middle of Cannon Street; it was later set into the wall of St Swithin's Church,^[2] and now rests in a case to the side of the street.

It is the street upon which singer Marc Almond suffered a near fatal crash in 2004 whilst riding pillion on a motorcycle.

[edit] References

Coordinates: 51°30′40″N 0°05′20″W / 51.511°N 0.089°W / 51.511; -0.089