social cycle ride 10am Saturday August 12th

[Sally Eva]

Ride to The Oldest House in the City

This ride starts at 10am and finishes at 12 noon from Canada Water Library (opposite Canada Water Station, SE16 7AR. There are lifts at Canada Water taking several bikes at a time. The route is 10.8 miles, pretty much flat.

Hidden down a small street in Farringdon lies a quite remarkable building ? 41/42 Cloth Fair. Built between 1597 and 1614, this is the only house in the City of London to have survived the?Great Fire of London?in 1666.

Records tell us that the reason it escaped the brunt of the fire was due to it being enclosed within a large set of priory walls. Records also show that the building was originally part of a larger scheme of eleven houses featuring a courtyard in the middle, known as "The Square in Launders Green".

To demonstrate that vandalism is timeless and depends on the social status of the vandal the house has a set of leaded windows with the signatures (etched with a diamond pen) of famous visitors including Sir Winston Churchill and the Queen Mother.

Track at http://www.mapmyride.com/workout/2252218598. All Southwark Cyclists rides are free and open to all. If you are under 16 please bring an adult. Harry will be leading. More info including ride notes linked below

https://southwarkcyclists.org.uk/events/rotherhithe-healthy-ride-oldest-house-in-the-city/

Everyone welcome - hope to see you there.