Guildhall

City (EC2) At the end of King Street in Guildhall Yard is the Guildhall of the City of London, commenced in 1410, but not completed till the sixteenth century. It suffered severely in the Great Fire, but so solid was its masonry that it was able to defy the fury of the raging element, though its fine old oak roof was unfortunately destroyed. Its principal feature is the great hall, which .presents .a very imposing appearance. In the hail are monuments to the memory of the great Earl of Chatham; his illustrious son, William Pitt; Lord Nelson; and the Duke of Wellington. Here also are conspicuous the fantastic-looking figures known as Gog and Gogmagog, but whose real names and identity have long been a difficulty with antiquarians. The trial scenes of many celebrated persons have taken place in Guildhall. Among these may be mentioned that of Lady Jane Grey, the Earl of Surrey, Sir Nicholas Throgmorton, etc., etc. The City feasts in Guildhall have been famous for centuries. The earliest account of a Lord Mayor's dinner in the Guildhall is to be found in Pepys's Diary, under date of October 29, 1663. "To Guildhall," he writes, "I sat at the Merchant Strangers' table ; where ten good dishes to a messe, with plenty of wine of all sorts; but it was very unpleasing that we had no napkins nor change of trenchers, and drank out of earthen pitchers and wooden dishes." (Reference: Jesse's London, vol. III, p. 154)