Historic England and City of London applaud “remarkable” display below £90m Urbanest City development
A museum-quality exhibition featuring a significant chunk of London’s Roman wall preserved in situ beneath Hopkins Architects’ Urbanest City student-housing development has won praise from Historic England and the City of London Corporation.
City Wall at Vine Street is beneath developer Urbanest’s £90m scheme – a collaboration with King’s College London that was consented in 2017 – featuring 656 rooms for students, 11 floors of workspace, and a café.
The exhibition is free to visit but must be booked in advance. It was designed by Metaphor in conjunction with the Museum of London. Delivery architect for Hopkins’ overall design for the development was Apt.
London’s city wall was completed around 1,800 years ago. It was between 2m and 3m thick and faced with square blocks of Kentish ragstone, filled with rubble and concrete.
In 1905, work on a new building in Vine Street exposed some of the section of wall that is part of the new exhibition. More was uncovered in 1979, along with a previously-unknown bastion.
Government heritage adviser Historic England has been monitoring the condition of the section of wall and involved in discussions about the potential for a new public display since 2010. The wall is now supported by steel props and jacks.
Historic England regional director Tom Foxall said the new exhibition was the culmination of seven years of successful collaboration with Urbanest – which acquired the site in 2016, the Museum of London and the City of London Corporation.
“Together we have brought a remarkable fragment of the history of London into the public arena for the first time in more than 40 years,” he said.
“This site demonstrates that archaeology and heritage need not be an obstacle to new development – as we see so often, it can bring significant value and character to a place.
“It should stand as an exemplar for future schemes by showing that you can celebrate the heritage of places whilst delivering something new.”
Shravan Joshi, who chairs the Square Mile’s Planning and Transportation Committee, at the City London Corporation, also described the exhibition as “remarkable”.
“By revealing this large section of the Roman wall with interpretation and displaying artefacts, we are providing workers, residents and visitors with free access to a tangible link to our past and is a shining example of how redevelopment can celebrate and preserve our rich heritage,” he said.
“This wonderful scheme is one of many other attractions in the pipeline, negotiated through City planning which celebrates the City’s archaeology and history as part of making the City a seven day destination for all.”
Visiting times for City Wall at Vine Street are 9am to 6pm Monday to Sunday. It is not open on bank holidays.
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