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Awards' Ceremony
On Thursday 23rd March 2006, the Great
Hall of Guildhall in the City of London hosted the 13th annual Picture
Editors' Awards. The Awards have become a major event in the Photographic
Calendar.
Into the 21st century Guildhall still
plays a vital part in the history of the City. This historic building,
now with the addition of a modern office complex, is still used
as the splendid setting for state and civic banquets in honour of
Royalty and World Leaders. It also provides the venue for the meetings
of the Corporation's elected assembly, the Court of Common Council,
and for the Honorary Freedom of the City ceremony. |
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| The Guildhall |
 For
more than eight centuries the Guildhall in the City of London
has been a centre of City government. As the seat of the Corporation
of London, the local authority for the Square Mile, it has
been the hub of City life from the Middle Ages.
The word "guildhall"
is said to derive from the Anglo-Saxon "gild" meaning
payment, so it was probably a place where citizens would pay
their taxes. The present Guildhall was begun in 1411 and,
remarkably, has survived both the Great Fire of London and
the Blitz which eradicated so many of London's historic buildings.
It is the only secular stone structure dating from before
1666 still standing in the City. |
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 Its
origins may be even older as it is thought that at least one
earlier Guildhall existed on or near the present site. References
to a London Guildhall are made in a document dating back to
1128 and the present Hall's restored west crypt is thought
to be part of a late-13th century building. The site of Guildhall
was significant even earlier, as indicated by the remains
of the long-lost Roman amphitheatre which were discovered
in 1987-8 underneath what is now Guildhall Yard. It is possible
that Guildhall's Great Hall lies directly over an area of
seating which would have had a special box for important Roman
dignitaries watching the entertainment. The part of Guildhall known
as the Great Hall is where royalty and state visitors have
been entertained down the centuries. As the third largest
civic hall in England, it has also been the setting for famous
state trials, including that of Lady Jane Grey in 1553. The
imposing medieval Hall has stained glass windows and several
monuments to national heroes including Admiral Lord Nelson,
the Duke of Wellington and Sir Winston Churchill.
The Old Library, used for a
reception prior to the Award's ceremony, housed the Guildhall
reference library and the Guildhall Museum from 1873 until
1974 when the collections moved to accommodation in the newly
constructed west wing and the Museum of London. Beneath Guildhall
lie the largest medieval crypts in London. |
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How to get to Guildhall
Guildhall is conveniently
located in the City of London and is easily reached from
St Paul's, Moorgate, Bank and Mansion House Underground
stations and Liverpool Street, Fenchurch Street, Blackfriars,
Cannon Street, Moorgate and City Thameslink main line
railway stations. The nearest bus routes are to Bank,
Moorgate, Cheapside and London Wall and public car parks
are available at London Wall, Barbican and Aldersgate
Street. Wheelchair accessible entrances and facilities
are available at Guildhall. |
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