Londonist’s Back Passage

Time to resurrect our long-absent column on the city’s alleys, ginnels and snickleways. All the passageways we’ve covered in this series so far have led somewhere. Wapping Old Stairs is a little different. The modern explorer will find that this tight passage and time-warn steps …

Where? Western-most alley in the veritable circuit board north of Fleet Street, from which it communicates with Fetter Lane. What? There’s very little life down Crane Court these days. A solitary Indian restaurant (the Temple Bar) is about the only feature of interest in an …

Where? Nest of courts and passages just south of the British Museum. What? Like a gentrified version of Diagon Alley, with a similarly evocative name, Pied Bull Yard contains plenty of enchanting shops. You won’t find Olliavander the Wandmaker, but you can visit independent book …

Where? Tri-directional alley system behind St Andrew-by-the-Wardrobe, off Queen Victoria Street in the City. What? Like a fugitive from a forgotten Monty Python script, Wardrobe Terrace presents its bizarre name to the (slightly diminished) hordes of City workers who flock down Queen Victoria Street each …

Where? The most protracted of a ganglion of passages north of Fleet Street. Wine Office Court connects Shoe Lane and Fleet Street via two perpendicular stretches. What? Time to raise a glass, as we reach a half-century of Back Passages. The derivation of Wine Office …

Where? Sun-shy network of alleys between Cornhill and Lombard Street. View Larger Map What? With the notable exception of snack machines, change is inevitable. And so, as one year transmorphogrophosises into the next, we paid a visit to Change Alley in the very heart of …

48. Denmark Place Where: In the shadow of Centrepoint, Denmark Place connects Charing Cross Road to St Giles High Street, with a narrow offshoot into Denmark Street. What: The passage and neighbouring Denmark Street take their names from Prince George of Denmark, consort to Princess …

47. Passing Alley Where? We’re back in Clerkenwell to probe this connector of St John Street and St John’s Lane. What? Oh what japery the denizens of Clerkenwell must have enjoyed around this one over the centuries. Passing Alley is only one vowel shift from …

46. Royal Opera Arcade Where? West of Haymarket, up the backside of the Phantom of the Opera, the Arcade links Charles II Street to Pall Mall. What? As Westfield Shopping Centre prepares to open in Shepherd’s Bush, it’s worth looking back to where it all …

45. Cockpit Steps Where? Abridged spiral stair case leading down to St James Park from Old Queen Street, Westminster. What? This week, a rare intrusion into the third dimension, courtesy of Cockpit Steps. The curious name alludes to a royal cockpit, where gentlemen of note …