Gunpost Near The Junction With City Road

The gun-post near the junction with City Road is a cast iron structure from the early to mid-19th century, notable for its typical design and original location. It features an inscription on the plinth that reads: "ST L / MIDDLESEX / No. 109". It is likely that the first line originally included an "S", indicating "St L S", a shorthand for St Leonard's Shoreditch, which is consistent with other gun-posts in the area. This gun-post serves as a boundary marker for the parish of St Leonard's Shoreditch, which is home to a grade I listed church built in 1736 by George Dance the Elder.

Historically, after the Napoleonic Wars, many cannons were repurposed as bollards, leading to the design of this gun-post and others that delineate the parish boundaries of St Leonard's Shoreditch. Although parish boundaries have become less significant over time, they were once vital administrative units for governance, including the distribution of social welfare and record-keeping.

This gun-post is important as it not only marks the historical division of land but also represents a surviving element of the early to mid-19th century streetscape, reflecting a design inspired by the cannons from the Napoleonic Wars. Its preservation in its original location adds to its historical and architectural significance.