Anne Boleyn's Coronation
Chapter 6 : Coronation Route - Directions
Follow Anne Boleyn’s processional route as she travelled from the Tower of London to Westminster, to be crowned as Queen of England.
On 31st May 1533, Anne left the Tower with an escort of the Knights of Bath, heading for Westminster through streets thronged with people greeting Henry’s new wife.
You can follow the route that Anne took using the map and directions below.
The Directions
Exit the Tower and walk up the hill, following the signs for Tower Hill Underground Station.
As Anne left the Tower, a gun salute was sounded in her honour.
After you cross the road, walk right along the road until it starts to bend.
Follow this bend left onto a road called The Minories. In front of you on the opposite side of the road should be the The Minories Traditional Pub and Dining.
Walk under the railway bridge and continue past the Hotel Indigo. As you reach the top of this road you will need to turn left onto Aldgate High Street.
As the road ahead of you forks take the left and continue west along Fenchurch Street. You will pass the East India Arms pub on your left.
At Fenchurch Anne was greeted by a pageant of children dressed as merchants.
Eventually you will reach a crossroads with Lombard Street ahead of you. Take a right onto Gracechurch Street and head north up the road passing Leadenhall Market on your right.
Gracechurch Street and Cornhill were decorated with red and gold cloths, tapestries and carpets to celebrate the coronation.
Soon after the market you will reach another crossroads. Here, at the traffic lights, you will need to turn left onto Cornhill Road and walk west until you reach the Bank of England with a statue of Wellington on your right.
Here, Anne was greeted with another pageant, this one depicting the Three Graces.
Passing Bank Underground station on your left you will need to head straight over the junction and as the road forks bear right down the Poultry.
Poultry will merge into Cheapside and continue along here until you reach a T-junction in the road.
The Cheapside that Anne saw was hung with gold and velvet hangings, with ladies watching the procession from windows along the route. At the Great Conduit a fountain ran continually with claret and white wine throughout the day.
Towards the end of Cheapside, Anne was received by the Recorder of London and presented with a purse of 1000 marks, which she accepted with great thanks.
Turn left on New Change keeping St Paul's on your right. Continue south until you reach the crossroads with Cannon Street, St Paul's Churchyard and Distaff Lane.
Turn right onto Cannon Street keeping St Paul's on your right. This will merge into St Paul's Churchyard: follow this road west until it merges into Ludgate Hill.
In the churchyard was erected a scaffold holding 200 children who greeted Anne with poetry. When they finished she said 'Amen'.
At the crossroads with Farringdon Street cross over the road and head straight down Fleet Street. You should see the Royal Courts of Justice on your right and St Clement Danes church in front of you.
At Fleet Street a tower with four turrets was built for the occasion, decorated with gilded carvings. Wine flowed from a fountain, and children sang.
As the road ahead of you splits, take the left option. You are now walking along The Strand. Follow this past Kings College, Somerset House and The Savoy Hotel. This is a long stretch of road. Continue straight past Charing Cross station on your left and you will reach Trafalgar Square.
From where you are take the second exit off the roundabout heading south down Whitehall passing Horse Guards Parade and 10 Downing Street both on your right.
As you pass the Cenotaph in the centre of the road Westminster Abbey should start to appear in front of you.
At the crossroads cross over Bridge Street and continue walking straight down St Margaret's Street keeping the Houses of Parliament on your left and Parliament Square on your right.
Head over the pedestrian crossing and you will have reached Westminster Abbey. Your coronation procession is complete!
Anne stayed at Westminster for the night, and on 1st June was taken to St Peter's Abbey where she was anointed and crowned Queen of England.
Directions produced by Historic Royal Palaces and reproduced here with their kind permission.
