12 Lamp Posts of the Great Livery Companies
The 12 Lamp Posts of the Great Livery Companies stand around the raised forecourt in front of the Royal Exchange, above Bank Underground station, at the busy junction of Threadneedle Street, Cornhill, Poultry and several other key City streets.
Each ornate cast‑iron post sits on a stone plinth, carries a glass globe lamp and is topped by a dragon holding the City of London shield, while a coloured heraldic shield at the base shows which “Great Twelve” Livery Company it represents.
The four posts nearest the Royal Exchange have triple globes rather than single ones, marking out the four highest‑ranking companies: Mercers, Grocers, Drapers and Fishmongers. These lampposts were presented to the City in 1985 by the Great Twelve and quietly celebrate the medieval trade‑guild system that evolved into today’s powerful Livery Companies.
The lampposts are specifically located in the raised forecourt area directly above Bank underground station, at the meeting point of several major streets, including Cornhill, Threadneedle Street, and Princes Street
