|
 The
Bank of England, in the heart of the City of London, was established
in 1694 to provide William III with finance to fight the French.
Over the years the bank grew
to become Britain's central bank, with the authority to print
and issue currency notes. The Bank of England also has
the responsibility of storing the country's gold reserves,
managing the National Debt and a safeguarding the the value
of British currency.
When the Bank moved here 1734
it acquired the nickname, 'The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street'.
The building was designed by Sir John Soane in 1788, the original
plans can still be seen in the Sir John Soane Museum, Lincoln's
Inn Fields. However, only the exterior of Soane's building
has survived; the rest of the building was replaced between
1925 and 1939 when the Bank was enlarged.
The Bank of England Museum, within
the Bank of England itself, covers the 300 years of the bank's
history.
The museum centres on the a reconstruction
of Soane's Bank Stock Office of 1793, complete with waxwork
figures in period costume. The Bank Stock Office is
considered to be the finest neo-classical interior in Europe.
The museum illustrates the work
of the Bank of England and the story of England's financial
system using interactive videos and displays, including a
modern dealing desk.
Sir Herbert Baker's Rotunda contains
a display of Roman gold bars as well as modern 28lb, 13kg,
gold bullion.
Other exhibits include silver
plated decoration, coins and the banknote gallery, displaying
a complete collection of Bank of England notes. There
are also pieces of Roman pottery and a Roman mosaic floor
discovered during the rebuilding.
Shop, no free samples of money,
but does have paperweights made from used banknotes.
Admission free
|
the internet holiday and travel guide to the UK
London
Bank