London Statues – The Cordwainer
Just in front of St Mary Aldermary, in Watling Street in the City, is this statue of a cordwainer – a leatherworker.
In the medieval City, just as in an Arabic souk today, each trade had its own particular streets. This was the shoe and bootmaking area, and it’s still called Cordwainer ward (a district of local government).
The word ‘cordwainer’ is derived from the name of the city of Cordoba in Spain, which was renowned for its fine leatherwork.
You can see another more famous cordwainer outside the nearby church of St Mary le Bow. He may have started as a mere cobbler, but he became Governor of Virginia and Admiral of New England – Captain John Smith.
Photo credit: Oxyman
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