Secrets of the City with Iain Sinclair

A walk through the City of London and then out to Stepney with the great London writer Iain Sinclair. The route takes us from Liverpool Street Station through the City of London to the Thames then East through Wapping to the street mentioned in W.G Sebald's novel Austerlitz at Stepney Green.

The route:
Liverpool Street, Old Broad Street, London Wall, Great Winchester Street, Austin Friars Passage, Austin Friars, Old Broad Street, Royal Exchange, Birchin Lane, Gracechurch Street, Bulls Head Passage, Leadenhall Market, Leadenhall Street, Mincing Lane, St Dunstan’s Hill
Thames Path at Billingsgate, Tower of London, St. Katherine’s Dock, Wapping High Street, Wapping Lane, Tobacco Dock, Chigwell Hill, Swedenborg Gardens, Cable Street, Watney Street, Watney Market, Sidney Street, Mile End Road, Globe Road, Alderney Road, Bancroft Road
Mile End Road.

Watch related video: The World's End - walking with Iain Sinclair in Tilbury

Shot on a Panasonic GH3 + Rode Videomic

music in this video:

Obelisks
Jesse Gallagher

Pachabelly
Huma-Huma

Breathing Planet
Doug Maxwell

Fortress Europe
Dan Bodan

Nevada City
by Huma-Huma

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My Walking kit (amazon affiliate links - I earn a small commission on purchases)
Backpack: Berghaus TwentyFourSeven 30 litre rucksack
Waterproof jacket: The North Face Men's Sangro Jacket
Water bottle: Nalgene Everyday Weithals Bottle
Power Bank: Omars Power Bank
Boots: Merrell Men's Moab 2 Mid GTX High Rise Hiking Boots
Camera: Panasonic LUMIX DMC-GX80KEBK Compact Digital Camera with 12-32mm Lens
Fluffy thing on my camera: Rycote Micro Windjammer, Microphone Windshield
Tripod: Manfrotto PIXI Mini Tripod

[mikebarton]

Seeing you two out walking brought back this memory.
My girlfriend and I moved to London in 1987. My friend joined us a few months later. To figure London out we'd take a tube ride to a random station then get off and walk back to home in Camden Town. Every Sunday for months. Sort of like doing 'the knowledge' but an abridged version.
There were so many places, people and things to be found. Wonderful time.

[ronscholefield]

I'm sure many viewers will agree, when you and Iain get together for a tour, it's always worth watching. Well done.

[PB-mofs]

What joy! One of my favourite film makers with one of my favourite writers. This is a dream team.

[Occamsrazor]

Thanks Iain for the ever addictive narratives and John for the superb visuals that, as always, carry you along with them. No glossy, fabricated, 'airbrushed' graphics, but the true sense of being at one with your subject and a deep, deep respect for his companion. I adore your channel and recommend it to all. I miss my hometown and it's accelerated loss of history and spirits.

[markmeechan]

Magnificent. Always good to hear Iain elucidate the hidden overlapping of London's history. Great atmosphere you've conjured up in this one John, top notch stuff.

[tonyb]

As I write it's new year's eve 2020 and normally i would be in the pub but decided to sit down indoors with the mrs under tier 4 lockdown in my home city of Portsmouth with "several beers" and binge on your videos ....this one is a masterpiece..thankyou

[hArtyTruffle]

When you mentioned The Levellers, I was reminded of the time, a year or two after we’d been evicted from St. Paul’s Cathedral, we Occupied a piece of land just up from where the Magna Carta was signed at Runnymede. I felt very much like a cross between a Leveller and a Hobbit, levelling the land so I could build my temporary residence. It felt blissful, sleeping in that quiet place, showering in the rainfall, planting and building. On looking towards London, the Shard became Mordor. I imagined a fiery watching eye atop that monstrosity, and cried when I finally had to leave.

[ksdhbeq]

Well what can I say!!! You know I'm completely hooked now and will be binge watching and rewatching your films and heading towards buying a good few books by Iain. Inspirational. I feel like a painting or two coming from this. Thank you sincerely.

[lesliegprice]

Thanks John and Ian, London is like a layer cake, so much hidden in the bones like a oracle Ian interprets the hidden connections and secret history, I Amin awe of his learning and his connection with place, he has lived his knowledge with a lifetime of the cities windings and weavings, truly

[bjwnashe]

Brilliant. I could listen to Iain talk about London all day long.

[wendybrown]

Utterly facinating, 4am in the morning and I could not stop watching. Have subcribed and now catching up on past vids. Ian was amazing, what a treat. Thank you.

[ashleysgaze]

Bravo John! A tremendous walk alongside the great (and erudite) Iain Sinclair. More! More! More!

[другПараферналия]

I used to live and work in this area and made a million steps around . Lovely walk. Every single corner is so familiar.

[jenniferlevine]

I really love this walk, I guess that is why I have watched it so many times. Walking the streets of London with two amazing storytellers and historians. It doesn't get much better than this!

[jerryrichardson]

Sinclair is like a contemporary Arthur Machen who liked to walk around London when he lived there, it shows up in Machen's stories.

[FIO]

A pleasure again to walk with you two! So calm and interesting to know new little aspects of the city. Best wishes from Argentina one more time. Keeping up with your content

[annjuurinen]

What a fascinating walk and so much information about the City of London. Ian Sinclair has quite the mind. Love this commentary. I really enjoy these walks. Inspiring during this fourth wave of pandemic.

[rambling_rob]

Worth the wait for the up loading! What a fascinating walk and wealth of information by Ian Sinclair. Thanks John.

[michaelbrown]

Fantastic walk.with two experts on London..proper walk into the history of this great city

[AMcF]

What a great unravelling of the mysteries and myths of London. Always an unpredictable journey, with Iain Sinclair. Always thought-provoking. And beautifully filmed and crafted by your good self, John. Many thanks.