Lombard Street has its origins in one of the main Roman roads of London. It was so-named as it formed a plot of land granted by King Edward I (1272–1307) to goldsmiths from Lombardy.
In his diary of the 1660s, Samuel Pepys mentions “Lumbard street” many times.
The Royal Exchange was built in the street by Thomas Gresham. Lloyd’s Coffee House, which eventually became Lloyd’s of London, moved to Lombard Street from Tower Street in 1691.
From 1678 to 1829, the General Post Office had its headquarters on Lombard Street. The continuously expanding the post office site in the middle of the financial district eventually necessitated a move to St Martins-le-Grand.
Until the 1980s, most UK-based banks had their head offices in Lombard Street.
The street has a number of colourful signs hanging from the buildings, depicting historic organisations and buildings once located there. The signs were erected for the coronation of Edward VII in 1902.
