Little London Adventures and SurreptitiousCity

The City of London has been a major settlement for two millennia. It became the epicentre of trading with the world as long ago as the Roman invasion - being established as an outpost along the River Thames in AD47. Even today, time hasn't in any way diminished its global influence. Now, artist and photographer, Clare Newton, explores the City's secretive treasures, but rather than take you on a journey portrayed with traditional photography, she creates the artistry of images through long exposures combined with a technique called 'shutter-dragging', accentuating the past where all that's left is a ghostly residue. The City of London has been a major settlement for two millennia. It became the epicentre of trading with the world as long ago as the Roman invasion - being established as an outpost along the River Thames in AD47. Even today, time hasn't in any way diminished its global influence. Now, artist and photographer, Clare Newton, explores the City's secretive treasures, but rather than take you on a journey portrayed with traditional photography, she creates the artistry of images through long exposures combined with a technique called 'shutter-dragging', accentuating the past where all that's left is a ghostly residue. The City of London has been a major settlement for two millennia. It became the epicentre of trading with the world as long ago as the Roman invasion - being established as an outpost along the River Thames in AD47. Even today, time hasn't in any way diminished its global influence. City of London appointed its own Lord Mayor of London, Henry Fitz-Ailwin de Londonestone, who served for 24 terms between 1189-1212. It has a different council structure from authorities in the rest of the country - keeping historical traditions which did not apply elsewhere - and its own police force is separate from the Metropolitan Police, who serve the rest of the capital. On formal occasions, upon entering the City, the Queen is presented with the City's pearl-encrusted Sword of State at Temple Bar by the Lord Mayor as a symbol of the Monarch's overlordship. The City is made up of 25 small, self-governing areas, or Wards and 110 livery companies representing ancient and modern trades, otherwise known as Guilds. Two such Guilds, the Merchant Taylors (tailors) and Skinners (fur traders), both founded in 1327, had a fierce argument as to which should be Guild number 'six' and which Guild number 'seven' - a most important factor when it came to positioning their trades in the Lord Mayor's annual parade. The conflict eventually overflowed in 1484, resulting in many broken heads and requiring the incoming Mayor, Robert Billesden, to intervene and announce... "...that the Skinners be placed sixth in the order of precedence during the even-year date, whereas the Merchant Taylors be moved to sixth place on the odd-year date..." And so was coined Chaucer's phrase, "At sixes and sevens...". ...which worked fine for 522 years - until 2006, when a member of the Merchant Taylors became Lord Mayor and overruled the Skinners' precedence. Henceforth, however, the Skinners' and Merchant Taylors' continue with tradition (most important) and alternate their precedence each year. The City is used to a great many squabbles.

The City of London has been a major settlement for two millennia. It became the epicentre of trading with the world as long ago as the Roman invasion - being established as an outpost along the River Thames in AD47. Even today, time hasn't in any way diminished its global influence.

Now, artist and photographer, Clare Newton, explores the City's secretive treasures, but rather than take you on a journey portrayed with traditional photography, she creates the artistry of images through long exposures combined with a technique called 'shutter-dragging', accentuating the past where all that's left is a ghostly residue.