From Salisbury Court to Dorset Gardens, across the 17th century the parish of St Bride's was home to two important playhouses that drew great performances, writers, producers, actors and audiences.

In an age of exploration and colonial conquest, London became a centre for innovation and making state-of-the-art mathematical instruments to measure direction, time, position and much more.

Migration brought people not only of different nationalities but also different religions and other denominations. It was not unusual for them to encounter prejudice, fear, and at times, violence.

From sickness to swearing and bell-ringing to grave digging, a whole team of church officials policed their community, cared for its inhabitants and managed the needs of the parish church.

Poor air quality is a problem that has faced London over hundreds of years. Turning to plants and creating a greener city is a solution that has been recommended by many, both then and now.

Herbs were an everyday necessity of seventeenth-century City life: they flavoured food, were medicinal, cleaned cloths and kept them free of pests. Gathering and selling herbs was a long-established London trade almost exclusively carried out by women.

Exploration, trade and the expansion of Britain’s colonial interests created a demand for accurate maps and sea-charts were essential for seafarers to find their way and for newly discovered lands to be made known.

Migration, enslavement and difference - thanks to the age of exploration, sea travel and trade, London was a city characterised by the diversity of its people.

From trading and manufacturing through to speculation - investing in the stock market – the City was the centre of commerce, and a place that offered new opportunities for some to make their fortunes.

Before the Great Fire, food markets had lined busy routes, causing congestion and leaving behind food and other waste to rot. The need to rebuild the City was an opportunity to create new dedicated market places.

Huge amounts of money were needed to fund the rebuilding and expansion of the City after the Great Fire. Modern banking and investments in slavery helped make this possible.

An explosion of interest in botany and gardening saw new attempts to make London a greener place. Trading in plants and seeds flourished with more native and exotic species available to buy than ever before.

From managing church property to caring for the poor, Churchwardens were usually influential leaders who managed parish business and made key decisions that effected all those who lived in the community.