Fleet Street: extra, extra read all about it

March 11 marks the anniversary of the establishment of Britain's first regular newspaper, way back in 1702. Newsheets and newspapers had been printed for years but on a hap hazhard basis. The new daily paper was called The Daily Courant and it was printed on Fleet Street. Printing of regular newspapers emerged on the Continent in the early seventeenth century. According to The Britannica Online Encyclopedia: the word courant comes fromm the Dutch "corantos" (literally meaning current of news).

Major national titles such as The Times (first published in 1785), The Observer (1791), The Daily Telegraph and The Sun were published on Fleet Street. The Telegraph, as is often called, was originally published on June 29, 1855 under the title of The Daily Telegraph and Courier. After a change of ownership the name was shortened to The Daily Telegraph. Now all the major newspapers have left the area - a process which began in 1985 when The Times and The Sun relocated to Wapping.

Fleet Street is named after the River Fleet which now flows under Ludgate Circus and into the Thames.

Visitors to London can hear more about Fleet Street's association with the printed word with the Ride & Stride London city walking tour.

The Ride & Stride London audio tour is narrated by Jonathan Keeble. To hear an audio sample from the podcast guided tour please click here.

Legend has it that Sweeney Todd plied his trade on Fleet Street. Indeed, he was later labelled the Demon Barber of Fleet Street by dramatists. Listeners to the Ride & Stride London city walking tour will have the chance to sort the facts from the legend.

With a Walk Talk Tour London audio guide listeners have the flexibiltiy to stop, start and listen again to any part of their commentary. Each Walk Talk Tour London travel guide costs just £5.95 a piece and is available in French, German and Spanish.