The EC (Eastern Central) postcode area, also known as the London EC postal area, is a group of postcode districts in central

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe ...

. It includes almost all of the

City of London The City of London is a city, ceremonial county and local government district that contains the historic centre and constitutes, alongside Canary Wharf, the primary central business district (CBD) of London. It constituted most of London f ...

and parts of the

London boroughs The London boroughs are the 32 local authority districts that together with the City of London make up the administrative area of Greater London; each is governed by a London borough council. The present London boroughs were all created at t ...

Islington Islington () is a district in the north of Greater London, England, and part of the London Borough of Islington. It is a mainly residential district of Inner London, extending from Islington's High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the ...

Camden Camden may refer to: People * Camden (surname), a surname of English origin * Camden Joy (born 1964), American writer * Camden Toy (born 1957), American actor Places Australia * Camden, New South Wales * Camden, Rosehill, a heritage res ...

, Hackney,

Tower Hamlets The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is a London borough covering much of the traditional East End. It was formed in 1965 from the merger of the former metropolitan boroughs of Stepney, Poplar, and Bethnal Green. 'Tower Hamlets' was originall ...

and

Westminster Westminster is an area of Central London, part of the wider City of Westminster. The area, which extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street, has many visitor attractions and historic landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Buck ...

. The area covered is of very high density development. Deliveries for the EC postcode area are made from

Mount Pleasant Mail Centre The Mount Pleasant Mail Centre (often shortened as Mount Pleasant, known internally as the Mount and officially known as the London Central Mail Centre) is a mail centre operated by Royal Mail in London, England. The site has previously operate ...

Postal administration

The current postcode districts are relatively recent divisions of EC1, EC2, EC3 and EC4, which were established in 1917. When the districts are used for purposes other than the sorting of mail, such as a geographic, spoken reference and on street signs, they continue to be commonly grouped into those four 'districts'.

List of postcode districts

! EC1A , LONDON ,

St Bartholomew's Hospital St Bartholomew's Hospital, commonly known as Barts, is a teaching hospital located in the City of London. It was founded in 1123 and is currently run by Barts Health NHS Trust. History Early history Barts was founded in 1123 by Rahere (died ...

, - ! EC1M , LONDON , Clerkenwell,

Farringdon Farringdon may refer to: People * Nicholas de Farndone, 14th century Mayor of London Places London * Farringdon, London, an area of Clerkenwell which takes its name from ''Farringdon Station''. * Farringdon Road, a road in Clerkenwell, London * ...

, Islington,

, City of London , - ! EC1N , LONDON ,

Hatton Garden Hatton Garden is a street and commercial zone in the Holborn district of the London Borough of Camden, abutting the narrow precinct of Saffron Hill which then abuts the City of London. It takes its name from Sir Christopher Hatton, a favour ...

, Camden, City of London , - ! style="background:#FFFFFF;", EC1P , style="background:#FFFFFF;", LONDON , style="background:#FFFFFF;", , style="background:#FFFFFF;", '' non-geographic'' , - ! EC1R , LONDON , Finsbury,

Finsbury Estate Finsbury Estate is a large-scale housing estate in the Finsbury area of London, England, comprising four purpose-built blocks of flats located on a level site, providing 451 residences. Patrick Coman House and Michael Cliffe House are high-ris ...

(west) , Islington, Camden , - ! EC1V , LONDON , Finsbury (east),

Moorfields Eye Hospital Moorfields Eye Hospital is a specialist NHS eye hospital in Finsbury in the London Borough of Islington in London, England run by Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. Together with the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology, which is adjac ...

, Islington, Hackney , - ! EC1Y , LONDON , St Luke's,

Bunhill Fields Bunhill Fields is a former burial ground in central London, in the London Borough of Islington, just north of the City of London. What remains is about in extent and the bulk of the site is a public garden maintained by the City of London Cor ...

, Islington, City of London , - ! EC2A , LONDON ,

Shoreditch Shoreditch is a district in the East End of London in England, and forms the southern part of the London Borough of Hackney. Neighbouring parts of Tower Hamlets are also perceived as part of the area. In the 16th century, Shoreditch was an impor ...

, Islington, Hackney, City of London , - ! EC2M , LONDON ,

Broadgate Broadgate is a large, office and retail estate in the Bishopsgate Without area of the City of London. It is owned by British Land and GIC and managed by Savills. The estate is in part of the eastern City fringe, outside the line of the ...

, Liverpool Street , City of London,

, - ! EC2N , LONDON , Old Broad Street,

Tower 42 Tower 42, commonly known as the NatWest Tower, is a skyscraper in the City of London. It is the fifth-tallest tower in the City of London, having been overtaken as the tallest in 2010 by the Heron Tower. It is the fifteenth-List of tallest ...

, City of London , - ! style="background:#FFFFFF;", EC2P , style="background:#FFFFFF;", LONDON , style="background:#FFFFFF;", , style="background:#FFFFFF;", ''non-geographic'' , - ! EC2R , LONDON , Bank of England , City of London , - ! EC2V , LONDON ,

Guildhall A guildhall, also known as a "guild hall" or "guild house", is a historical building originally used for tax collecting by municipalities or merchants in Great Britain and the Low Countries. These buildings commonly become town halls and in som ...

, City of London , - ! EC2Y , LONDON ,

Barbican A barbican (from fro, barbacane) is a fortified outpost or fortified gateway, such as at an outer defense perimeter of a city or castle, or any tower situated over a gate or bridge which was used for defensive purposes. Europe In the Middle ...

, City of London , - ! EC3A , LONDON ,

St Mary Axe St Mary Axe was a medieval parish in the City of London whose name survives as that of the street which formerly occupied it. The Church of St Mary Axe was demolished in 1561 and its parish united with that of St Andrew Undershaft, which is s ...

Aldgate Aldgate () was a gate in the former defensive wall around the City of London. It gives its name to Aldgate High Street, the first stretch of the A11 road, which included the site of the former gate. The area of Aldgate, the most common use of ...

, City of London , - ! EC3M , LONDON ,

Lloyd's of London Lloyd's of London, generally known simply as Lloyd's, is an insurance and reinsurance market located in London, England. Unlike most of its competitors in the industry, it is not an insurance company; rather, Lloyd's is a corporate body gove ...

Fenchurch Street Fenchurch Street is a street in London linking Aldgate at its eastern end with Lombard Street and Gracechurch Street in the west. It is a well-known thoroughfare in the City of London financial district and is the site of many corporate offi ...

, City of London , - ! EC3N , LONDON ,

Tower Hill Tower Hill is the area surrounding the Tower of London in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. It is infamous for the public execution of high status prisoners from the late 14th to the mid 18th century. The execution site on the higher gro ...

Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which is sepa ...

, Tower Hamlets, City of London , - ! style="background:#FFFFFF;", EC3P , style="background:#FFFFFF;", LONDON , style="background:#FFFFFF;", , style="background:#FFFFFF;", ''non-geographic'' , - ! EC3R , LONDON ,

Monument A monument is a type of structure that was explicitly created to commemorate a person or event, or which has become relevant to a social group as a part of their remembrance of historic times or cultural heritage, due to its artistic, hist ...

Billingsgate Billingsgate is one of the 25 Wards of the City of London. This small City Ward is situated on the north bank of the River Thames between London Bridge and Tower Bridge in the south-east of the Square Mile. The modern Ward extends south to th ...

, City of London , - ! EC3V , LONDON , Cornhill,

Gracechurch Street Gracechurch Street is a main road in the City of London, the historic and financial centre of London, which is designated the A1213. It is home to a number of shops, restaurants, and offices and has an entrance to Leadenhall Market, a covere ...

, Lombard Street , City of London , - ! EC4A , LONDON ,

Fetter Lane Fetter Lane is a street in the ward of Farringdon Without in the City of London. It forms part of the A4 road and runs between Fleet Street at its southern end and Holborn. History The street was originally called Faytor or Faiter Lane, then ...

, City of London,

, - ! EC4M , LONDON , St Paul's , City of London , - ! EC4N , LONDON ,

Mansion House A mansion is a large dwelling house. The word itself derives through Old French from the Latin word ''mansio'' "dwelling", an abstract noun derived from the verb ''manere'' "to dwell". The English word ''manse'' originally defined a property la ...

, City of London , - ! style="background:#FFFFFF;", EC4P , style="background:#FFFFFF;", LONDON , style="background:#FFFFFF;", , style="background:#FFFFFF;", ''non-geographic'' , - ! EC4R , LONDON ,

Cannon Street Cannon Street is a road in the City of London, the historic nucleus of London and its modern financial centre. It runs roughly parallel with the River Thames, about north of it, in the south of the City. It is the site of the ancient London S ...

, City of London , - ! EC4V , LONDON , Blackfriars , City of London , - ! EC4Y , LONDON ,

Temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called church (building), churches), Hindui ...

, City of London, Westminster , - ! style="background:#FFFFFF;", EC50 , style="background:#FFFFFF;", LONDON , style="background:#FFFFFF;", , style="background:#FFFFFF;", ''non-geographic''

Boundaries

EC1

The EC1 postcode district () is roughly bounded by City Road to the northeast and east, Moorgate Street to the east, Chiswell Street and Newgate Street to the south, Rosebery Avenue to the northwest, and Gray's Inn Road to the west, where it borders

WC postcode area The WC (Western Central) postcode area, also known as the London WC postcode area, is a group of postcode districts in central London, England. The area covered is of high density development, and includes parts of the City of Westminster and the ...

. A long thin protrusion to the north east takes in all of Old Street. Taking in the districts of Clerkenwell, Finsbury and the northwestern corner of the

from

St Paul's Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral is an Anglicanism, Anglican cathedral in London and is the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London. It is on Ludgate Hill at the highest point of the City of London ...

EC2

The EC2 postcode district () is roughly bounded by Old Street to the north, Bishopsgate to the east,

Cheapside Cheapside is a street in the City of London, the historic and modern financial centre of London, which forms part of the A40 London to Fishguard road. It links St. Martin's Le Grand with Poultry. Near its eastern end at Bank junction, where ...

, Poultry and

Threadneedle Street Threadneedle Street is a street in the City of London, England, between Bishopsgate at its northeast end and Bank junction in the southwest. It is one of nine streets that converge at Bank. It lies in the ward of Cornhill. History The stre ...

to the south, and Aldersgate to the west. The postcode district includes

Moorgate Moorgate was one of the City of London's northern gates in its defensive wall, the last to be built. The gate took its name from the Moorfields, an area of marshy land that lay immediately north of the wall. The gate was demolished in 1762, b ...

Finsbury Circus Finsbury Circus is a park in the Coleman Street Ward of the City of London, England. The 2 acre park is the largest public open space within the City's boundaries. It is not to be confused with Finsbury Square, just north of the City, or Fi ...

and Liverpool Street and roughly covers the northeastern corner of the City of London from St Paul's Cathedral. To the north there are small sections in the

London Borough of Islington The London Borough of Islington ( ) is a London borough in Inner London. Whilst the majority of the district is located in north London, the borough also includes a significant area to the south which forms part of central London. Islington ha ...

and the London Borough of Hackney. Numbers 250-288 Bishopsgate (EC2M) fall within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets

EC3

The EC3 postcode district () is roughly bounded by Minories and the

to the east, the

River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the ...

to the south, London Bridge and Threadneedle Street to the west and Houndsditch to the north. It includes the

, Cornhill,

Leadenhall Street __NOTOC__ Leadenhall Street () is a street in the City of London. It is about and links Cornhill in the west to Aldgate in the east. It was formerly the start of the A11 road from London to Norwich, but that route now starts further east at ...

, Lombard Street,

Mincing Lane Mincing Lane is a short one-way street in the City of London linking Fenchurch Street to Great Tower Street. In the late 19th century it was the world's leading centre for tea and spice trading. Etymology Its name is a corruption of Mynchen Lan ...

Pudding Lane Pudding Lane is a small street in London, widely known as the location of Thomas Farriner's bakery, where the Great Fire of London started in 1666. It runs between Eastcheap and Thames Street in the historic City of London, and intersects Mon ...

and

and roughly covers the southeastern corner of the City of London. A small part is in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, including the Tower of London.

EC4

The EC4 postcode district () is roughly bounded by Cheapside to the north, London Bridge to the east, the River Thames to the south and

Chancery Lane Chancery Lane is a one-way street situated in the ward of Farringdon Without in the City of London. It has formed the western boundary of the City since 1994, having previously been divided between the City of Westminster and the London Borou ...

to the west. It roughly covers the southwestern corner of the City of London, including

Fleet Street Fleet Street is a major street mostly in the City of London. It runs west to east from Temple Bar at the boundary with the City of Westminster to Ludgate Circus at the site of the London Wall and the River Fleet from which the street was n ...

, Blackfriars, and

. 6 postcodes in EC4 (2 in EC4A and 4 in EC4Y) fall within St. James's ward in

Map

References

External links

Royal Mail's Postcode Address File

A quick introduction to Royal Mail's Postcode Address File (PAF)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ec Postcode Area Postcode areas covering London Media and communications in the City of London Media and communications in the London Borough of Hackney Media and communications in the London Borough of Camden Media and communications in the London Borough of Islington Media and communications in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets

Postal administration

List of postcode districts

Boundaries

EC1

EC2

EC3

EC4

Map

See also

References

External links