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 city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

. It includes almost all of the

City of London The City of London, also known as ''the City'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and Districts of England, local government district with City status in the United Kingdom, city status in England. It is the Old town, his ...

and parts of the

London boroughs The London boroughs are the current 32 local authority districts that together with the City of London make up the administrative area of Greater London, England; each is governed by a London borough council. The present London boroughs wer ...

Islington Islington ( ) is an inner-city area of north London, England, within the wider London Borough of Islington. It is a mainly residential district of Inner London, extending from Islington's #Islington High Street, High Street to Highbury Fields ...

, Camden, Hackney,

Tower Hamlets The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is a borough in London, England. Situated on the north bank of the River Thames and immediately east of the City of London, the borough spans much of the traditional East End of London and includes much of ...

and

Westminster Westminster is the main settlement of the City of Westminster in Central London, Central London, England. It extends from the River Thames to Oxford Street and has many famous landmarks, including the Palace of Westminster, Buckingham Palace, ...

. 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 operated ...

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 by Rahere, and is currently run by Barts Health NHS Trust. History Early history Barts was founded in 1123 by ...

, - ! EC1M , LONDON ,

Clerkenwell Clerkenwell ( ) is an area of central London, England. Clerkenwell was an Civil Parish#Ancient parishes, ancient parish from the medieval period onwards, and now forms the south-western part of the London Borough of Islington. The St James's C ...

, Farringdon , Islington, Camden, 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 favourit ...

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

Finsbury Finsbury is a district of Central London, forming the southeastern part of the London Borough of Islington. It borders the City of London. The Manorialism, Manor of Finsbury is first recorded as ''Vinisbir'' (1231) and means "manor of a man c ...

Finsbury Estate Finsbury Estate is a large-scale housing estate in the Clerkenwell area of London, England (in the former Borough of Finsbury), comprising four purpose-built blocks of flats located on a level site, providing 451 residences. Patrick Coman House ...

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

Moorfields Eye Hospital Moorfields Eye Hospital is a specialist National Health Service (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 Ophthal ...

, 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 an area in London, England and is located in the London Borough of Hackney alongside neighbouring parts of Tower Hamlets, which are also perceived as part of the area due to historic ecclesiastical links. Shoreditch lies just north ...

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

Broadgate Broadgate is a large, office and retail estate in the Bishopsgate area of the City of London. It is owned by British Land and GIC (Singaporean sovereign wealth fund), GIC and managed by British Land. History The original developer was a joint ...

, 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. Designed by Richard Seifert and engineered by Pell Frischmann, it opened in 1980 as London's first skyscraper and the tallest building in the United King ...

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

Bank of England The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694 to act as the Kingdom of England, English Government's banker and debt manager, and still one ...

, 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 Europe, with many surviving today in Great Britain and the Low Countries. These buildings commo ...

, City of London , - ! EC2Y , LONDON ,

Barbican A barbican (from ) 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 Medieval Europeans typically b ...

, 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. The gate gave its name to ''Aldgate High Street'', the first stretch of the A11 road, that takes that name as it passes through the ancient, extramural Portsoken ...

, City of London , - ! EC3M , LONDON ,

Lloyd's of London Lloyd's of London, generally known simply as Lloyd's, is a 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 gover ...

Fenchurch Street Fenchurch Street is a street in London, England, 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 cor ...

, 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 citadel and castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamle ...

, 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, historical ...

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, England, which is designated the A1213. It is home to a number of shops, restaurants, and offices and has an entrance to Leadenhall Market, ...

, 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, England. It forms part of the A4 road (England), A4 road and runs between Fleet Street at its southern end and Holborn. History The street was originally called F ...

, City of London,

, - ! EC4M , LONDON ,

St Paul's St Paul's Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of St Paul the Apostle, is an Anglican cathedral in London, England, the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London in the Church of Engl ...

, City of London , - ! EC4N , LONDON , Mansion House , 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 north 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 place of worship, a building used for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. By convention, the specially built places of worship of some religions are commonly called "temples" in Engli ...

, 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 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 th ...

. A long thin protrusion to the north east takes in all of Old Street. Taking in the districts of

and the northwestern corner of the

from

St Paul's Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of St Paul the Apostle, is an Anglican cathedral in London, England, the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London in the Church of Engl ...

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, England, which forms part of the A40 road, A40 London to Fishguard road. It links St Martin's Le Grand with Poultry, London, Poultry. Near its eas ...

, 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 Threadne ...

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, but ...

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 Fins ...

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, borough in North London, England. Forming part of Inner London, Islington has an estimated population of 215,667. It was formed in 1965, under the London Government Act 1963, by the amalg ...

and the

London Borough of Hackney The London Borough of Hackney ( ) is a London boroughs, London borough in Inner London, England. The historical and administrative heart of Hackney is Mare Street, which lies north-east of Charing Cross. The borough is named after Hackney, Lond ...

. Numbers 250-288 Bishopsgate (EC2M) fall within the

London Borough of Tower Hamlets The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is a London boroughs, borough in London, England. Situated on the north bank of the River Thames and immediately east of the City of London, the borough spans much of the traditional East End of London and ...

EC3

The EC3 postcode district () is roughly bounded by

Minories Minories ( ) is the name of a small former administrative unit, and also of a street in the Aldgate area of the City of London. Both the street and the former administrative area take their name from the Abbey of the Minoresses of St. Clare w ...

and the

to the east, the

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

to the south,

London Bridge The name "London Bridge" refers to several historic crossings that have spanned the River Thames between the City of London and Southwark in central London since Roman Britain, Roman times. The current crossing, which opened to traffic in 197 ...

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, London, Cornhill in the west to Aldgate in the east. It was formerly the start of the A11 road (England), A11 road from London to Norwich, but th ...

, 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 ...

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 Monu ...

and

and roughly covers the southeastern corner of the City of London. A small part is in the

, 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 that forms part of the City of London#Boundary, western boundary of the City of London. The east side of the street is entirely within the City,Fleet Street Fleet Street is a street in Central London, England. It runs west to east from Temple Bar, London, Temple Bar at the boundary of the City of London, Cities of London and City of Westminster, Westminster to Ludgate Circus at the site of the Lo ...

, 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