St. John's Gate, Clerkenwell

St. John's Gate in Clerkenwell was the main gateway to the Priory of St. John of Jerusalem founded in the 12th century. Only the gatehouse and part of the chancel and crypt survive. The latter are now part of the church of St. John's Clerkenwell.
In these photographs, Reid aimed to record an extended walk through the cities of Westminster and London. He used a wooden whole-plate stand camera and a handcart and stepladder which allowed him to photograph from an elevated standpoint. By the time of his death in 1933, Reid had made over 700 photographs for the project, organised into albums. He wrote two manuscripts in rhyme called ‘The Route Ornate’ to accompany his images.