Beneath a nondescript building on Chancery Lane lies one of London’s best-kept secrets. The entrance at 53-64 Chancery Lane may look unassuming, but step inside, and you’ll find yourself in the historic London Silver Vaults.
There is a security guard at the door, but the vaults are open to the public and completely free to enter. Just go down some stairs, and you’ll be met with a door straight out of a heist movie.
Inside, more than 30 silver traders run family-owned businesses, selling everything from jewellery to tableware. The vaults officially opened as a shopping centre in 1953 after surviving a direct hit during the Blitz in 1940.
READ MORE: The story behind the ‘castle’ in the middle of London and city’s long lost archery practice range
Joel Langford, 73, is a fourth-generation silver trader. His grandparents were part of the traders that first rented a space unit at the vaults: “My great-grandparents started here, then my grandparents, my parents, and now it’s me and my brother Adam.”
Joel added that every shop in the vaults is family-run. He said: “There are at least four sets of brothers here, and some businesses have been passed down for three or four generations.”
Long before it became a retail hub, the underground space was known as the Chancery Lane Safe Depository. It was a secure storage facility where the wealthy kept their valuables while retreating to the countryside.
Originally opened in 1885, the vaults were once dubbed ‘Aladdin’s Cave’ due to the huge amount of silver stored within. But as fortunes declined during the wars, traders moved in, transforming the space into a unique silver marketplace.
Joel, who has run his family business, Langfords, for 50 years, recalls the early days. He said: “Back then, the vaults weren’t the polished shops you see today. There were bare walls, no carpets, and silver stacked on trestle tables or literally hanging from bars.”
He also told us that there’s been a significant drop in foot traffic over the years. He said: “In the past, we were packed with visitors, especially Americans – they had us on their map. But over time, things have quieted down. We still get international customers, but not in the same numbers.”
Despite its rich history, many Londoners have never heard of the Silver Vaults. Whether you’re hunting for a special silver piece or just curious to explore, this underground gem is well worth a visit.
You can find London Silver Vaults at 53-64 Chancery Ln, City of London, London WC2A 1QS. It is open Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5.30 pm, and Saturday 9 am to 1 pm.
To see more videos and stories from our London’s Hidden Secrets project, visit the page here. You can watch one on a tree surrounded by gravestones. Another feature explores a water pump that once killed hundreds of people.
