Welcome to the April listing of walks and events by Clerkenwell & Islington Guides, and as the weather improves and the days are longer, it is the ideal time to explore the history, places and stories to be found along the streets, and if you like looking up to find the remnants of past brands and businesses, then our first tour will provide you with a wealth of fascinating detail:
Ghostsigns of Islington: bygone brands and businesses
Ghostsigns are the remnants of old advertising still clinging to the walls above our busy streets depicting products or services that are no longer available, and there are some excellent examples to be found around in Islington.
Most of the signs we’ll look at will be the hand-painted variety, as per the example shown here, but you will also see other types of old signage such as low reliefs, forged metal and carved and gilded shop fronts.
Learn about the unusual businesses, people or products behind the signs; from vets to vegans, rubber to metal and cars to chemists.
Starts near the Town Hall and ends at Angel station.
This walk takes place on the 19th of April and can be booked at this link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ghostsigns-of-islington-bygone-brands-and-businesses-a-guided-walk-tickets-1071784378929
Smithfield Stroll: Beasts, Bravehearts, and Butchers
A guided walk through history, uncovering some of Smithfield’s extraordinary stories.
Every day, as we walk through the streets of London, we pass by countless pieces of street furniture and details: memorials, murals, buildings, squares, statues, plaques, pubs, and more. They often go unnoticed, or we just take their existence for granted. But behind most of these, there are amazing stories of major historic events that have shaped Britain as a nation.
Join me on a walk that explores a thousand years of historic places, events, and the extraordinary people behind them. We’ll dive into their hopes, dreams, and the lengths they went to fight for them, sometimes even sacrificing their lives.
We’ll also discuss the cattle that has played a key role in the area’s development since medieval times, both feeding London and nourishing its culture. We’ll visit the oldest hospital, oldest church, oldest house and more.
Optional: We’ll end the tour at a local pub for a drink and a chat. (The price of drinks/food is not included in your ticket.)
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Meet: outside Farringdon station by the big red building, under the sign that’s sticking out that says “Elizabeth Line”
End: Near Smithfield meat market
The tour lasts approximately 2 hours
This walk takes place on the 19th of April and can be booked at this link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/smithfield-stroll-beasts-bravehearts-and-butchers-tickets-1300047128959
The Elephants Have Escaped – Oh What a Circus!
This delightful route starts near Parliament Hill Fields and ends midway between Archway and Tufnell Park stations.
We’ll retrace the path of two Victorian circus elephants who, in 1884, ran through the streets of Dartmouth Park, ending trapped but unharmed in an Islington N19 front garden.
We will take time to admire what the elephants missed as they charged past, such as well-to-do Georgian houses, charming backstreets and Victorian shops. Listen to the often amusing newspaper reports of the time and learn about the real Greatest Showman, railways, old shops and tradesmen’s signs, conservation, filming locations and a naughty monkey.
This walk takes place on the 24th of April and can be booked at this link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-elephants-have-escaped-oh-what-a-circus-tickets-1143119323669
Georgian London Walking Tour
Step back in time to when this area had a wild reputation! Discover how it transformed from a place to avoid to a sought-after postcode. Explore Georgian North Clerkenwell, uncovering tales of radicals and entertainers, and marvel at stunning Georgian engineering where the Georgians came to play and revel.
This walk takes place on the 26th of April and can be booked at this link: https://londonguidedwalks.co.uk/guidedwalk/georgian-london/
A Road to Ruin Walking Tour
This is the perfect guided walk for those with a keen interest in history, London and alcohol. The walk ventures through Clerkenwell, historically an area of gin and beer production.
Explore the past and uncover the relationship between different classes in London and what this meant for the alcohol they were able to drink.
This walk takes place on the 26th of April and can be booked at this link: https://londonguidedwalks.co.uk/guidedwalk/road-to-ruin/
Unusual Islington – a walking tour
Discover the hidden gems that make this corner of London so unique
Join qualified local guide Nigel Smith for a captivating and surprising journey through the charming streets of Islington.
This two-hour walking tour is designed to unveil the area’s rich and often overlooked history, showcasing the intriguing stories and quirky details that make this corner of London so unique.
Just a stone’s throw from bustling Upper Street we’ll delve into the hidden alleyways, secret gardens and architectural oddities that even locals might miss. You’ll uncover tales of radical politicians, ghostly goings-on and the philanthropists whose generosity more than 600 years ago is still enjoyed today. Strolling through serene squares and peaceful backstreets you’ll discover that Islington is a lot more unusual than you might think…
This tour is perfect for anyone curious about London’s lesser-known stories, whether you’re a longtime resident or a first-time visitor. Prepare to be surprised, entertained, and enlightened as we uncover the unusual and captivating history of Islington.
The tour lasts approximately two hours, starts outside Angel Station and ends at Islington Town Hall on Upper Street.
This walk takes place on the 26th of April and can be booked by clicking here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/unusual-islington-a-walking-tour-tickets-1307784742369
St Mary Islington – Church and Tower tour
St Mary’s, Islington on Upper Street has played a central role in the history of Islington for a thousand years. During this time several different churches have stood on the site, leaving an eclectic range of architectural styles.
On this 90-minute guided tour you’ll learn about the 12th-century Norman church and its 15th-century medieval successor. In the 18th century it was completely rebuilt, lasting until 1940 when St Mary’s became the first London church to be destroyed in World War II. Only the tower and steeple survived the bomb; the main body of the church was rebuilt in 1956, a fascinating example of post-war reconstruction and design.
As well as providing a glimpse into the history of St Mary’s and how it has influenced Islington today, you’ll also have the opportunity to climb the 120 steps to the top of tower, giving you a bird’s-eye view over London.
This tour takes places on the 26th of April and can be booked at this link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/st-mary-islington-church-and-tower-tour-tickets-542957158477 where multiple dates for the following months are also available to book
Art Deco Arsenal
Sport and transport, movies and moving.
Join Jane to admire and find out about a cross-section of stylish 1930’s buildings in N4 and N5. See how the innovative architecture of the interwar era still endures today.
You’ll hear about design, typography and letterform, and we’ll venture into some interiors including Arsenal FC’s iconic Highbury ground.
We’ll also visit other places of entertainment, well-proportioned residential and business properties, and hints of a renovation scheme that was never completed.
The tour starts near Arsenal station and lasts just under two hours. We finish a stone’s throw from Finsbury Park station.
This walk takes place on the 4th of May and can be booked at this link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/art-deco-arsenal-sport-and-transport-movies-and-moving-tickets-1252001733889
The Only Way Is Essex Road
One of Islington’s often-ignored streets, this thoroughfare offers a wealth of diverse history and architectural delights.
Jane will lead you along the full length of the road from Islington Green to Ball’s Pond Road covering 500 years of history, from Tudor houses, through 1820’s Georgian splendour and Victorian expansion to Art Deco embellishment and today’s new developments.
Along the way you’ll hear about institutions, innovations, clean water, vaudeville, alcohol, scuppered plans and criminal damage.
This walk takes place on the 4th of May and can be booked by clicking here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-only-way-is-essex-road-tickets-1071799534259
Union Chapel Guided Tour
The Union Chapel has towered over Upper Street in Islington since the 1870s and today thrives as an award-winning venue, homelessness project and a working radical church.
On the tour, led by an expert Islington Guided Walks guide, you’ll see this architectural gem up close and discover the building’s fascinating history.
The Grade I listed Victorian Gothic Chapel is one of the largest Nonconformist churches in London. It houses an important Father Henry Willis organ that is one of few left in the UK with an original hydraulic blowing system, stunning stained glass windows and a distinctive octagonal interior built for acoustics and visibility.
Take a tour and learn more about Islington’s heritage, the Chapel’s triumphant survival after a wartime bomb, and the fascinating story of its near demolition in the 1980s, at a time when Victorian architecture was only just being appreciated.
This tour takes place on the 7th of May and can be booked at this link: https://unionchapel.gigantic.com/union-chapel-guided-tour-tickets where further dates are also available.
Evolving Islington – a walking tour
Discover how Islington developed from a rural settlement and centre for dairy farming into the diverse, bustling area it is today.
In 1086 the Domesday Book reported that Islington contained just 27 households. Today its quarter-of-a-million residents live in an area that boasts world-class cultural venues but also less green space than any other London borough.
The story of how Islington developed over the centuries provides many tales of social, cultural and political history. The walk takes in many of central Islington’s most fascinating sites – some well-known and others even locals may not be familiar with.
You’ll see a Tudor house that’s been in the same family since the 16th century, the first church bombed in World War II and some of the pioneering homes built in the early 20th century as Islington’s population boomed. You’ll also find out how the world-famous Union Chapel got its name and why you should never graffiti in a library book…
The tour lasts about 2 hours. It starts at Highbury & Islington station (we’ll meet at the round benches near the station) and ends in Islington Square off Upper Street, a 10-minute walk from both Angel and Highbury & Islington stations
This walk takes place on the 14th of May and can be booked by clicking here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/evolving-islington-a-walking-tour-tickets-522595175237
Unusual Islington – a walking tour
Discover the hidden gems that make this corner of London so unique
Join qualified local guide Nigel Smith for a captivating and surprising journey through the charming streets of Islington.
This two-hour walking tour is designed to unveil the area’s rich and often overlooked history, showcasing the intriguing stories and quirky details that make this corner of London so unique.
Just a stone’s throw from bustling Upper Street we’ll delve into the hidden alleyways, secret gardens and architectural oddities that even locals might miss. You’ll uncover tales of radical politicians, ghostly goings-on and the philanthropists whose generosity more than 600 years ago is still enjoyed today. Strolling through serene squares and peaceful backstreets you’ll discover that Islington is a lot more unusual than you might think…
This tour is perfect for anyone curious about London’s lesser-known stories, whether you’re a longtime resident or a first-time visitor. Prepare to be surprised, entertained, and enlightened as we uncover the unusual and captivating history of Islington.
The tour lasts approximately two hours, starts outside Angel Station and ends at Islington Town Hall on Upper Street.
This walk takes place on the 28th of May and can be booked at this link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/unusual-islington-a-walking-tour-tickets-1307784742369
Our next newsletter will be on the first Sunday in May, but as always, our calendar of walks and tours is constantly updated, and can be found on our website at this link: https://islingtonguidedwalks.com/events/
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