Welcome to the May listing of walks and events by Clerkenwell & Islington Guides, and for the next couple of months we have a comprehensive range of walks that cover so many aspects of the architecture, history and culture of this fascinating part of London, starting with:
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 by clicking here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/art-deco-arsenal-sport-and-transport-movies-and-moving-tickets-1252001733889?aff=oddtdtcreator
Bunhill: Barracks, Bone Yards and Baths
Discover nonconformist burial grounds, one of the oldest regiments in the British Army, a 90 year-old public baths and wash-house, the site of London’s first outdoor swimming pool and one of its most unusual churches.
“Another walk where you think you know the patch and Jonathan shows you the hidden stories!”
Sitting between today’s financial district and the Angel, Islington’s Bunhill ward is named after an ancient bone yard. Once marshland outside the walls of the City of London, for a while the area offered spas and outdoor leisure facilities. As urbanisation swallowed the fields, the area became industrialised and populated by tradesmen, the poor and the sick.
The legacy of the past is still visible, but this walk will also reveal some hidden architectural gems and tranquil open spaces.
The walk lasts approximately two hours. It will take place come rain or shine, so please be prepared for all weather conditions!
Start: outside Moorgate tube station, the western entrance on Moorfields (follow signposts to Exit 1).
Finish: close to Old Street tube station.
This walk takes place on the 4th of May, and can be booked at the following link: https://www.londonontheground.com/service-page/bunhill-barracks-bone-yards-and-baths?referral=service_list_widget
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 walk takes place on the 7th of May and the 4th of June. Both dates can be booked at this link: https://unionchapel.gigantic.com/union-chapel-guided-tour-tickets
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 11th of May and can be booked at this link: https://londonguidedwalks.co.uk/guidedwalk/road-to-ruin/
Bleeding Hearts and Body Parts
Discover the darker side of London’s past on our 90-minute guided walking tour through the historic area of Farringdon. Our Bleeding Hearts and Body Parts Walk takes you on a journey through the city’s history of gruesome events, murders, martyrs, and public executions.
This walk takes place on the 11th of May and can be booked at this link: https://londonguidedwalks.co.uk/guidedwalk/bleeding-hearts/
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 at this link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/evolving-islington-a-walking-tour-tickets-522595175237?aff=oddtdtcreator
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 17th of May and can be booked by clicking here: https://londonguidedwalks.co.uk/guidedwalk/georgian-london/
Islington World War Walk
A walk through Islington military history in both world wars, you`d be surprised how much there is including.
The factory that saved Britain from invasion.
The libraries that were key bases in the great war.
The Second World War soldier turned wandering mystic and religious guru.
The site of some of where the most notorious bombs landed.
The former Arsenal stadium and its surprising role in the two world wars.
This walk takes place on the 17th of May and can be booked by clicking here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/islington-world-war-walk-tickets-1316615595689?aff=oddtdtcreator
Islington’s Big Screens – a cinematic walking tour
Join guide Nigel Smith for a walking tour through more than 100 years of cinema-going in Islington, taking in cinemas past and present.
A stroll through more than 100 years of Islington cinema-going; all between Angel and Essex Road stations. We’ll encounter Victorian showmen, architectural wonders and tales of bad behaviour in the stalls. Come to discover hidden gems and hear what a night ‘at the flicks’ was like decades before multiplexes.
In addition to such landmarks as the Screen on the Green, you’ll see some buildings that were once cinemas as well as a few intriguing places where all trace of their cinematic past has vanished.
The walk lasts about 2 hours, starts at Angel station and ends near Essex Road station.
This walk takes place on the 17th of May and can be booked by clicking here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/islingtons-big-screens-a-cinematic-walking-tour-tickets-399413154497?aff=oddtdtcreator
Oliver Twist Walk
Victorian London was a dangerous place especially after dark, with highwaymen and other scoundrel’s waiting to pounce on anyone crossing their path.
Imagine stepping back in time to 1837, when London was a bustling city and not so different from today’s metropolis. You see people walking down the street with their heads held high as they go about business; no one would be talking on their phones, perhaps chatting amicably among friends or family members catching up after being apart for awhile… But what would your Victorian life look like? How could you fit into this Age of Improvement which is so unlike ours here today? Would YOU survive?
Highwaymen roamed the roads exiting Victorian London, ready to pounce on anyone who crossed their path. A dark and dangerous place at night with Highway men waiting in the shadows just looking for an opportunity make off with your valuables or even kill you if they had no intention of taking anything from you alive.
This Oliver Twist walking tour follows the footsteps of Oliver Twist and Artful Dodger as they make their way through London to reach Fagin’s lair, just like in Charles Dickens’ novel “Oliver Twist.”
You can’t be too stealthy in London, especially if you want to avoid being caught by the police. The Artful Dodger and Oliver would have needed this skill when they headed into Fagin’s lair at night-time.
– Authentic different tour
– Discover 1837 London
– Qualified guide
– Suitable for all age groups. Please note all children must be accompanied by an adult.
– Start: Angel Tube Station | End: Farringdon Station
This walk takes place on the 17th of May and can be booked at this link: https://londonguidedwalks.co.uk/guidedwalk/oliver-twist/
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 22nd of May and can be booked by clicking here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-only-way-is-essex-road-tickets-1071799534259?aff=oddtdtcreator
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 walk takes place on the 24th of May and the 28th of June. Both dates can be booked at this link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/st-mary-islington-church-and-tower-tour-tickets-542957158477?aff=oddtdtcreator
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 the 29th of June. Both dates can be booked by clicking here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/unusual-islington-a-walking-tour-tickets-1307784742369?aff=oddtdtcreator
The River Fleet from King’s Cross to Farringdon
This walk traces the route of the now-subterranean River Fleet, which also marks the border between today’s Camden and Islington boroughs. ‘Beating the Bounds’ around the borders between parishes, land ownerships and similar is an ancient tradition, where the boundary was literally paced out and marked with stones each year. Our route also explores nearby signs of previous boundaries of parishes, vestries, water conduits and historic landowners.
Along the way, we’ll see varied architecture from pretty Georgian and Victorian terraces to old burial grounds, narrow passages that were once slums and restored industrial buildings; see if we can spot historic boundary markers; meet mediaeval monks, Tudor and Victorian philanthropists, a dynasty of 19C architects and builders; and hear of lost wells and pleasure gardens.
This walk takes place on the 7th of June and can be booked at this link: https://lesleythompson.co.uk/series/beating-the-bounds-from-kings-cross-to-farringdon
Cultural Clerkenwell – a walking tour
Walk in the footsteps of Shakespeare and Dickens and see contemporary art in London’s oldest parish church with guide Nigel Smith.
Since the middle-ages, when religious pageants were held on the banks of the River Fleet and entertainers performed at the annual Bartholomew’s Fair, Clerkenwell has been a part of London steeped in cultural history.
Theatre, literature, music, film, architecture, food, sculpture and visual art spanning the last 900 years are all covered as we wander the streets and alleys of this atmospheric neighbourhood.
In addition to following in the footsteps of William Shakespeare and Charles Dickens, along the way you’ll hear how William Morris, Agatha Christie, Vladimir Lenin, William Hogarth and Benjamin Franklin have all left their mark on Clerkenwell.
In London’s oldest parish church you’ll see a striking sculpture by one of Britain’s most controversial artists. Down hidden alleyways you’ll find out about one of London’s great 17th-century theatres, a pioneering architectural partnership and an unsung champion of classical music. You’ll also see why this historic area has been a location for some of Hollywood’s biggest movies. And you’ll get the chance to see close-up the site that gave Clerkenwell its name.
The tour lasts about 2 hours. It starts outside Barbican underground station (Hammersmith & City line) and ends at Farringdon station.
This walk takes place on the 21st of June and can be booked at this link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cultural-clerkenwell-a-walking-tour-tickets-623177138597?aff=oddtdtcreator
Our next newsletter will be on the first Sunday in June.
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