Welcome to the October newsletter from Clerkenwell & Islington Guides, listing the walks and events from our guides for the month of October, starting with a significant event in the guiding calendar, when free walks are available:
Local London Guiding Day
On the 10th of October, Local London Guiding Day takes place, an event when guide organsiations across London provide a range of free walks exploring aspects of their local history.
For this year’s event, Clerkenwell & Islington Guides contribution explores Old Street and Silicon Roundabout:
Join this Old Street walk to discover Silicon Roundabout, where relics of the past nestle alongside buildings of the Future
An Old Street walk around St Lukes and Finsbury,to discover the people, places and stories from Londons Silicon Roundabout – where relics of the past nestle alongside buildings of the future. From its Roman origins, what does the future hold for this gateway into the City ?
Groundbreaking Women of Islington
This walk in the Angel area tells the stories of groundbreaking women of Islington that changed the course of history.
“Excellent…. very professional and knowledgeable…. fun and informative” 5* Tripadvisor review
The walk includes women from the 16th to the 21st centuries, who made significant contributions to philanthropy, politics, literature, sport, leisure, community activities, music, film, theatre and the arts. See where they drew their inspiration from Islington and where they left their mark on the area.
The walk lasts approximately two hours. Please be prepared for all weather conditions!
Start: Outside the entrance to Sadlers Wells Theatre, Rosebery Avenue, London, EC1R 4TN
Finish: A short walk from Highbury & Islington tube station
“Thanks for a great adventure this afternoon! …there were bits I was familiar with and LOTS I learned!”
“A really inspiring walk”
“Thanks for the great tour”
“I really enjoyed it”
This walk takes place today, the 4th of October and can be booked by clicking here.
Canonbury Tower guided tour
Canonbury Tower was built in the late 16th century and is a rare survivor of Tudor domestic architecture in London. The Tower was added onto a manor house built in the early 1500s as the country retreat of the Canons of St Bartholomew’s Priory in Smithfield.
On this 90-minute tour you’ll see the existing Tudor interiors and hear about the many notable characters associated with the building. Over the centuries these have included Thomas Cromwell of Wolf Hall fame, Henry VIII’s fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, Francis Bacon and the writers Washington Irving (Sleepy Hollow) and Oliver Goldsmith (The Vicar of Wakefield). You’ll also have the chance to climb up to the rooftop which affords wonderful views over London in all directions.
Tours are usually available twice a month on the second Friday and the last Wednesday.
Canonbury Tower is owned by the Marquess of Northampton and has been in the same family since the 16th century. All visitors are guests of the seventh Marquess, Spencer Compton.
St Mary Islington – Church and Tower Tour
Discover the history of Islington’s first parish church and climb the 120 steps to the top of tower for the best panoramic views across London.
St Mary’s church on Upper Street has played a central role in the history of Islington for over a thousand years and, during this time, several different churches have stood on the site, leaving an eclectic mix of architectural styles.
Find out about the 12th century Norman church, its 15th century medieval successor and the 18th century rebuild. During The Blitz of World War II St Mary’s suffered extensive damage – only the tower and steeple survived the bomb. The church was rebuilt in 1956 as a fascinating example of post-war reconstruction, enhanced by many unique artworks of interest.
Islington: 900 Years in 90 Minutes
Explore the vibrant evolution of Islington from the 12th century to the modern day. On this fast-paced historical stroll, we will visit the hidden corners where locals have lived, worshipped, worked, and built businesses for centuries. Rather than just focusing on grand monuments, we will look at the human history of the area—uncovering how everyday families, artists, and neighbours transformed a quiet rural parish into the welcoming, diverse community we see today.
We will start at The White Swan around the corner from Highbury & Islington station, and finish 2 minutes from Angel station.
This walk takes place on the 15th, 22nd and 29th of October and can be booked by clicking here.
History of Arsenal Football Club Walking Tour
The History of Arsenal FC Guided Walk
Step into the story of one of football’s most iconic clubs on a 90-minute guided walk from the historic site of Highbury Stadium to the Emirates Stadium.
Walk in the footsteps of Arsenal legends and discover the fascinating story behind the Gunners — from the club’s humble beginnings in Woolwich in 1886 as Dial Square FC, through its move north to Islington and the development of the club we know today.
Along the way, uncover the people, places and moments that have shaped Arsenal’s remarkable history, while exploring the fascinating social history of how the club has influenced Islington and the local community.
Whether you’re a lifelong Arsenal supporter or simply curious about the history of one of London’s most famous football clubs, this walk offers something for everyone.
Come and discover the heritage, legends and stories behind The Arsenal — and see how the club’s past is still written into the streets of North London today.
This walk takes place on the 17th of October and can be booked by clicking here.
Revolutionary Clerkenwell: Chartists, Felons & Fenians
For well over a century, Clerkenwell, this brooding centre of revolutionary discontent sat at the edge of the old city walls, remaining a constant source of fear for Britain’s ruling elite. In its artisan workshops, slum housing, coffee shops, pubs and prisons the talk was of change summed up in the Chartist slogan: ‘peaceably if we may; forcibly if we must’. Join me, Clerkenwell & Islington guide Andy Taylor, as I delve into the history behind the rebels & radicals, activists & agitators, reformers & revolutionaries whose stories echo through these streets. We will look at how this corner of London was a key rallying point for Britain’s first mass working class movement, the Chartists. How it is connected to the fight against the fascist dictators Mussolini and Franco. We’ll explore how an Indian socialist and a Georgian communist pioneered a healthcare revolution long before the birth of the NHS and Clerkenwell’s role in the clandestine war for Irish independence and for Italian unification. You’ll hear about the young people who organised a cultural fightback to racism in 1970s Britain, of resistance inside what was once the country’s most notorious prison and the 19thC radicals who fought beneath the banner ‘Death or Liberty’. This guided walking tour is perfect for those in search of a people’s history of London. The tour begins outside Farringdon Station (I’ll meet you by the Pret A Manger next to the station entrance), lasts approx 2 hours and will finish at a historic pub within easy reach of Kings Cross, Angel or Farringdon stations. I’ll be starting the tour on time but any latecomers can catch up with me by heading to Clerkenwell Green.
This walk takes place on the 25th of October and can be booked by clicking here.
Ghosts, Gallows & Body Snatchers – Dark History Walk of Clerkenwell & Smithfield
Ghosts. Executions. Plague. Murder. Body snatchers. Welcome to the darker side of London.
Step into the shadows and discover the sinister secrets hidden among the ancient streets of Clerkenwell and Smithfield.
For almost a thousand years, this fascinating corner of London has witnessed public executions, religious persecution, murder, plague, imprisonment and the gruesome trade of the body snatchers.
Walk through atmospheric alleyways and historic streets as we uncover tales of heretics burned at the stake, rebels and criminals sent to their deaths, stolen corpses, ghostly monks, phantom footsteps and restless spirits said to still haunt the neighbourhood today.
This is not a theatrical ghost tour filled with jump scares. It is a journey into real London history, where the true stories can be every bit as chilling as the legends.
What You’ll Discover
• Smithfield’s gruesome history as one of London’s most notorious places of execution
• Burning martyrs, condemned criminals and public punishment
• The body snatchers and the grisly trade in stolen corpses
• Ghostly monks, phantom footsteps and unexplained happenings
• Ancient churches, hidden alleyways and forgotten corners of historic London
• Murder, mystery, plague, prisons and some of Clerkenwell’s darkest secrets
Along the way, discover a side of London that many visitors never see and hear the extraordinary true stories and eerie legends that have survived for centuries.
This walk takes place on the 31st of October and can be booked by clicking here.
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