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.

Reviews of this tour

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “The guided tour of St Mary’s, Upper Street, Islington was fascinating and the view from the top of the tower was very special indeed.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “An excellent informative tour of St Mary’s Church. We had a great trip up the church tower with fabulous views over London. But we were also entertained with an interesting history of the church and its site – despite living very locally for over 30 years it is amazing what you miss on your doorstep!”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “Great tour of St Mary’s Islington – a very beautiful church with lots of history. The best bit though was the opportunity to climb up the tower for a fantastic view. Highly recommended.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “A very interesting 90 minutes. Guide friendly, well-prepared, informative and easy to listen to. Getting to the top of the 18th-century church tower is the highlight.”