Click here for a sneak preview of the tour!

Travel through a thousand years of history, meeting kings, body snatchers, Charles Dickens, an eighteenth century ghost, and William Wallace (and learn how he was in no fit state to shout “Freeeedoooommmm!”)

On our tour we’ll visit the areas around Smithfield, for centuries London’s site of both animal and human slaughter. We’ll learn about how the city disposed of the tens of thousands of Black Death corpses in the fourteenth century, and how the area became a notorious slum which Dickens used as the setting for Oliver Twist. The tour begins outside Barbican Station, ends near to Farringdon Station, and will take around two hours. Total distance is about two miles.

Described as a ‘Gothic tornado’ on Upper Street,  Union Chapel is an architectural gem and originally one of the largest nonconformist churches in London. It houses  a unique Willis Organ, with unusual water powered bellows,  an octagonal interior and stunning stained glass windows.

Now an award winning music venue, a homelessness project as well as being a working church, the Chapel still towers over Upper Street. Take a tour and learn more from one of our guides about Islington’s nonconformist heritage, the Chapel’s triumphant survival after a wartime bomb, and the fascinating story of its near demolition and in the 1980s, at a time when Victorian architecture was only just being appreciated.

Click here for a sneak preview of the tour!

Travel through a thousand years of history, meeting kings, body snatchers, Charles Dickens, an eighteenth century ghost, and William Wallace (and learn how he was in no fit state to shout “Freeeedoooommmm!”)

On our tour we’ll visit the areas around Smithfield, for centuries London’s site of both animal and human slaughter. We’ll learn about how the city disposed of the tens of thousands of Black Death corpses in the fourteenth century, and how the area became a notorious slum which Dickens used as the setting for Oliver Twist. The tour begins outside Barbican Station, ends near to Farringdon Station, and will take around two hours. Total distance is about two miles.

 

Further dates for this tour

Click here for a sneak preview of the tour!

Travel through a thousand years of history, meeting kings, body snatchers, Charles Dickens, an eighteenth century ghost, and William Wallace (and learn how he was in no fit state to shout “Freeeedoooommmm!”)

On our tour we’ll visit the areas around Smithfield, for centuries London’s site of both animal and human slaughter. We’ll learn about how the city disposed of the tens of thousands of Black Death corpses in the fourteenth century, and how the area became a notorious slum which Dickens used as the setting for Oliver Twist. The tour begins outside Barbican Station, ends near to Farringdon Station, and will take around two hours. Total distance is about two miles.

Click here for a sneak preview of the tour!

Travel through a thousand years of history, meeting kings, body snatchers, Charles Dickens, an eighteenth century ghost, and William Wallace (and learn how he was in no fit state to shout “Freeeedoooommmm!”)

On our tour we’ll visit the areas around Smithfield, for centuries London’s site of both animal and human slaughter. We’ll learn about how the city disposed of the tens of thousands of Black Death corpses in the fourteenth century, and how the area became a notorious slum which Dickens used as the setting for Oliver Twist. The tour begins outside Barbican Station, ends near to Farringdon Station, and will take around two hours. Total distance is about two miles.

Click here for a sneak preview of the tour!

Travel through a thousand years of history, meeting kings, body snatchers, Charles Dickens, an eighteenth century ghost, and William Wallace (and learn how he was in no fit state to shout “Freeeedoooommmm!”)

On our tour we’ll visit the areas around Smithfield, for centuries London’s site of both animal and human slaughter. We’ll learn about how the city disposed of the tens of thousands of Black Death corpses in the fourteenth century, and how the area became a notorious slum which Dickens used as the setting for Oliver Twist. The tour begins outside Barbican Station, ends near to Farringdon Station, and will take around two hours. Total distance is about two miles.

Click here for a sneak preview of the tour!

Travel through a thousand years of history, meeting kings, body snatchers, Charles Dickens, an eighteenth century ghost, and William Wallace (and learn how he was in no fit state to shout “Freeeedoooommmm!”)

On our tour we’ll visit the areas around Smithfield, for centuries London’s site of both animal and human slaughter. We’ll learn about how the city disposed of the tens of thousands of Black Death corpses in the fourteenth century, and how the area became a notorious slum which Dickens used as the setting for Oliver Twist. The tour begins outside Barbican Station, ends near to Farringdon Station, and will take around two hours. Total distance is about two miles.

Click here for a sneak preview of the tour!

Travel through a thousand years of history, meeting kings, body snatchers, Charles Dickens, an eighteenth century ghost, and William Wallace (and learn how he was in no fit state to shout “Freeeedoooommmm!”)

On our tour we’ll visit the areas around Smithfield, for centuries London’s site of both animal and human slaughter. We’ll learn about how the city disposed of the tens of thousands of Black Death corpses in the fourteenth century, and how the area became a notorious slum which Dickens used as the setting for Oliver Twist. The tour begins outside Barbican Station, ends near to Farringdon Station, and will take around two hours. Total distance is about two miles.

Click here for a sneak preview of the tour!

Travel through a thousand years of history, meeting kings, body snatchers, Charles Dickens, an eighteenth century ghost, and William Wallace (and learn how he was in no fit state to shout “Freeeedoooommmm!”)

On our tour we’ll visit the areas around Smithfield, for centuries London’s site of both animal and human slaughter. We’ll learn about how the city disposed of the tens of thousands of Black Death corpses in the fourteenth century, and how the area became a notorious slum which Dickens used as the setting for Oliver Twist. The tour begins outside Barbican Station, ends near to Farringdon Station, and will take around two hours. Total distance is about two miles.

Click here for a sneak preview of the tour!

Travel through a thousand years of history, meeting kings, body snatchers, Charles Dickens, an eighteenth century ghost, and William Wallace (and learn how he was in no fit state to shout “Freeeedoooommmm!”)

On our tour we’ll visit the areas around Smithfield, for centuries London’s site of both animal and human slaughter. We’ll learn about how the city disposed of the tens of thousands of Black Death corpses in the fourteenth century, and how the area became a notorious slum which Dickens used as the setting for Oliver Twist. The tour begins outside Barbican Station, ends near to Farringdon Station, and will take around two hours. Total distance is about two miles.

Click here for a sneak preview of the tour!

Travel through a thousand years of history, meeting kings, body snatchers, Charles Dickens, an eighteenth century ghost, and William Wallace (and learn how he was in no fit state to shout “Freeeedoooommmm!”)

On our tour we’ll visit the areas around Smithfield, for centuries London’s site of both animal and human slaughter. We’ll learn about how the city disposed of the tens of thousands of Black Death corpses in the fourteenth century, and how the area became a notorious slum which Dickens used as the setting for Oliver Twist. The tour begins outside Barbican Station, ends near to Farringdon Station, and will take around two hours. Total distance is about two miles.

Click here for a sneak preview of the tour!

Travel through a thousand years of history, meeting kings, body snatchers, Charles Dickens, an eighteenth century ghost, and William Wallace (and learn how he was in no fit state to shout “Freeeedoooommmm!”)

On our tour we’ll visit the areas around Smithfield, for centuries London’s site of both animal and human slaughter. We’ll learn about how the city disposed of the tens of thousands of Black Death corpses in the fourteenth century, and how the area became a notorious slum which Dickens used as the setting for Oliver Twist. The tour begins outside Barbican Station, ends near to Farringdon Station, and will take around two hours. Total distance is about two miles.

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.
Delve into the past & investigate the relationship between different classes of society in London and what this meant for the alcohol they were able to drink.

You will also explore how the famous English past-time of drinking was interpreted by journalists and artists of the day, including local Georgian artist William Hogarth. It’s fascinating to compare to the modern world.

Why a Road to Ruin? The tour will take you along an ancient Drover’s Road in through Clerkenwell into Smithfields which was once full of pubs, breweries and distilleries. Many of those institutes may have gone but the buildings, history and stories of local characters remain. Visit interesting buildings including an ‘in and out pub’, a world famous inn, a brewery, two gin distilleries and even a licensed pawn broker!

Hazel will also share with you rare and interesting facts and tales and you’ll leave the tour knowing the stories behind the expressions “one for the road”, “a Mother’s ruin” and “dead drunk”.