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.
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 ... Read More
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.
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 ... Read More
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 ... Read More
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 ... Read More
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. ... Read More
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 ... Read More
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 ... Read More
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 ... Read More
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. ... Read More
Islington, now the most densely populated London borough, was for centuries famed for its pastures, dairies, fresh water wells and pleasure gardens. Today, this inner urban borough offers an eclectic range of modern shops, restaurants, theatres, pubs and cafes, but its history remains there, hidden in plain sight. "Jonathan's narrative flowed beautifully - hugely informative ... Read More