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Offered languages
- English
Travel through a thousand years of history, meeting medieval knights, body snatchers, Charles Dickens, an eighteenth century ghost, and William Wallace - aka Braveheart (and learn how he was in no fit state to shout "Freeeedoooommmm!" whilst being executed!)
On our walking 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, the execution methods used in the Middle Ages, and how the area became a notorious slum which Dickens used as the setting for Oliver Twist.
The walking tour begins outside Barbican Station, ends near to Farringdon Station, and will take around two hours. Total distance is about two miles.
Ticket sales will be limited to fifteen attendees, to ensure maximum enjoyment for everybody on the tour.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
We meet outside Barbican Station exit. Please aim to arrive five minutes early as the tour will start on time. If you aren't able to make the tour or you will be late, please message me on +44 7783 401 129 so that I know whether to send you our live location on WhatsApp.
On Ely Place, around the corner from Farringdon Station
Itinerary
-
1The Charterhouse
A fourteenth century monastery and plague pit
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
2Smithfield Market
A one thousand year old meat market
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
3St John's Gate
The home of the medieval Knights Hospitallers
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
4Cloth Fair
A quiet alley with a noisy history
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
5WIlliam Wallace Memorial
The memorial to William Wallace, aka Braveheart
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
6Church of St. Bartholomew the Great
London's oldest surviving parish church
10 minutes • Admission ticket included -
7Golden Boy of Pye Corner
The site where the Great Fire of 1666 died out, and of eighteenth century ghost hysteria
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
8Holborn Viaduct
The site of the River Fleet, Victorian London's largest open air sewer
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
9Ye Olde Mitre
A hidden gem of a pub, hidden down an alleyway
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
10Saint Bartholomew's Hospital Museum
The oldest surviving hospital in the country
10 minutes • Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
Rating
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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