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Offered languages
- English
The City of London has been burned, plagued, bombed, and rebuilt more times than anyone can count, and every era left something behind.
This Halloween, walk the ancient streets of the Square Mile after dark and uncover the history that some would rather you forgot. From the Roman city of Londinium to the flames of the Great Fire, the tour is a journey through the City's darkest chapters.
On this walk, you'll discover:
- The plague pits beneath the pavements, and the streets where the death carts once rumbled
- Smithfield, where martyrs burned and rebels met their end
- The doors of Newgate Prison, and the bell that tolled for the condemned.
- Where the Great Fire began, and the stories that survived it
- The ghostly figures said to still haunt banks, churchyards, and alleyways.
Bring a friend, bring your courage, and bring a torch if you like. The streets are older than they look, and they have a dark past.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
Go to the entrance to the park at Charterhouse Square at the intersection of Chaterhouse Square and Carthusian Street. I will be waiting for you holding a tall stick with a flag on the end.
Itinerary
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1Charterhouse Square
Here we will visit one of the largest plague pits in London and the remains of an old monastery - the Charterhouse - terrorised by Henry VIII during his Henrician reformation.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
2Smithfield Market
Smithfield Market sits on the location where Mary I martyred 280 protestants during her attempt to reverse the protestant reformation. We will talk about how these Martyrs met their gruesome ends.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
3Cloth Fair
At Cloth Fair we will visit two of the oldest residential buildings in The City of London
5 minutes • Admission ticket free -
4Church of St. Bartholomew the Great
The Church of St Bartholomew The Great is one of the oldest churches in The City of London. Here we talk about Anne Askew, whose memory is commemorated at the gatehouse to the church.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
5WIlliam Wallace Memorial
William Wallace is a Scottish national hero. Here we will talk about his famous battles, and his conflict with Edward I - 'The Hammer of The Scots'.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
6Saint Bartholomew's Hospital Museum
The Peasant's Rebellion saw Wat Tyler nearly depose Edward II, the 15 year old king. We will talk about this thrilling historical episode (and about what happened to Wat Tyler) at St Bartholomew's Hospital.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
7Golden Boy of Pye Corner
The Golden Boy of Pye Corner marks where The Great Fire of London stopped. At the junction of Giltspur Street and Cock Lane, the area has been the site of lots of sordid affairs over the years. Known for its ghosts and brothels, Cock Lane has been famous for centuries - it is even mentioned by William Shakespeare in King Henry IV
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
8
The Holy Sepulchre Church manufactured a bell for inmates on Death Row to hear rung the night before their execution - this grizzly relic marks our journey toward The Old Bailey and Newgate prison.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
9Old Bailey
The Old Bailey sits on the site of Newgate prison, which leads us into the grizzliest part of our tour, where we discuss some of the most famous Victorian criminals. Many of these met their end by execution at Newgate Prison.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
10Paternoster Square
At Paternoster Square we continue our discussion of Victorian Criminals.
10 minutes • Admission ticket free -
11St. Paul's Cathedral
Here the tour concludes
10 minutes • Admission ticket free
Additional info
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Tags
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
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 a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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