Scheduled Tours:
Holly Lodge Estate – 17 & 24 July @6pm
Join me on this guided walk around the Holly Lodge estate – the only garden suburb estate in Camden. On it we will explore its unique history as one of the last landed estates in London, its development as an exclusive housing estate inspired by the garden suburb movement, and its pioneering “Lady Worker” flats.
Experience the garden suburb atmosphere of the current estate and see hidden traces and echoes of its past life as an aristocratic country retreat.
To book for 17 July, 2024 click here.
To book for 24 July, 2024 click here.
Repetoire of Tours:
If you would like to arrange one of the following tours for a private group please contact me via email.
London by area:
Belgravia
This area has represented wealthy and exclusive London since the 19th century. Belgravia has always been a sought after address and has been home to Margaret Thatcher, Vivien Leigh and Mozart.
This walk will explore its elegant grand houses but will also look behind the scenes, at the life of servants in its hidden mews.
Bloomsbury
Today this area is known as the heart of intellectual London with numerous academic institutions, famous hospitals and literary connections.
Discover its elegant squares where we’ll learn about the many writers who made the area their home.
City of London
Explore the economic heart of the capital. This walk takes in major landmarks such as St Paul’s Cathedral, but will also take you to hidden gardens and medieval alleyways that hide traces of London’s 2000 year history. See how ancient and modern architecture co-exist in a city that developed from a Roman settlement to the global powerhouse of today.
City of Westminster
The essential walk for London taking in some of its major attractions. You’ll see Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, the London Eye, Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace and lots more! This walk takes you through a thousand years of London’s history in its royal and political heart.
Clerkenwell
An urban village right in the heart of London. This walk will take you through Clerkenwell’s history from its beginnings as a religious precinct in the 13th century to being one of the most fashionable areas in London today. Hear about knights, nuns and its crime-ridden past through the medieval remains of a knights priory and the slums and courthouses that featured in the novels of Charles Dickens.
Hampstead
Located next to Hampstead Heath, Hampstead’s village atmosphere and charming ancient streets have made it a highly sought after and attractive area to live in. Uncover the area’s long association over the centuries with artists, intellectuals and writers seeking inspiration and an escape from the hustle and bustle of London.
Highgate
Situated in the hills of leafy north London, this walk gives you a chance to travel back in time and explore an exclusive village that features country lanes and Georgian houses that still attract celebrities today. Its unique position offers fantastic panoramic views across London and it boasts a large number of historic pubs.
Mayfair
As one of London’s most exclusive and fashionable districts, Mayfair has been London’s aristocratic playground for the last 300 years. On this walk you’ll be learning about the social scene of the upper classes and encounter exclusive hotels, shops and the social hangouts of the royal family and members of the gentry.
St James’s
A mecca for the noble and fashionable since the 18th century, this walk explores the area around St James’s Palace and will tell you all you need to know to become the most dapper dresser in town!
Find out where members of the royal family buy their shirts, shoes and hats and where writer Ian Fleming found inspiration for style icon James Bond. Peer into some of London’s oldest shops, gentlemen’s outfitters and the famous exclusive clubs of Pall Mall.
Smithfield
Uncover the darker side of medieval London! Learn about plague pits, bodysnatching and an execution site. This walk takes you past the only surviving monastic buildings in London and its oldest hospital. Discover a variety of architectural styles in the form of its famous 19th century meat market, medieval timber framed houses, and Hercule Poirot’s Art Deco London flat.
South Kensington
Explore London’s hub of science and culture and it’s famous “museum mile”. On this walk we’ll uncover the history of the area and its transformation from market gardens to the collection of today’s cultural landmarks that collectively became known as “Albertopolis”.
Southwark & Bankside
As London’s most historic borough, Southwark became London’s centre of debauchery and depravity during the medieval period, with its pubs, prostitutes, playhouses and the worst prison in London.
From bear pits to brothels, and prisons to playhouses, this walk will give you an insight into the London that inspired Shakespeare. Along the way, marvel at the contrast between historic and present day Southwark by discovering the stories behind some of London’s most iconic modern structures – the Shard, Millennium Bridge and Tate Modern.
Westminster – Hidden Westminster
Discover the hidden streets of Westminster behind the major sites. On this walk you’ll see homes of famous politicians, one of the best preserved 18th century streets in London, the cloisters of Westminster Abbey and the grounds of one of the most prestigious schools in the country.
Westminster – Political London
This walk will take you through the heart of political London and through the corridors of power. See the Houses of Parliament, places where historic decisions have been made by famous parliamentarians, and the official residence of the Prime Minister.
Westminster – Royal London
A walk around the heart of Royal London. This walk takes in three royal palaces, a royal park and Westminster Abbey – the site of coronations for the last thousand years. Hear about members of the royal family, royal pageantry and the last execution of a monarch.
Specialist and Themed Walks:
A Christmas Carol
Come along on a walk around the historic City of London – the London of Charles Dickens; encountering on our way its famous landmarks, hidden alleyways and fine Victorian architecture.
As we revisit this most famous of tales we’ll pass the location of Scrooge’s Counting House, the hill that Bob Cratchit slid down on Christmas Eve and see many other locations referenced in the novels of Charles Dickens.
On our way we’ll weave the story of Dickens’s life into the places he knew and learn about the origins of Christmas traditions and the image of the ideal Victorian family Christmas that has so endured.
Christmas Lights
Christmas lights have now been a feature of central London for over 60 years having been first introduced in Regent Street in 1954 in post war austerity London.
Learn about the history of the lights and hear the stories behind some of our Christmas traditions whilst seeing London at its most magical time.
Fashion
Have you ever wondered about the origins of the tuxedo or what a “bespoke” tailor is? All will be revealed as we walk down the golden mile of tailoring and see the workshop where Alexander McQueen learnt his trade and where Hollywood stars, rock legends and rappers get their suits made.
From savouring the excitement of the swinging 60s in Carnaby Street through to seeing the studio of the Queen’s dressmaker this walk will take you from high street to haute couture, exploring the best of British fashion past and present.
Hidden Gardens
The financial district of London surprisingly offers 200 green spaces, and many of these are hidden spaces that city workers walk past every day unaware of what might lurk down an alleyway or behind a wall.
From medieval courtyards to hidden spaces within modern developments this walk will hopefully surprise and delight and open your eyes to some of the hidden streets and corners that reveal the history of London behind the shiny façade of its face as a global financial centre.
Legal London
This walk explores Legal London – specifically the mysterious Inns of Court – the professional associations for barristers in England and Wales.
Discover this unique world away from the hustle and bustle of London’s busy streets – ancient, picturesque and tranquil places that feel as though they have left the modern world behind.
On our walk you’ll gain an insight into how the Inns operate, learn about some of the celebrated characters that have lived and worked in them and hear about the history and unique terms and traditions of English law.
London’s Riverside
Explore the River Thames as the lifeblood of London. Its strategic position at the heart of so many historic events has earned it the description of “Liquid History”. It has been the source of wealth and leisure for Londoners but also the source of death and disease.
Looking at its role as a trade route, a highway, a water source and the gateway to the playground of medieval London in Southwark, we’ll discover its hidden history but will also explore the banks of the modern river lined with some of London’s most iconic structures – the Shard, Millennium Bridge and Tate Modern.
Modern Architecture
London is home to world class cutting edge architecture. This walk will show you some of the most iconic skyscrapers in the world. Hear the stories behind these buildings and learn how architects use innovative approaches and push the boundaries to build in the historic heart of London.
Rock History
Take a stroll through the streets of Soho, Mayfair and Marylebone on this two hour walk and see some of London’s rock and roll landmarks from “Tin Pan Alley” where the Rolling Stones recorded their first record through to the zebra crossing featured on Abbey Road.
See the studios, clubs and theatres where rock history was made but discover the unknown sights too – places where some of the most memorable songs in music history were written.
Social Housing – A history of social housing
As a nation obsessed with property, housing has been at the centre of British politics for more than a century, both in terms of private home ownership and social housing.
This walk will chart the history of social housing from the 1700s to the 1980s, looking at early philanthropic efforts in the medieval period through to the post-war brutalist dream of social cohesion in a modernist utopia of streets in the sky.
Social Housing – The Holly Lodge Estate
On this walk we’ll be exploring the Holly Lodge estate, a council estate bordering the famous Highgate cemetery.
Built initially as a private residential estate in the 1920s of houses, it also included flats that catered for the rise in single white-collar working women. Aside from the unique history of these “Lady Worker Homes”, we will also explore the origins of the estate. As a country estate in a then rural area north of London, life in the area centred around the mansion house, Holly Lodge, from which the council estate takes its name. Join this walk to discover the history of this unique parcel of land, hear stories of aristocratic life at Holly Lodge mansion and experience the garden suburb atmosphere that survives to this day.
Street Art & Shoreditch
Explore the culturally diverse area of Shoreditch on this walk and discover one of the most exciting street art scenes in the world. Immerse yourself in the creative vibe of the area by exploring the ever-changing and unpredictable gallery on its streets. On this walk, you will learn about the unique history of this part of London that has seen waves of migrants leave their legacy and enjoy a bagel stop on the way! By the end of this tour you’ll know your Stik from your Schade and have seen many different styles of work from artists around the globe.
Theatreland
Take a walk around London’s entertainment district and explore London’s theatre and film history on this 90 minute tour.
Learn about the development of London’s theatre scene from the 1500s through to the “Revudeville” of the Windmill Girls in the 1930s and hear the stories of the many characters who have graced the London stage. Discover the origins of expressions like “limelight” and find out which of London’s theatres is the most haunted!
Specialist Galleries:
Guildhall Art Gallery
National Portrait Gallery
Tate Modern