Castles, Crusaders, Communists & Courts
Get a taste of real London as we explore narrow lanes & see a different side to London. Starting at Smithfields, where William Wallace of Braveheart fame met his terrible end.
At St. Barts we will hear how one of the oldest hospitals in the world came to be created by a Crusader after a close encounter with a Saint & explore some of the places that were built as a result.
Nearby Charterhouse started off as a Priory. It also sits next to one of the biggest known plague pits in London, we can see the remains of an unfortunate victim who was recently unearthed.
See old gatehouse of the Knights of St John and see some of their great treasures & pass through old Dickensian Clerkenwell whose terrible poverty saw the first meeting between Lenin & Stalin.
See beautiful streets & squares of one of the most prominent legal districts in London including the largest (& unvisited) square in London before we finish at the end of famous old Fleet Street outside the Royal Courts of Justice.
Options
Castles, Crusaders, Communists & Courts
Pickup included
What's included in Castles, Crusaders, Communists & Courts
(Subject to Option Inclusions)Itinerary
St. Paul's Cathedral
Marvel at the beautiful cathedral of the City of London, the latest in the long time of holy sanctuaries to be built here since before the Roman times.
Old Bailey
The Oldest Court in the Western World and famous for its high profile cases that still are held here today.
The Viaduct Tavern
This old pub infamously has jail cells beneath it where people would await their fate... normally being publicly executed just outside as highlighted in the works of Charles Dickens.
Inclusions
- In-person guide
- Tube travel, before or after the tour.
- 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
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- We have earmarked this tour as especially safe during the Coronavirus outbreak due to generally quiet places that we visit where social distancing is generally not a problem. All of our tours are private so it is just you/your family and your guide. To make it easier and safer for all concerned we would suggest starting this tour a little later than the usual time, perhaps around 10.30-11am which allows us all to miss rush-hour. We are happy to still come to your hotel to meet you but for the moment we would suggest meeting us at the tour starting point. This allows you to arrive by a taxi or uber rather than public transport. Please feel free to wear masks throughout or at times during the tour. Your guide will also have a mask with them.
Meet
Pickup and Dropoff
You can choose to be picked up from a list of locations, or alternatively, have the choice to make your own way to the meeting points
Please arrive at the pick up point 15 minutes before departure time.
Additional Information
Please let us know your hotel details if you would like us to meet you in the lobby and then travel by Tube to the tour starting point at Farringdon, otherwise we'd meet just outside Farringdon Station.
Meeting Points
- An alternative starting point just outside the station.
- Just outside St Pauls Underground Station by Caffe Nero
End Points
- Just outside The Royal Courts, a short walk from Temple Underground Station.
