John’s Walks
Variety is a guaranteed element of John’s fourteen walks. London is packed full of history going back to Roman times but there’s a wealth of modern buildings to discover, too.
All the walks take approximately two hours with regular stops and end at a public transport link.
Groups are generally restricted to a maximum of 20 people but larger groups can be accommodated with two City of London Guides. If you’re interested in arranging a walk on behalf of a group, please give John a call on 0208 462 1947 or email him on jhalligan2000@aol.com. The charge is £60 for up to 6 people and £10 per head after that.
|
1. Ancient and Modern London
This walk provides a fascinating glimpse into 2,000 years of history of the City of London.
Meet at Cannon Street Station. Highlights include: |
 The Guildhall
|
| 2. Great Fire of London & Samuel Pepys John will describe the devastation caused by the Great Fire of 1666 and the life of Pepys, the famous diarist. The walk begins at Cannon Street Station. The Fire is an important event in the history of London but how much do you know about it?In the walk you’ll be visiting some key sites connected to the Fire and John will explain how we know so much about the event from accounts of the time.You’ll also get an opportunity to visit the atmospheric St Dunstan’s in the East and to see 30 St Mary Axe, aka the Gherkin, up close. |
 Escaping the Great Fire 1666 |
| 3. South Side of the Strand So many people walk along the Strand but wouldn’t have an insight into the fascinating history of the area between this famous London street and the River Thames. Come and find out! We meet at Charing Cross Station. |
 York Gate |
|
4. North Side of the Strand There are some delightful gems to be found in this part of London, such as: The meeting place is at Charing Cross Station. |
 Cross at Charing, 1550 |
| 5. Life in Medieval London In this walk you’ll learn about aspects of life in Medieval London – from the Livery Companies that controlled trade in the City, the King’s Wardrobe where the monarch’s financial affairs were settled through to the origins of the printing industry in London. Richard Whittington is probably the most famous Lord Mayor of the City of London. Come and hear about his life. The walk starts at Cannon Street Station and finishes at the Chapel of the Knights Templars, if open. |
 St Bride’s Church |
|
6. The Enterprising City This walk describes the gradual development of the City as a financial centre, from coffee houses in alleyways in the 1600s to the modern buildings of today. Starts at Cannon Street Station. Highlights include:
|
 |
| 7. Historic Spitalfields Spitalfields has been the settling place for different migrant groups for centuries and many of the original streets and properties have been preserved. Today it’s becoming a trendy place to live. Come and see the area for yourself. Meeting place is Hope Square at Liverpool Street Station.
|
 Jewish Soup Kitchen |
|
8. A Stroll through Bloomsbury Come and join John for an informative walk around Bloomsbury in which he’ll describe the history and development of this delightful area. Meeting place is the Statue of Newton outside the British Library in Euston Road.
|
 Woburn Walk |
|
9. Guildhall Art Gallery John will guide you through a private tour of some of the paintings and sculptures on display at the Art Gallery, explaining the background to the exhibits and some interesting details you might otherwise not be aware of.
|
 ‘Too Early’ by James Tissot |
| 10. Little Known Southwark
Come and discover parts of this historic area that don’t normally form part of the tourist trail. Meeting place is London Bridge Station. |
 16th century Southwark |
| 11. The Modern City
The City’s iconic skyline is becoming well known around the world. Come and see the modern buildings up close and learn about proposed new developments.Meeting place is Cannon Street Station. |
 City of the future |
| 12. Roman London
The Romans occupied parts of what is now the City of London for approximately 400 years. You will visit former Roman sites and learn what life was like in Londinium at that time.Meeting place is Cannon Street Station. |
 Roman London 250 AD |
|
13. Samuel Johnson’s London This walk describes the London of the 1750s when Samuel Johnson was compiling his dictionary. It includes the area in which he lived and worked and some of his contemporaries. Meeting place is Gough Square, off Fleet Street. |
 Dr Samuel Johnson |
| 14. Four Inns of Court
In this walk, John will guide you through the grounds of the four Inns of Court, to which all Barristers in England and Wales must belong. The Inns were established in the 1400s and some of the original buildings from the 17th and 18th Centuries still exist. The walk takes you through tranquil areas, away from the busy London streets. In addition, John can arrange lunch at the end of the walk in the Elizabethan Middle Temple Hall, subject to availability. Weekdays only. Payment for lunch is made direct to the Hall on the day. Meeting point is outside Chancery Lane Underground Station in High Holborn. |
 Crest of the four Inns of Court
|