Footprints of London

This walk follows the events of Daniel Defoe’s classic account of the plague of 1665   This walk follows the events of Daniel Defoe’s classic account of the plague of 1665. Although Defoe was writing many years after the event, his account captures the many emotions of the people living in London at the time…

Alexander Pope’s 18th century satirical poem The Dunciad, highlights the stupidity and lack of taste he saw in London at the time. Alexander Pope’s satirical poem The Dunciad was written in three versions between 1728 and 1743. The poem highlights stupidity, tastelessness and decay affecting London at the time. The walk will visit some of…

Rochester’s buildings and people inspired much of Charles Dickens writing. Here the work inspired by the buildins on this walk Rochester is one of South East Englands most attractive towns and only 35 minutes by train from St Pancras, and a town that Charles Dickens knew intimately, having grown up in neighbouring Chatham and owning…

This walk looks at sci-fi and dystopian fiction in which London has been destroyed – either by flood, fire, aliens, war or plague   This walk looks at the London locations that have featured in dystopian and post apocalyptic fiction. London has been destroyed fictionally many times in books films and paintings. The walk will involve…

The New River was an ambitious 17th century scheme to supply London with water by digging a canal from Hertfordshire to London     The New River was an ambitious 17th century scheme to supply London with water by digging a canal from Hertfordshire. While the New River still flows as far as Stoke Newington,…

Wandsworth, at the mouth of the River Wandle was once one of London’s busiest manufacturing areas. This walk looks at what was made there. This walk will look at the industrial history of Wandsworth and the things that were made there, and the early railway that was built there. Though most of the industrial buildings…

A walk around this seaside town on the Thames Estuary, which also has an industrial past The historic harbour and seaside town of Whitstable is widely known for its annual Oyster festival, but it has other charms too. On this walk around the town and seafront we will visit the charming gardens of Whitstable Castle,…

The Prime Minister lives at 10 Downing Street of course! But where have they lived before and after they were in office? This walk takes in the exterior of the homes of 12 British Prime Ministers. Some of them more well known ones like Churchill, Gladstone, and Disraeli – others ones that have made less…

This walk looks at the different ways that Christmas was celebrated in Islington during the Victorian period  This walk looks at the different ways that Christmas was celebrated in Islington during the Victorian period – whether it was a slice of the celebrated currant cake from Thomas’s or dancing at Henry’s Assembly Rooms, a Christmas…

A walk looking at some of the locations from the film The Long Good Friday and how the story in the film ties in with real events. This walk visits many of the East London locations from the film The Long Good Friday, some of which are recognisable, some of which have changed a lot…