JOIN A LONDON CITY WALK ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 28TH

Christmas is almost over! Now you will be feeling bloated, over-fed, hung-over and thoroughly unfit. That's the time to think about coming on a LONDON FOOTSTEPS walk - or rather a stroll - round the City streets and alley-ways.


Make a note of the time and place: Thursday, 28th December 2006 and we all meet on the concourse at LIVERPOOL STREET STATION outside the ticket barrier on Platform 11 at 11 am. Why don't you came along. It's a small, friendly crowd of people who are genuinely interested in the history of the City

The theme of the walk is MURDER,MEAT AND MEDICINE. The route takes us through the Barbican, into Smithfield Market and on to Hatton Garden and Holborn Circus. We shall be recalling the time when Charles Dickens saw poverty and hardship on the streets in the mid-19th century and wrote about it in his novels. The walk will be about two hours and we hope to find a place somewhere en route to have a coffee.

So make the effort; it costs just £5 to come on a LONDON FOOTSTEPS history walk. Bring your friends as well.

Call me - DAVID WILLIAMS - to confirm your place. Tel: 01702 710232 Mobile: 07831 857382

provide by affordable web hosting .

WINTER PROGRAMME OF LONDON WALKS

LONDON FOOTSTEPS


NEWSLETTER
November 2006

JOIN US FOR A WALK THROUGH HISTORY

Programme
December 2006 - February 2007

London is a fascinating city at any time of the year so don’t let those chilly days and long, dark evenings stop you from joining a guided LONDON FOOTSTEPS walking tour around the streets of the capital.

The Square Mile is full of remarkable stories. Nearly 2,000 years of history has provided so much to see and hear. The characters, the villains, moments of celebration and times of sadness. Death, destruction, glory and excitement – there’s always a story to tell and DAVID WILLIAMS will be your guide on these fascinating walks.

This winter season of walks has explores some news areas in and around the City boundaries as well as a selection of the old favourites. There are Saturday walks as well as some in mid-week. Please give us a call to confirm your interest and find out more details.

You can either come along by yourself or with a few friends. LONDON FOOTSTEPS will also arrange for a club or society to have a special walk on the day of their choice. Each walk lasts just over 2 hours and there is an opportunity for a short coffee break.

There are usually 15-20 people in the group and the regular meeting place is Leigh-on-Sea Station although it is possible to join us in London.

The cost is just £5 for the walk, pay on the day.

LONDON FOOTSTEPS
70, Hadleigh Road, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex SS9 2LZ
Tel: 01702 710232
email: info@londonfootsteps.co.uk
www.londonfootsteps.co.uk

“We were so delighted with the walk, even to the extent that a person who had lived in London saw places she had not seen before. What a knowledge you have.” Coach group from Bournemouth U3A: 2006,


Saturday, 2nd December, 2006

THE GREAT FIRE OF 1666
What started as a small fire in a bakery in the early hours of 2nd September, 1666 soon raged out of control. Five days later, two-thirds of the City was a smoking ruin. We trace the progress of the fire from Pudding Lane and consider the impact it had on the population and the future of London.

Meet at 9.30 am at Leigh-on-Sea Station or outside the main entrance of Fenchurch Street Station at 11 am.


Saturday, 16th December, 2006

MURDER, MEAT AND MEDICINE
Now this seems like a tasty morsel to serve up just before the Christmas. We venture up to Smithfield and a take a bite at some of the darker moments of London’s history. But it’s not all doom and gloom; there are plenty of lighter moments to keep you interested.

Meet at Leigh-on-Sea Station 9.30 am or outside the main entrance of Fenchurch Street Station at 11 am

Thursday, 28th December, 2006

CHRISTMAS SPECIAL
How about walking off all the turkey and Christmas pudding by re-tracing some of the steps taking by Charles Dickens back in the 19th century. We’ve all heard about Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol so memories of the festive season can be a little sobering!. The books and characters of the famous man form the basis of this walk.

Please note that because the C2C trains are operating a restricted service this week, the walk will start in London.


Wednesday, 17th January, 2007

CRIME AND PUNISHMENT
It’s difficult to believe that the streets and alleyways of London were dark and dangerous places in previous centuries. Thieves, highway robbers, murderers, pickpockets….it was not the safest of Cities. But there were also severe penalties…hanging, transportation, whippings. So be prepared for some gory details on this walk!

Meet at Leigh-on-Sea Station at 9.30 am or outside the main entrance of Fenchurch Street Station at 11am

Saturday, 10th February, 2007

SPITALFIELDS
Over the centuries, the City has attracted migrants from Europe and beyond. Many of these groups settled to the East of the City – and their language, traditions and culture have flourished. The Jews, the Hugonots..the Chines…the Bangladeshis – all have contributed to kaleidoscope of life so close to the City.

Meet at Leigh-on-Sea Station at 9.30 am or outside the main entrance of Fenchurch Street Station at 11 am.

Saturday, 24th February, 2007

INK SPOTS
Fleet Street will always be remembered for newspapers and great writers But the newspapers have gone to gleaming temples of technology in Docklands and we are left with memories. This walk is about the men and women who have appeared in print over centuries – and a visit to the journalists’ church, St Brides – is the highlight of the walk.

Meet at Leigh-on-Sea Station at 9.30 am or in the booking hall of Blackfriars Underground Station at 11 am.


OTHER DATES

Some clubs or groups like to arrange a walk on a special date. It could be on a weekday or a weekend. That’s fine. Give us a call and we’ll see what can be arranged.


YOUR GUIDE

DAVID WILLIAMS is a qualified City of London guide, a member of the City of London Guide Lecturers’ Association and Associate of the Institute of Tourist Guiding.

LONDON FOOTSTEPS 70, Hadleigh Road, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex SS9 2LZ
Tel: 01702 710232 Mobile: 07831 857382 email: info@londonfootsteps.co.uk

HISTORY EVERY STEP OF THE WAY

As you walk through the City of London, history taps you on the shoulder. Go down that alley; have a look at that church; what does it say on that plaque? Who is remembered in that building? And that statue – why is it there?

The questions keep coming every step of the way and you search deeper for some answers. At the weekend, there are no bankers, financiers, insurance executives or stockbrokers crowding the pavements. Most of the restaurants are closed and the streets echo to the noise of mechanical diggers and drills. Huge cranes seem to have grown overnight and those city firms changing addresses have a stream of removal men coming through the door while, elsewhere others are moving in.

The weekday commercial activity of a working city is on hold; now it’s the time for walkers and tourists to look around without facing the jostling crowds. There is time to imagine what it must have been like here 2,000 years ago and wonder why the Romans decided to make it their centre of trade and commerce for 350 years. There is precious little to see from that period - but that doesn't matter if you have a guide to tell you what it was like.

So many have walked these streets over the centuries. Politicians and prostitutes, statesmen and soldiers, heroes and villans, beggars and preachers. Writers, artists, engineers and architects have all made their mark. Fortunes have been made and lost in minutes. It has been the scene of murders and hangings; there has been plague and pageantry…and so the list goes on.

I was born on the outskirts of London. The City of London moved on and so did I – yet now I’m back, organising walking tours of the Square Mile and inviting people to share some of the history and atmosphere of a City that remains one of the most remarkable on the planet.

In my Third Age, London has taken hold of me once again. I’m now a City of London guide, passing on my knowledge, telling stories and enthusing about the City to anyone who cares to listen. When they finish a two-hour walk, most people say the same thing - “London has so much history”.

It has, so why not come along on a LONDON FOOTSTEPS walk sometime. Give me a call and I’ll tell you all about the walks, where we can meet and what you can expect to see. London has never lost its magic. Come and experience it.

I'd like to hear from you david@londonfootsteps.co.uk

CITY WALK TO LEARN THE SECRETS OF THE LIVERY COMPANIES

The impressive Vintners' company hall on the banks of the River Thames

The Livery Companies have an extraordinary history. Their influence and power has played a significant part in the City of London's rise to become one of the World's great financial centres. They go back as far as the 13th century - but still they are a mystery to most visitors and tourists who come to London.

Well, now there's a chance to find out why they have survived for so long. Today there are 107 companies and on a LONDON FOOTSTEPS walk you can find out more about them.

The walk is on September, 30th September and the meeting point is the forecourt

outside Fenchurch Street Railway Station at 11 am.

Why not join in this two-hour stroll through the City streets and hear

guide DAVID WILLIAMS reveal the Livery Companies story

CALL FOR MORE DETAILS - 01702 710232 - TO BOOK A PLACE OR SEND AN E-MAIL TO david@londonfootsteps.co.uk

COME ON YOU CITY STROLLERS!

July, August and September are holiday months when people get away from work and find some relaxing holiday retreat...maybe a golden beach, rolling hills, rugged mountains and so on. I've got a better idea! Why not join a LONDON FOOTSTEPS themed walk and find out more about one of the World's most intriguing cities.

Take a look at this blog and you can see just a few of the fascinating people, places and events that are woven into 2,000 years of history. The City of London - just a square mile - has a remarkable network of streets, lanes, alleys, passage ways and squares. Just walk around and you feel the hand of history on your shoulder.

I'm your guide, stopping regularly to talk about where we are and what we see. Believe me, I never get tired of taking people round the City. So if you want to be one of those who wants to know more about the City and you have a couple of hours to spare then get in touch.

There are a number of walks planned in the coming weeks on various London themes. Look down the list and see what takes your fancy. I'm waiting for your mail.

LONDON FOOTSTEPS
Join a themed walk around one of the World’s great cities led by City of London guide David Williams

SECRET GARDENS OF THE CITY
The small parks, gardens and churchyards are there if you know where to look. Take a walk through the alley-ways and side streets and high-rise you will find colour and greenery alongside towering office buildings.

INTRODUCTION TO THE CITY
This is a leisurely stroll for those who want 2,000 years of history in two hours. Wander through passages, squares and streets of the City to hear about people and events that shaped the history of one of the World’s great cities.

THE GREAT FIRE
It was the diarist Samuel Pepys who gave us a graphic account of the Great Fire in 1666. We trace the spread of the fire from its origins in Pudding Lane and find out why two-thirds of the old City were destroyed in four days.

THE FLOW OF HISTORY
Since the Romans first arrived, the River Thames has been the main trade artery into the commercial heart of the City. This walk stretches the imagination as we go from the Tower of London along the Thames Path and finish in the sight of St Paul’s at the Millennium Bridge.

THE SUFFERING CITY
Fire, plague, riots, terrorism, the Blitz. London has suffered over the centuries. The scars have gone but not the memories. The City has always bounced back to be stronger and more vibrant – and on this walk you find out the reasons for its continuing growth.

THE CITY LIVERY COMPANIES
The walled City, established by the Romans, became a commercial powerhouse in Mediaeval times and this strength could be traced back to the Livery Companies. These powerful organisations covered nearly all the old trades and crafts of the City for several centuries – and then re-invented themselves as charitable institutions.

For further details contact DAVID WILLIAMS

We cater for individuals as well as small parties and groups.

70, Hadleigh Road, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex SS92LZ
Tel: 01702 710232 Mobile: 07831 857382

e-mail: info@londonfootsteps.co.uk www.londonfootsteps.co.uk

BEAT THE FOOTY WITH A THAMES WALK

FED UP WITH THE FOOTY!

WHY NOT JOIN A LONDON FOOTSTEPS WALK ALONG THE RIVER THAMES ON SATURDAY, 1st JULY.

DUSK ON THE RIVER IS A TWO-HOUR STROLL FROM THE TOWER TO SOUTHWARK LED BY CITY OF LONDON GUIDE DAVID WILLIAMS.

MEET AT TOWER HILL UNDERGROUND STATION AT 6.00 PM

GOOD VALUE FOR £5. FOR MORE DETAILS CALL 01702 710232

SPLASH OF COLOUR ON A WET SUNDAY

Some people may think that wandering round Hackney, Hoxton and Shoreditch on a wet Sunday morning can be depressing. Wrong! The weather makes no difference if you are taking in the markets at Columbia Road, Cheshire Street, Brick Lane and Spitalfields. Try it sometime.

The atmosphere in the Columbia Road flower market was colourful - in every sense. This is where to find a bargain bloom, some eye-catching ornaments and pots for the garden and trays of bedding plants at knock-down prices. Get there early if you want to find some parking space - because by 2.00 pm it's finished.

There are some remarkable Victorian terraces around the market - at remarkable prices! Yet back in the 1970s the developers were hovering around, bulldozing large areas and putting up some pretty dreadful-looking blocks of flats. Some of the old rows of terraced houses from the late 1800s have survived - Elwin Street and Quilter Street for example - and there are other buildings - schools, churches, old industrial premises - which remind you of the days when living conditions in the East End were harsh and bringing up large families was a tough prospect.

Now in Brick Lane and Spitalfields you have glossy shops which are at the cutting edge of fashion and design; restaurants that serve a bewildering choice of Asian food and numerous stalls selling everything from mobile phones to bicycles. It's a vibrant and heady concoction of races, cultures and language. Try it one Sunday and you won't be disappointed.

If you want to know more about walking the streets of London then take a look at our special programme covering May to September. Later in the Summer there's a Spitalfields walk scheduled - and you could book a place now.

SUMMER PROGRAMME OF WALKS

Now here's where I start with a compliment and a word of thanks to a group from Bournemouth U3A who came on one of my walks in March.


"We were so delighted with the walk, even to the extent that a person who had lived in London saw places she had not seen before. What a knowledge you have."

Thanks ladies and gents from Bournemouth. Your comments are appreciated. They arrived in my e-mail box just as I was preparing the Summer programme of walks.

There are some real goodies on offer - as well as the usual favourites. Groups as well as individuals are very welcome and if you want to name the date then that's no problem. I recently had a couple from Boston who only had a few days here - and what could I offer? The answer was a special version of my "INTRODUCTION TO THE CITY" walk and they were delighted.

So remember, if there's a special area of the City you would like to visit and have a date in mind, give me a call or send an e-mail. Here's a selection of the morning walks I have to offer in May and June. They are leisurely 2-hour strolls with regular stops so that I can point of places, events and people who have made a contribution to London's history.

Saturday 13th May

THE FLOW OF HISTORY
Another chance to take a stroll along the Thames path from the Tower of London and appreciate how the river has played such a defining role in the growth of the City.

Saturday 3rd June

THE LAST BURIAL GROUND IN THE CITY
This is another secret of the City – and to find it we head beyond the Barbican to the four acre cemetery at Bunhill Fields. It is the only remaining burial ground in London, the last resting place for some of the remarkable people who have contributed to the history of the City. And on the way, we pass more of those green spaces and gardens which encourages nature to thrive amongst the high-rise buildings.

Wednesday, 14th June

THE RIVER THAMES POLICE MUSEUM and WAPPING WALK
The visit to the Thames Police Museum at Wapping (11.30 am) is a special arrangement and we have to book beforehand. There are 20 places available on the visit which is part of a walk that takes in St Katherine’s dock, Shadwell Basin, the riverside inns, Execution Dock and the old dockland heart of London.

Saturday, 17th June

INTRODUCTION TO THE CITY
For those who want a general picture of the way London has developed over the last 2,000 years then this ever-popular walk is a must. You go through the streets, alleys and narrow passageways; see some of the finest Wren churches and grand buildings and learn something about the people and events that have made the City so inspiring.


To find out more email david@londonfootsteps.co.uk You will want to know where to meet and what time.

LONDON CHURCHES WALK

LONDON FOOTSTEPS
Walking tours of the City of London by David Williams

Tel: 01702 710232 Mobile: 07831 857382

e-mail: david@londonfootsteps.co.uk www.londonfootsteps.co.uk

CITY CHURCHES WALK

Wednesday, 19th April 2006

Meet at 11 am outside the main entrance

at Fenchurch Street Station

This walk offers a chance to go inside some of the 37 City churches which are remarkable legacies of London’s amazing history.

The interior of many churches, including those re-built at the Great Fire of 1666 or restored after the bombing in World War Two, are spectacular. The architectural genius of Sir Christopher Wren, the man who gave us St Paul’s Cathedral, has survived in the churches which share the streets, lanes and passageways of the City with the modern office blocks of Lord Norman Foster and Lord Richard Rogers.

Among the churches to be visited are St Mary Aldermary, with its recently restored fan-vaulted ceiling, St Stephens Walbrook, one of the finest parish churches in England and St Mary Abchurch, which retains much of original character and atmosphere of a 17th Wren designed church.

THERE ARE STILL PLACES
AVAILABLE ON THIS WALK

Call now to confirm your place.

The walk will be led by David Williams, a registered

City of London guide

and Associate Member of the Institute of Tourist Guiding

AUSSIES SHOULD SPARE A MOMENT TO SAY G'DAY TO LONDON SEA-FARER.

If any Aussies out there wonder how it all began for you then come on a LONDON FOOTSTEPS walk and you'll find out. I'll introduce you to Admiral Arthur Phillip - because if it wasn't for him you wouldn't be around.

The Admiral Phillip statue in Watling Street is there to celebrate the life of a man who took the first convicts to Australia in 1787. There were 11 ships on this perilous voyage with a total of 778 convicts. Those poor souls, some women, some children just 12 and 13 years old, many of them guilty of petty crimes - all herded below decks in what must have been a hellish eight month voyage.

One of them may have been George Jones who was caught after stealing two pewter pots in the Cock Inn, Bow Lane on December 23rd 1786. For this first offence he was sentenced to seven years transportation by an Old Bailey jury. The value of the pots was just three shillings.

Admiral Phillip sailed into Sydney Cove - naming it after the British Home Secretary at the time - and unbloaded his human cargo who were expected to fend for themselves. They weren't farmers; they had no agricultural skills - so they nearly starved.

By the time Arthur Phillip left Sydney two years later, the convict colony had survived and was beginning to trade and farm. The rest, as they say, is history. So Phillip continued his nautical career - and the founder of New SOuth Wales is remembered by a statue which stands in the shadow of St. Paul's Cathedral.

It's worth a visit, especially from those thousands of Aussies who come to Britain every year. Here's a man who deserves a bit of respect - even if the whole Australian adventure started with a group of criminals.

CHILL OUT IN THE CITY GARDENS

One of the remaining sections of the Roman Wall, near Salters' Hall, one of the stops on the 'Secret Gardens' walk.

The walking season is now in full swing and there was a good turn out last weekend. I travelled into London by coach from Southend with a group from the Custom and Excise Social Club and they were treated to the "INTRODUCTION TO THE CITY" walk.

The following day, Saturday, March 18th, it was "THE FLOW OF HISTORY" and 24 hours after that I had a last-minute call from the Bournemouth U3A who were spending a weekend in the Capital and fancied a short walk through the back-streets of the City.

The Madiera cafe in Dowgate Hill had our custom on Friday and Saturday - and their excellent coffee was just what was needed in the unseasonal Spring chill.

The next walk - SECRET GARDENS OF THE CITY - is planned for Saturday, 1st April and I hope the rise in temperature will see the Spring flowers making a colourful appearance. Usual times for those who want to join us - Leigh-on-Sea Station at 9.45 am or at Fenchurch Street Station at 11 am.

Ring me - David Williams - on 01702 710232 if you would like to come along.

SPRING WALKS START WITH A TOUCH OF SADNESS

It was a successful start to the season of Spring walks...but a little sad! THE SUFFERING CITY theme looks at the places and recalls some of the events which have caused pain and suffering over the last 2,000 years - and there were plenty of them.

Riots, plagues, fires, wars, terrorism.....London has had its fair share. The mood was set right at the beginning of the walk when we paused on the forecourt of Liverpool Street station to see the small statue of the child who represents the 'Kindertransport'.

For two years just before the start of World War Two, Jewish parents in Germany, Czechoslovakia, Austria and Poland sent their children to England to escape the menace of the Nazis. These children, 10,000 altogether, arrived alone in a strange land and were dispersed around the country - to foster homes, orphanages, farms - to stay in relative safety for the rest of the war. Most never went back. Their parents died in concentration camps and the children were alone - and sometimes unwanted.

It is a poignant memorial on Liverpool Street Station - the place where they all stepped off the train to a new life in a strange country. Today those children are in their 70s and 80s and have children and grandchildren of their own. They still remember the time when they said goodbye to their own parents - and the stories on their web site are a sad reminder of an horrific past.

London is full of stories of triumph and despair, glory and tragedy, bravery and drama. You can hear about them on a LONDON FOOTSTEPS walk.

JOURNEY'S END WAS MISERY AND POVERTY

Thousands of City commuters arrive each day at Liverpool Street Station but few will be aware of the sad and painful past associated with this part of the City. This was the original site of Bethlem Hospital where human beings experienced poverty, pain and misery. It was a grim existence for the under-class of London; little wonder that the name Bedlam - a curruption of Bethlem - and its association with madness and mental illness has remained with us.

The Hospital was part of the Priory of St Mary of Bethlehem in the 14th century and was known to treat 'distracted patients'. They were kept chained to the wall with leg and ankle irons and ducked in cold water or whipped when violent. The City Corporation took it over as a lunatic asylum in the 16th century before it finally moved in the 17th century to Moorfields.

But the poverty and misery remained in the area. A workhouse was built close-by in Bishopsgate where children under-10 worked spinning wool for 12 hours a day, six days a week. The grim surroundings were also home for beggars and thieves as well as those Londoners who were at the very bottom of the social scale.

It existed until the 1870s and one of the few reminders of this grim past is the tomb of Sir William Rawlins, a City Sheriff, in the churchyard of St.Botolphs without Bishopsgate. (pictured). He was the workhouse treasurer for many years in the early 19th century.

So next time you arrive or leave Liverpool Street Station, think of the thousands who were going nowhere.

JOIN THE EARLY SPRING LONDON WALKS

How about booking up now for the first two walks of the LONDON FOOTSTEPS Spring Programme. After the dull weeks of January, a walk through the City streets is something to look forward to. So make a date on one - or both - of these walks.

THE SUFFERING CITY (Saturday, 18th February) sounds all doom and gloom but it's actually a fascinating look at some of the sad, tragic or heroic events and people that have made an impact on London's history over the past 2,000 years. This walks starts at Fenchurch Street Station (11am) and finishes at Paternoster Square about two hours later.

INTRODUCTION TO THE CITY (Saturday, 4th March) sounds straight-forward enough - but prepare to be surprised. This is a walk which winds its way through alleys, passageways and along streets. We shall stop to admire some of the great City buildings, the wonderful Wren churches and learn about the men and women who have earned their place in the history of the Square Mile.

So to find out more details, call 01702 710232 or email info@londonfootsteps.co.uk It's just £5 a walk and you pay on the day.

SAVE THIS VICTORIAN MUSIC HALL

Take a look at this....it's a back alley in Wapping, East London which I discovered last week. I was looking for a building which once offered a noisey, bawdy, beery night out. It's Wilton's Music Hall but sadly it is now in desperate need of a large injection of cash to save it from collapse.

Imagine a night out here. Everything from opera to saucy sing-alongs went on here; sometimes as many as 1500 were inside; Prostitutes, sailors, merchants, street-sellers, rich and poor, young and old - they packed the gas-lit hall from six in the evening to six in the morning. If you fancied musical debauchery then Wilton's was the place.

Those days of 150 years ago are part of the fast-disappearing Victorian heritage of the East End. This is one of London's last surviving music-halls and should be saved so send some donations to Wilton's Music Hall, Graces Alley, London E1 8JB. And to find out more visit www.wiltons.org.uk

Less than a mile away the City of London is booming. Wiltons also had a period of prosperity but not any more. It doesn't deserve to be lost forever.

LONDON CITY WALKS FEBRUARY-MAY 2006

January 2006

JOIN US FOR A WALK THROUGH HISTORY

Programme for February-May 2006

In the cold days of Winter it is difficult to imagine walking the streets of London. But the Square Mile will always warm the visitor with its fascinating history and remarkable stories.

So join your official guide, DAVID WILLIAMS, on a leisurely two hour walk round the City streets. It's fun and informative.

The following programme covers February-May 2006. If you are interested in joining one of these City of London walking tours then please let me know. You can either come along as an individual or with a few friends or we can arrange to take a group from a club or society.

There are usually 15-20 people in the group and you are invited to meet me outside Fenchurch Street railway station which is just a short distance from Tower Hill Tube station (District and Circle Line).

The cost is just £5 for the walk, pay on the day.

LONDON FOOTSTEPS
70, Hadleigh Road, Leigh-on-Sea, Essex SS9 2LZ
Tel: 01702 710232 email: info@londonfootsteps.co.uk
www.londonfootsteps.co.uk

Saturday, 18th February:

THE SUFFERING CITY (meet at 11 am Fenchurch Street station)

This walk will take in the events and places that have featured in some of the tragic moments and episodes in London’s long history – plague, fire, riots, poverty, the Blitz, and terrorism.

Saturday, 4th March

INTRODUCTION TO THE CITY: (meet at 11 am Fenchurch Street station)

For those who want a general picture of the way London has developed over the last 2,000 years then this ever-popular walk is a must. You go through the streets, alleys and narrow passageways; see some of the finest Wren churches and grand buildings and learn something about the people and events that have made the City so inspiring.

Wednesday 8th March:

THE RIVER THAMES POLICE MUSEUM and WAPPING WALK

The visit to the Thames Police Museum at Wapping is a special arrangement and we have to book beforehand. There are 20 places available on the visit which is part of a walk that takes in St Katherine’s dock, Shadwell Basin, the riverside inns, Execution Dock and the old dockland heart of London.

Places are restricted on this walk and Museum visit so please contact us beforehand to confirm availability.

Meet at Tower Hill underground station at 10.30 am.

Saturday 18th March:

THE FLOW OF HISTORY (meet at 11am outside Fenchurch Street station)

We set off along the Thames Path to the Millennium Bridge, cross over to Southwark then go the South Bank and back over London Bridge. The story of London is really the story of the River Thames and has influenced the wealth and development of the Square Mile.
Meet at Leigh-on-Sea station at 9.45 am or 11 am outside the main entrance of Fenchurch Street Station.

Saturday 1st April:

SECRET GARDENS IN THE CITY

Meet at 11 am outside the main entrance of Fenchurch Street Station.

This walk reveals one of the City’s hidden secrets. At this time of the year there is colour in the small parks, gardens and green spaces that flourish among all the high-rise buildings. See them – and see how the City gardeners have transformed what were once derelict sites and overgrown churchyards.


Easter Holiday Walk

Wednesday 19th April:

CITY CHURCHES (Meet at 11 am outside Fenchurch Street station)

An opportunity to see some of the fine churches which were designed by Sir Christopher Wren after the Great Fire – and those that date back to Saxon and Roman times. We visit St Olave’s Hart Street, All Hallows by-the-Tower, St Michael Paternoster, St Stephen’s Walbrook, St JHames Garlickhythe, St Mary Aldermary, St Mary Le-Bow, St Mary Woolnoth, St Peters Cornhill.

Saturday 13th May

THE FLOW OF HISTORY (Meet at 11 am outside Fenchurch Street Station)

Another chance to walk along the banks of the Thames from the Tower of London to the Millennium Bridge and then over to Southwark. It is incredible to learn how much this stretch of river impacted on the development of London over 2,000 years.

OTHER DATES

Some clubs or groups like to arrange a walk on a special date. It could be on a weekday or a weekend. That’s fine. Give us a call and we’ll see what can be arranged.

YOUR GUIDE

DAVID WILLIAMS is a qualified City of London guide, a member of the City of London Guide Lecturers Association and Associate of the Institute of Tourist Guiding.

London Footsteps
Tel: 01702 710232 Mobile: 07831 857382
Email: info@londonfootsteps.co.uk

davidwilliams@dwmedia.co.uk