Castles, Crusaders, Communists & Courts is a private tour that takes us away from all the crowds and instead takes us through a number of old London districts which still have their own village-like feel but with histories going back over a thousand years.
We will get a taste of real London as we explore narrow lanes and alleys and see a different side to the history that lurks around every corner.
See where history was made
We start off at Smithfields we will see where peasants fought for our rights. Stand where men were burnt to death for their beliefs. Visit the actual spot where William Wallace of Braveheart fame met his terrible end.
In the shadow of what Londoners know as St. Barts and we will hear how one of the oldest hospitals in the western world came to be created by a Crusader after a close encounter with a Saint and explore some of the places that were built as a result.
A short walk away takes us to Charterhouse, an island of antiquity that started off as a Priory, became a school and then a hospital still operating under its original mission of providing accommodation to those in need. Charterhouse also sits next to one of the biggest known plague pits in London and we can see the remains of an unfortunate victim who was recently unearthed.
The Tower of London isn’t the only castle in London!
Next up we will visit is the old gatehouse of the Knights of St John. Discover their role in the Crusades and their long association with this part of London. Few people ever forget the sight of this great fortification in the narrow streets of East-London.
Leaving the medieval time for a while we will pass through Clerkenwell. Clerkenwell not only inspired one of Charles Dickens famous tales but that same terrible poverty was instrumental for the first meeting between Lenin and Stalin in this quiet London neighbourhood.
How to book Castles, Crusaders, Communists & Courts
Finally we will head through some of the beautiful streets and squares of one of the most prominent legal districts in London including the largest (and almost entirely unvisited) square in London before we finish at the end of famous old Fleet Street outside the Royal Courts of Justice.
Departure Time:9.30 am
City Location: London
Duration of Tour: 3 hours
Mondays to Fridays only (Approximate times as all tours are bespoke)
Standard Adult Prices per person (child prices available upon request).
1 Adult = £140
2 Adults = £120
3 Adults = £110
4 Adults = £100
5 – 10 Adults = £90
To make a booking please use our automated calendar system below or send us an email yeoldeenglandtours@gmail.com
Alternatively you can book by using the automated booking process with Viator. This tour broadly follows our London Pubs Tour but you may also like our Freemasons and Templars Tour.
