Private Walking Tour · London · History Hidden in Plain Sight
The Nursery Rhyme Tour of London
Oranges and Lemons · Ring-a-Ring-a-Roses · London Bridge is Falling Down — and the true stories behind them all
Those innocent rhymes you sang as a child were anything but. They were coded political messages, warnings passed in secret to avoid spies and informers, and records of some of the most dramatic and terrifying events in London’s history — dressed up in verse to survive the centuries. This tour reveals what they really meant, and takes you to the very places that inspired them.
The Secret History Hidden in Every Childhood Rhyme
Those innocent rhymes you sang as a child were anything but innocent — they were coded messages, dark warnings and records of catastrophic events passed down through the centuries
In days gone by it could be a dangerous and even deadly pursuit to talk politics or share news with your friends and neighbours — you never knew who might be an informer or a spy. To get around this, people would dress up the true meanings of what they were saying so that the real message could be easily denied to the authorities. Others recorded horrific events in verse, toned down just enough to be passed on to children and survive the centuries.
Those are the nursery rhymes we all know today — and this tour takes you down the ancient alleys and backstreets of the oldest part of London to discover the real stories behind them. We will see some of the most famous buildings in the world, but we will also get away from all the tourists and explore streets usually only visited by Londoners themselves.
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Oranges and Lemons — says the bells of St Clement’sOne of the most beloved nursery rhymes in the English language — and one with a surprisingly dark ending. We visit the very church whose bells inspired it, still standing in the heart of the City, and unravel the true story of what the rhyme was really recording.
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Ring-a-Ring-a-Roses — and the Black DeathPerhaps the most famous example of a nursery rhyme with a hidden meaning — though the true story behind it may surprise you. Ring-a-Ring-a-Roses takes us into the history of plague in London and the extraordinary ways in which people tried to make sense of catastrophe.
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Coded political messages — news passed in secret to avoid spiesMany nursery rhymes were not innocent at all — they were coded political commentary, disguised so that their true meaning could be denied if an informer was listening. On this tour we decode them one by one, revealing the kings, queens, plots and catastrophes that inspired them.
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The ancient streets and buildings that inspired them allThis tour is not just about the rhymes — it is about the places. The ancient lanes, churches, bridges and buildings of the City of London that appear in the verses, many of them little changed since the nursery rhymes were first composed. A completely unique way to experience the oldest part of London.
“Oranges and Lemons, say the bells of St Clement’s” — the church whose bells inspired one of the most famous nursery rhymes in the world
Ring-a-Ring-a-Roses — one of the most famous nursery rhymes in the world, with one of the darkest histories
Frequently Asked Questions for the Nursery Rhyme Tour of London
Location : City of London
Starting Time : 9.30am
Duration : 3 hours
How to book the Nursery Rhyme Tour of London
You can book through the system below or contact us above,
Alternatively you can book by using the automated booking process with Viator. We have other great tours in the City of London where tourists rarely enter. How about our Roman London Tour.
“Those innocent rhymes you sang as a child were anything but. Come and discover what they really meant — in the very streets that inspired them.”
