This year’s Local London Guiding Day is on Saturday 4th October, with free walking tours every hour from 10am to 4pm.
By Debbie Kent, Clerkenwell & Islington Guide
If you’ve ever wondered why there’s a curved line of bricks in the pavement of St John’s Square or why a boutique hotel near Farringdon station is decorated with bulls’ heads, you could find the answers on this year’s Local London Guiding Day on Saturday 4th October.
Islington guides are offering free tours of Clerkenwell every hour on the hour from 10am to 4pm, with the theme of Shadows of the Past. The guides are going to be leading a scavenger hunt for traces of history in the area, from the notorious slums immortalised by Charles Dickens to an imposing courthouse where the most serious crimes were tried. Along the way participants will learn about a favourite royal tipple, an innovative master craftsman and a gruesome Victorian murder, as well as discovering an award-winning green space, and the gateway to what was once one of the most powerful organisations in England – and all within the space of an hour.
Clerkenwell is the oldest part of Islington – in other words, the first area in the borough to be built up and become part of London – which means there are 900 years of incredibly rich history to explore. The hour-long tour offers a whirlwind introduction to some of those stories, with the aim of giving a fresh insight into the details of the streets we walk down every day and the ways in which the past has shaped the present.
Each tour starts and ends at the Cowcross Street entries to Farringdon Station. No booking is required, just show up and look for the Clerkenwell & Islington Guides Association (CIGA) stall and badges. The tours are open to everyone and take place on flat pavements and paths (one of the stops can be adjusted to eliminate steps for anyone who has access problems).
CIGA is one of five guiding associations taking part in Local London Guiding Day, alongside Camden, City of London, Westminster and Lambeth. Each one offers hour-long tours on the hour, every hour, so there’s a chance to make a day of it and take in more than one borough – or even all five for those who are energetic and dedicated to London history hunting!
Clerkenwell & Islington Guides are the Mayor of Islington’s official guides. They offer a range of guided walks on the sights and history of this fascinating borough, including tours of landmarks such as Union Chapel, Canonbury Tower, St Mary’s church and Canonbury Clock Tower. More on the CIGA website.
You can book a tour on Local London Guiding Day Islington here.
Details of all the walks on Local London Guiding Day can be found here.
