Ancient London: Guided Tour through Historic Churches and Tudor Architecture

Uncover the secrets of ancient London on a guided tour through historic churches, Tudor architecture, and significant landmarks. Explore the city’s bloody history and discover hidden gems along the way.

Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • WIlliam Wallace Memorial - See the place where Braveheart met his grisly end.
  • Church of St. Bartholomew the Great - Walk through through the churchyard of this impressive medieval site where Four Weddings and a Funeral was filmed.
  • Postman’s Park - Spend time at one of the most touching memorials in London.
  • Guildhall - Visit the gorgeous hidden gem in the City of London and locate the site of the long lost Roman Ampitheatre.
  • Smithfield Market - Pass through the market used in London for over 800 years
What's Included
  • Professional guide
What's Not Included
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

As you traverse the oldest district of London, you’ll encounter remnants of historical churches, beautiful ancient pubs, and Tudor-style buildings. The tranquil lanes of this area carry traces of the most profound and violent episodes in England’s history, including the Blitz, the Great Fire, the Plague, and numerous executions. Visit the commemorations to the Protestant Martyrs burned at the stake by Bloody Mary Tudor, learn about the demise of William Wallace, and identify the location of the most significant Black Death burial ground in London. However, it’s not all dark and gruesome, as our journey will take us through the city’s most stunning Tudor passage, navigate ancient alleyways preserved for 400 years, and allow us to see the church featured in the movie ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’. We will step inside the remains of a church devastated during the Blitz, and be guided into a park bearing a remarkably touching tribute to personal sacrifice. The tour is approximately one and a half hours, offering a unique perspective on London’s fascinating past, that’s bound to leave an enduring imprint.

  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
Location
Barbican
Aldersgate Street
We meet outside Barbican underground station. Please note if the station is closed then you can walk to the meeting point from St Paul's Cathedral underground station. Your guide will be carrying a Fun London Tours flag.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(81 Ratings)
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Gkey62
Jul 26, 2024
A totally absorbing tour - worth every penny - An excellent walking tour with Rosie. She’s an exceptional guide and really knows her history and has loads of little known facts and stories that brings it all to life.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
V5295hkmichelleh
Jul 12, 2024
Tour review - Very good tour, Rosie was very knowledgeable , really enthusiastic abd friendly. Learned about on area I did not know much about.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
M5290qtanthonyl
Jun 10, 2024
Our third tour with Fun London - Fascinating as always, we’ve walked past so many of these places and not realised their importance or any of the history behind them. Definitely the best way to learn about London. As an added bonus, on a Saturday the City is really quiet so much less traffic and fewer people than in the West End.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Celtic_c
Jun 9, 2024
HIDDEN GEMS - What a fantastic tour... I discovered some hidden gems of the City of London, in which I grew up in. The experience was enhanced by the informative and experienced guide
Review provided by Viator
X1673pgbenjaminl
May 9, 2024
Brilliant tour - Rosie led an informative and entertaining tour around parts of London you might not think to stop in. As Londoners ourselves there was so much we learnt which we otherwise would not have come across. Recommend this for tourists and locals alike, you will definitely learn something new and enjoy yourselves along the way.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
141callumm
May 4, 2024
Jess is the best! - Jess the tour guide was a brilliant host filled with great facts and went at a pace that was inclusive for all- couldn’t recommend highly enough!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Lisa_c
Apr 21, 2024
Excellent - Our guide Jess was an engaging storyteller and enthusiast for the neighborhoods and lesser known sites and historical tales he relished in telling. The tour covered a fair amount of ground but included many stops, often with a bench available. Highly recommended!
Review provided by Viator
Pat_g
May 12, 2024
Good tour - The tour guide was very knowledgeable and willing to share information. Enthusiastic and clearly enjoyed the subject.
Review provided by Viator
Yoko
Jun 1, 2024
Recommended for a leisurely day - I've been to London a few times, so I participated because I wanted to do something different. It was moving to see a lot of London that you can't see on a regular tourist trip. The guide was friendly, very knowledgeable, and enthusiastic. Although it was in English, he explained things using easy-to-understand words and simple grammar, so even though English is not my native language, I was able to understand it well and enjoy it. 90% of the participants were European, and I was the only Japanese. The content was good, but we walked the whole time, and we had to stand at each famous spot for about 10 to 20 minutes to listen to the explanation, so some people looked like they had pain in their legs. I got quite cold, and even though it was May, it was so cold that I wanted to go home halfway through. On the other hand, I think the heat would be tough in summer. Also, there was no time for photos, and once the explanation was over, it was time for the next one. Moreover, it was difficult to take photos during the explanation, so it was a shame that I couldn't take many photos of the famous spots. The start time was awkward, and the meeting place was on the outskirts of town, so it took a lot of time during the day to get there and back. My plans for the afternoon were ruined. For those new to London, it may be a bit dull and boring.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gary_q
Jul 26, 2024
Tour left without us - Arrived at the precise tour starting place 30 minutes before tour start. Instructions said that guide would be wearing a distinctive fun flag. We didn’t see anyone that matched the description and no one made any kind of announcement or made any attempt to see if anyone was waiting for the tour. It should have be obvious to anyone at the location that we were waiting to meet for a purpose. After it appeared that the guide did not show, I texted the organizers. I received a reply about 30 minutes later, after we had already left and gotten back on the tube. The reply questioned whether we were standing in the correct place and advised that the tour left 3 minutes after the scheduled start time. I was offered the chance to rebook, but we were scheduled to leave London the next day. I requested a refund, but that request did not receive a reply.
Review provided by Viator
Select Date and Tickets
up to 15 guests
1 Adult
September 2024
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