London Medieval History and Architecture Tour

Dr Geoff, Historian and published author has a DPhil in History from The University of Oxford. His specialty is medieval England and its churches. He is an expert on England's medieval churches and England's castles, kings, queens, and wars.
You are getting an expert to walk with you throughout central London. He will bring the silent buildings to life as you learn about the incredible medieval and later history of the great city. Dr Geoff will tell you not just what happened but why it did. You will hear about why and how the churches were built. And if you know about the Da Vinci Code then you will learn about the Knights Templar and their mark on Europe and in London in the Middle Ages.

Dr Geoff has consistent 5 Star reviews on TripAdvisor which you will soon understand why.

Meeting Point

St. Paul's Cathedral

St. Paul's Churchyard, London EC4M 8AD, UK

Dr Geoff will have a blue lanyard showing Historic Tours of England

What's included:

• Admission costs to all venues

What to expect:

Duration: 2 hours, 30 minutes

St. Paul's Cathedral

St Paul's Churchyard, London, EC4M 8AD

We meet at the West end of St Paul's Cathedral near the grand stairs. This marvel was built by Sir Cristopher Wren after the Great Fire of 1666. The Fire destroyed most of medieval London but there are plenty of places that survived close by. Sir Christopher plays a role in the other buildings we will see so we need to learn about him and London before 1666. It is an 18 minute walk to St Bart's.

Pass by without stopping

WIlliam Wallace Memorial

St. Bartholomew's Hospital, W Smithfield, London, EC1A 9DS

On our way to St Bart's Priory we will stop at the memorial to William Wallace the Scot hero who fought for Scottish independence.

10 minutes

Church of St. Bartholomew the Great

West Smithfield, Barbican, London, EC1A 9DS

The Church of St Bartholomew-the-Great is a 12th-century gem. Much of it survived not only the Great Fire of 1666 but also the Reformation, Civil War, and The Blitz of WW2. the eastern side of the church retains stunning arches, columns, and tombs. It is an early Norman church and will be valuable to compare it with the other churches we will visit built in the later medieval centuries.

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Newgate Street

Newgate Street

We will discuss the Medieval London's walls and stop at Newgate one of London's old entry points. It later gained fame as a prison. It is where the Old Bailey (London Criminal Court) was built and still used.

10 minutes

Temple Church

Temple, King's Bench Walk, London, EC4Y 7BB

If you have seen or read The Da Vinci Code then you know about the Knights Templar. These medieval monk-knights were a wealthy and mysterious Crusader force. They had great wealth and built this church in the 12th century. This too survived the Great Fire but the Victorian restorers did most of the damage! Its incredible stone vaulted ceiling survived The Blitz when bombs rained down all around it. There is a great link here to the Founding Fathers of the United States - so it should not be missed!

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included