‘Beating the Bounds’ from King’s Cross to Farringdon
2025-06-07 11:00 - 13:30, 2025-07-02 14:00 - 16:30 (Europe/London)
A historic walk winding either side of the border between Camden and Islington boroughs – also the route of the now-buried River Fleet

‘Beating the Bounds’ around the borders between parishes, land ownerships and similar is an ancient tradition, where the boundary was literally paced out and marked with stones each year. This walk traces today’s border between Camden and Islington, with detours to explore nearby signs of previous boundaries of parishes, vestries, water conduits and historic landowners.

Along the way, we’ll see varied architecture from pretty Georgian and Victorian terraces to old burial grounds, narrow passages that were once slums and restored industrial buildings; see if we can spot historic boundary markers; meet mediaeval monks, Tudor and Victorian philanthropists, a dynasty of 19C architects and builders; and hear of lost wells and pleasure gardens.

Pre-booking essential – please click here.

Historic Holborn
2025-07-06 11:00 - 13:30 | Farringdon Station EC1M 6BY United Kingdom, EC1M 6BY, United Kingdom
Explore the hidden histories either side of busy High Holborn – Hatton Garden, Leather Lane, inns of law and chancery and ancient churches.

High Holborn was originally a westward path up from a crossing over the River Fleet, leading through green fields and connecting the mediaeval City to Westminster. The areas to either side featured bishop’s palaces, the first church of the Knights Templar, legal inns and ancient markets. Later, smart residential enclaves developed, then coaching inns, industry, jewellery and diamond trades thrived, followed by extreme poverty and slums, contrasted with Victorian temples of commerce.

More recent rejuvenation now sits by side by side with much of the old fabric of the area, including several Grade I listed buildings. We explore them all on this wander through the alleyways and green spaces at the south-east boundary of today’s Camden borough.

Pre-booking essential – please click here.

Undercurrent: Wandering the Walbrook
2025-08-03 11:00 - 13:00 | Moorgate Station, Moorgate, London, EC2M 6TX, United Kingdom
An intriguing walk from Moorgate to Old Street exploring the lost river Walbrook and other watery undercurrents, from the medieval to today.

I am leading this walk on behalf of Islington Museum – who are currently running an exhibition about lost waterways – and Clerkenwell & Islington Guides. It’s a fascinating route from Moorgate to Old Street, uncovering the secrets of the lost River Walbrook and the watery history still shaping the city today.

Though one of London’s smallest lost rivers, the Walbrook once meandered through Finsbury and St Luke’s before flowing into the Thames. Dammed by the Roman city wall, it flooded the area to form the marshy Moorfields. Today, it runs silently beneath our feet – diverted into sewers – but its presence still leaves ripples across the modern landscape.

Along the way, you’ll hear stories of medieval wells, a Georgian swimming pool, Victorian innovations in sanitation, a church slowly sinking into soggy ground and more. It’s a journey through time, tracing how water shaped the lives, buildings, and streets of this corner of London.

This event is free as part of a series events supporting the Undercurrents exhibition at Islington Museum. There is an additional date on Wednesday 13th August at 11am led by my colleague Sue. Numbers are limited and pre-booking is essential – click to pre-book for either date.

Four Hundred Years of the New River
2025-08-24 14:30 - 16:30
An opportunity to walk a beautiful section of the New River from Finsbury Park to Canonbury. The route takes us along part of the 400 year old waterway, through two parks, a nature reserve, past two huge reservoir lakes and intriguing parts of London’s history. We guides tend to say ‘it’s not new and it’s not a river’ because it was dug by hand, completed in 1613 and channeled vital fresh water along a winding 38 miles into London from Hertfordshire.

I lead this walk on a voluntary basis in support of the Inland Waterways Association. Please book online and I will take payment on the day (cash or card) to pass to them.

Canonbury Tower Tour
2025-10-10 11:00 - 12:30
Canonbury Tower near Canonbury Square is a survivor of Islington’s Tudor and even earlier history. It was built in the late 16th century as an addition to an earlier manor house, features beautiful wood panelling in some rooms, was home to several notable people including Francis Bacon and Oliver Goldsmith, and offers a fantastic view from the roof. Courtesy of the seventh Marquess of Northampton, Islington Guides are now offering two tours each month, strictly limited to 10 guests.

Booking link here: https://canonburytower.eventbrite.co.uk

Select 10th October for my tour in the drop down – other dates will be led by equally knowledgeable and charming Islington Guides!

Canonbury Tower Tour
2025-10-29 14:00 - 15:30
Canonbury Tower near Canonbury Square is a survivor of Islington’s Tudor and even earlier history. It was built in the late 16th century as an addition to an earlier manor house, features beautiful wood panelling in some rooms, was home to several notable people including Francis Bacon and Oliver Goldsmith, and offers a fantastic view from the roof. Courtesy of the seventh Marquess of Northampton, Islington Guides are now offering two tours each month, strictly limited to 10 guests.

Booking link here: https://canonburytower.eventbrite.co.uk

Select 29th October for my tour in the drop down – other dates will be led by equally knowledgeable and charming Islington Guides!

Clerkenwell Crime and Punishment
2025-11-23 11:00 - 13:30, 2025-12-02 11:00 - 13:30 | Farringdon Station EC1M 6BY United Kingdom, EC1M 6BY, United Kingdom
Turbulent centuries of monasteries, vengeance, courthouses, prisons, murder, social reformers, a bomb plot and more….

Clerkenwell lies just outside the old City, originally the location of the monastic houses from the late 1100s. When Henry VIII siezed these in the 1500s, some occupants met grim fates. Over the following centuries, the population increased greatly as London grew and people came looking for work, and in turn the area became overcrowded, crime-ridden and squalid. As it lay outside the City’s direct jurisdiction (part of Middlesex), the area attracted radicals, rebels and criminals. The local system of magistrates, judges and parishes in turn built prisons, courthouses and workhouses.

This walk explores the nature of crime and the various punishments meted out over the centuries in this fascinating area. The route is roughly circular so we will start and end near Farringdon Station – allow 2 hours +.

More details and booking on Eventbrite here

Myddelton Square and Spa Fields: a Health & History walk
2025-11-28 11:00 - 12:30
This is one of a series of free walks developed by Islington Guided Walks for Islington Council. These walks are the perfect chance to stroll at a gentle pace and appreciate some of Islington’s finest green spaces, while hearing about fascinating and inspiring local history. They are therefore shorter and slower than many of my walks and hopefully just as enjoyable in a different way!

On this walk we will explore a beautiful Clerkenwell square built by the historic New River Company, then wander down to Spa Green gardens and hear more history of this fascinating area.

More details and reservations (do please book ahead) for this and monthly walks in other Islington green spaces here.

Dalston, Newington Green and Mildmay
2026-05-03 11:00 - 13:00
Apologies, cancelled, plan to reschedule.

A walk circling the Hackney and Islington border north-east of Dalston. An amazingly diverse area including an ancient leper hospital, a disused Jewish cemetery, a centre for intellectual debate, dissent and education, the oldest terraced houses in London, fields where Henry the Eighth hunted, a Grade I listed church and more. We’ll also hear about the origins and story of the ‘Mildmay’ name now used on the rail line through the heart of Hackney.

This walk is just one of the many events in the 3rd Hackney History Festival taking place across the borough this May. More information and booking link for this walk is here.

Historic Hoxton
2026-05-13 14:00 - 16:00
Apologies, cancelled, plan to reschedule.

Hoxton and Shoreditch today are often known as fashionable parts of east London, areas to eat out in and go clubbing. It’s also an area of astonishing contrasts from post war estates and a park reclaimed from bombed houses, through to surviving elegant 18C houses, almshouses, a radical 19C reforming local authority and road layouts dating back to the Romans.

The Gunpowder Plot was unmasked here in 1605, an enterprising gardener successfully created the first plant hybrids in 1729, and the first woman Mayor of Shoreditch was elected in 1936.

This walk is just one of the many events in the 3rd Hackney History Festival taking place across the borough this May. More information and booking link for this walk is here.

Islington Health and History walk: Rosemary Gardens N1
2026-05-29 11:00 - 12:15
This is one of a series of free walks developed by Islington Guided Walks for Islington Council. These walks are the perfect chance to stroll at a gentle pace and appreciate some of Islington’s finest green spaces, while hearing about fascinating and inspiring local history. They are therefore shorter and slower than many of my walks and hopefully just as enjoyable in a different way!

This gentle walk explores leafy Rosemary Gardens and the surrounding streets and buildings. We will stroll past grassy and wilder woodland areas, see planting to encourage wildlife, a tree that grows beans and a football training pitch opened by Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger!

Centuries ago, archery was a popular sport here, then the local inn’s pleasure gardens and country air attracted visitors from the City until a lead factory was built on the site. We will also learn more about the intriguing local history, including the nearby canal, houses and warehouses.

More details and reservations for this and monthly walks in other Islington green spaces here. These walks are generously funded by Islington Council and are free to attend, but please do reserve in advance as they are very popular.
