Lanes, Lives and Liveries: Navigating the Medieval City

London’s urban landscape is constantly evolving, with new buildings popping up all over the city at regular intervals. Yet much of its medieval street plan, laid out over a thousand years ago has remained. On this walking tour, I’ll show you where to find the oldest parts of the city, hidden in plain sight, and share the many stories they have to tell. The tour starts near Cleary’s Gardens, a spot well known to the inhabitants of Roman Londinium, as the medieval city used to be called. You’ll track many of the city’s oldest lanes, taking in historic churches like St James Garlickhythe, St Michael’s Church, and St Stephen Walbrook, as well as the medieval Walbrook Wharf. As you make your way to Mansion House (the official residence of the Lord Mayor of London where the tour ends), you’ll wander through centuries-old byways, such as Dowgate Hill and Cannon Street. Along the way, I’ll show you Skinners Hall (an elegant guild house), the iconic London Stone, and even a pagan site of worship, the Temple of Mithras. On this medieval London tour, you’ll: • See the site of a Roman Bath House • Stroll along the lane synonymous with pig-keeping • Hear about the “Worshipful Companies” and how they grew from small associations into powerful Livery companies that controlled the city’s trade • Listen to captivating tales of disputes, brawls, and murder • Take in what was once a small part of Germany on the banks of the River Thames • Find out where London’s largest public toilet ever used to stand By the end of this 75-minute London walking tour, you’ll have heard stories about many historical places that are hidden in plain sight and learned all about the people who once lived in this area.

Price: £9.99 from VoiceMap