What You Will Do
There isn’t another tour that is quite like this one where we will visit some of the most historic yet less visited sites in London. This walking tour takes places entirely along and around the South Bank of the River Thames which has two thousand years of rich if sometimes less glamerous history which makes for a fascinating tour that opens the door on this less visited part of London.
From theatres to churches and cathedrals. Palaces to prisons, hangings and slums. Voyagers of discover to engineering marvels. Markets, smugglers and bodysnatchers to the birthplace of America.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Itinerary
1
Millennium Bridge
5 minutes
The newest bridge in London, connecting St Pauls Cathedral and the Tate Modern, the largest Modern Art gallery in the world. You ight recognise the bridge from Harry Potter and other shows.
2
Tate Modern
The worlds biggest Modern Art Gallery, housed in an old power station. Many of the places we will pass have been converted into new use!
3
Winchester Palace
5 minutes
See the ruins of the once magnificent palace that miraculously survived centuries of industry and WW2.
4
Clink Prison Museum
5 minutes
We'll visit the eerie and atmospheric site of what may have been the most horrendous prison in Britain if not the world. You don't have to use too much imagination to see how it must have been even though the area now is extremely fashionable.
5
Golden Hinde
5 minutes
A replica of the famous ship of exploration, giving an insight to what these parts used to be like.
6
Crossbones Graveyard & Garden of Remembrance
10 minutes
We will visit the resting place of thousands of plague victims, criminals and 'fallen' women who were buried unceremoniously here and learn of the dreadful poverty that so inspired social reform and the writings of Charles Dickens
7
Marshalsea Prison South Wall
10 minutes
Visit the small park that was once the location of a dreaded Debtors prison where Charles Dickens family was incarcerated.
8
The George
5 minutes
See the only remaining Galleried Tavern in London, the haunt of many a famous writing. The yard in front is where the pilgrims assembled in the Canterbury Tales.
9
Southwark Cathedral
5 minutes
Now part of London, Southwark was once and still is its own city and here is its beautiful and often overlook Cathedral.
10
Borough Market
10 minutes
The site of the world famous food market with food from around the world. There has been a market here of some sorts for at least 1,000 years and possibly since Roman times.
11
London Bridge
5 minutes
The world famous London Bridge, find out why it is here at all and learn about the awful things that used to happen here.
12
Hay's Galleria
5 minutes
Once the worlds first covered dockyard, now a place of leisure and good-eating.
13
HMS Belfast
5 minutes
See the old WW2 Royal Navy Cruiser, now berthed up as a tourist attraction.
14
City Hall
5 minutes
The home of the Mayor of London and the London Assembly. You'll see why it has the nick name of the Armadillo.
15
Tower of London
From the outside, we will see the old Tower of London, sat right next to the Thames.
16
The Scoop
5 minutes
One of Londons very modern outdoor theatres.
17
Tower Bridge
5 minutes
We will walk under the famous hydraulic lifting bridge, an icon of London.
18
Shad Thames
10 minutes
Explore the streets and creeks of what was once the Venice of Drains and the site of murders and executions and all things Charles Dickens.
19
Edward III's Manor House
10 minutes
Centuries ago this was all swamp land and Kind Edward III built a hunting lodge here, the remains of which were relatively recently unearthed.
20
The Angel
5 minutes
This old pub was a smugglers den and reaches out over the Thames where the trap doors can still be seen. Captain Cook set sail from here on his Voyages of Discovery whilst the Hanging Judge use to sit nearby to watch his sentences be carried out.
21
St Mary's Church, Rotherhithe
5 minutes
This beautiful old church in what was once the village of Rotherhithe has a monument to the Pilgrim Fathers. The 'Captain' of the Mayflower is buried here and the ship was beached up on the Thames behind.
22
The Mayflower Pub
5 minutes
Visit the famous old pub from where the crew of the Mayflower ship departed for the new world. Perhaps return here after the tour to have a great drink or pub meal.
23
The Brunel Museum at Rotherhithe
5 minutes
The famed Victorian Engineer Brunel built the very first under water tunnel here... the trains still use it today. At one point it could take days if not weeks for ships to dock on the Thames and this was hoped to be part of the solution.
24
The Watchhouse Café
5 minutes
This funky organic cafe is a great place to drink or grab a cheeky snack. It was once though a Watch House where dead bodies washed up on beaches of Rotherhithe were brought to protect them from thieves and body snatchers until the authorities arrived.
25
Rotherhithe Picture Research Gallery
10 minutes
In this old industrial building amongst the warehouses is now a jewel of cinema and heritage costuming as well as having a lovely old cafe. Many period costumes are made here for television and movies and the reference library is full of photos of how this part of London used to look.
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