£68.50 (Non JG member)
Overview
Smithfield is one of the most fascinating areas of London, one bursting with history, dramatic stories and breathtaking architecture. Not only is Smithfield home to some of the city’s most ancient institutions including its oldest parish church and oldest hospital but has historically been a place of conflict, violence and rebellion. Smithfield is where many rebels, over the centuries, have whilst fighting for their causes come up against the full force and resistance of those in power and often met a sticky end. We will be walking in the footsteps of queens, revolutionaries, monks, murderers and merry-makers and along the way will find a notorious execution site, a Black Death burial ground, surviving World War One shrapnel damage and a Tudor architectural gem. It will include (if open) a visit inside St Bartholomew the Great church. We did a Lambeth tour with Jack a couple of years ago and everyone raved about his presentation and knowledge. The tour starts and ends at THE NEW MUSEUM OF LONDON. A new home in Smithfield’s historic General Market. Discover the people, places and moments that have shaped the city. Why Smithfield? With a rich and varied history, the Smithfield area is a fitting place to create a 21st-century museum. It’s been a Roman cemetery, a place of execution, home of the boisterous Bartholomew Fair, and a grimy muse for Charles Dickens. The first written record of the ‘smooth field’ dates back to the 1170s, by which time it was already a bustling livestock market – a use that continued for centuries. One group will do the walking tour with Jack in the morning whilst the other group visit the Museum then we swap after time for lunch. There are various options for lunch in the Museum.