A Guided Tour in the Farringdon Wards

Our tour will start at outside the Blackfriar Pub, renowned for its Art Nouveau reliefs of jolly friars enjoying grape and grain, which is situated at  the southernmost tip of the ward of Farringdon Within, at 5.30 p.m. 

We will finish at Smithfield, near the northern edge of Farringdon Without, at about 7.00 p.m. where we will have drinks – and optional evening meals – at one other of the pubs there - the Butcher’s Hook & Cleaver or the Bishop’s Finger. 

The tour, which will be led by one or more, (depending on numbers) guides from the City of London Guide Lecturers’ Association, will take in some of the most interesting locations in the eastern side of our wards.  We will cover Roman London, Medieval land reclamation, Livery Companies, the Dissolution of the Monasteries, Shakespeare, the Great Fire, churches – Wren and other, medical developments and the many grisly events that happened in and around Smithfield – as well as plans for future development. 

Drinks and Dinner.  Staying for drinks and/or dinner is entirely optional.  Please book a ticket for dinner if you are planning to stay so that we have an idea of how many places to reserve.

Travel.  The Blackfriar is just over the road from the North entrance to Blackfriars station, with both overground and underground connections, while at Smithfield we are close to the Farringdon Elizabeth Line station entrance and The Barbican Underground station for the journey home.

Early-bird ticket price is £15 until 18 May, £20 afterwards.