London: Another Brick in the Wall Self-Guided Audio Tour – London, United Kingdom

EXPERIENCE:

Trace London’s ancient city wall as it grew from an enclosure around the Roman settlement of Londinium, to the large medieval structure that ringed the bustling city.

On this walking tour, you’ll see parts of London Wall that still stand today. I’ll tell you about its origins, construction and, in some parts, its demise. I’ll show you the site of each of the seven gates that gave access to the city. You’ll also hear about some of the people that once lived in the shadow of the wall, and gain an insight into what life was like for these locals.

Along with tracing the route of the wall from Emperor Trajan’s statue to the Blackfriar, a popular pub, I’ll show you some of the city’s other sites, including several historical churches. I’ll point out St Olave’s Church, Guild Church of St Katharine Cree, St Ann & St Agnes Church, and the site of the medieval chapel of St Mary & St Nicholas. You’ll hear about Aldgate Pump and its fatal connection to polluted water in 1860, the teenage skeleton found under ‘the Gherkin’, and the place where Jack the Ripper murdered a woman.

On this tour, you’ll have the opportunity to:

• Find out why a seventeenth century diarist decided to bury a hunk of cheese in a hole in the ground
• See the church where victims of the Great Plague are buried
• Hear about the church that inspired Charles Dickens’ “St Ghastly Grim” in The Uncommercial Traveller
• Listen to tales of robbery, violence and deception
• Take in the oldest Synagogue in the UK
• Walk through an area synonymous with law, order and incarceration

Whether it’s your first time in London or you’re a curious local, you’ll gain a valuable introduction to the wall’s rich history. Give yourself two hours for this walk or go at your own pace to further explore the historical churches and pubs mentioned en route. There are plenty of cafes, restaurants and food outlets if you need a short or lengthy break at any point. I’ve also highlighted the halfway point, in case you want to draw out the tour over a day or two.

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:

Listen to tales of robbery, violence and deception
Hear from producer Steve Matthews, a local guide since 2010
Do it all in two and a half hours or linger at stops along the way
Get unlimited use before your booking date and after it
Use the virtual tour option at home

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