Hidden Tudor London Tour
Explore surviving sites from the Tudor era and find out how this dynasty shaped London and beyond.
Our tour begins outside Barbican Station. Although 'the tube' would certainly not have been known in the Tudor era, the name Barbican would. 500 years ago, this was a growing settlement that was thriving just outside London's city walls.
Around the corner is the sign for Carthusian Street, which would have been used by Carthusian monks until King Henry VIII became the head of the church and dissolved the monasteries.
At the end of the street, you will come to a quaint lawn that hides a dark secret. Human remains are still being discovered here, as it once served as a burial site for plague victims.
Only a few steps from the burial site sits the architectural gem known as the Charterhouse. Indeed, its splendour was probably one of the factors that led Queen Elizabeth I to stay here for several nights before her coronation. But is the Charterhouse also hiding a grim history behind its notorious gate?
From there, you will be led through a market building, the original site where livestock was traded centuries ago. Crossing the road, you'll notice some quintessential Tudor architecture, including an original Tudor gatehouse built in 1595.
You will come across some curious plaques. One commemorates martyrs during the reign of Queen Mary I or, as she later became known, Bloody Mary.
A short stroll around the corner and you will find yourself staring up at a very rare surviving outdoor statue of King Henry VIII. But why is he here?
Doubling back through the gatehouse, you will see one of London’s oldest churches, St Bartholomew the Great. Facing the church is one of London's oldest houses, also dating back to the Tudor era.
Our tour finishes with a meander down East Passage, an alleyway that feels like time travel, before finding yourself back in modern-day London— a fitting way to end our Tudor adventure.
Duration: 2 hours
Start Point: Barbican Station
End Point: Barbican Station