ASM London Branch Guildhall Walk

City of London Walk: In and Around the Guildhall Art Gallery

The area around the Guildhall and its Art Gallery is particularly rewarding for those interested in the City of London’s hidden gems and atmospheric alleys. Here you will find medieval buildings, Christopher Wren churches and the contemporary architecture of London’s financial district all jostling for attention.   Blue Badge Guide Anna Fenn will escort us on a walking tour which will include a brief look at one of these surprising churches, at some of the City’s stunning buildings, some remains of Roman Londinium and even a hidden City garden. Our tour will culminate at the Guildhall, a great City powerhouse since the 12th century, where we will visit the magnificent Great Hall, with its splendid monuments to national heroes including Admiral Lord Nelson, the Duke of Wellington, Chatham, Lord Mayor Beckford, William Pitt and most recently, Sir Winston Churchill. We will finish with a viewing of the highlights of the bijoux collection of the Guildhall Art Gallery, with fascinating scenes of London, both modern and ancient, some interesting Victorian paintings and the remains of London’s Roman Amphitheatre.  

The tour will take about 2 hours and if it rains, we will spend more time in the Guildhall and Art Gallery.  We will assemble in Paternoster Square (nearest tube station: St. Paul’s), in front of Starbucks, at 10.45am for an 11.00am start (come rain or shine) and end the tour at approximately 1.00pm. For those who would like to, we can then adjourn for a light lunch at the Crypt Restaurant of St. Mary Le Bow Church. The cost of the tour, without lunch, will be £10 per person and numbers are restricted to 20 people per tour, so be sure to secure your place as soon as possible by contacting Mrs. Madeleine Yates. Alternatively, please fill in and return the form, enclosing a cheque payable to ‘St. Anne’s London Branch’.