Hello! I’m Jack, an Open City trained tour guide. My walking tours of London’s hidden history are fun-filled with a focus on the quirky and off-the-beaten-track. Join me to unearth this fascinating city’s hidden gems and spot the little secret details that many miss.
None of the below dates work for you or they are sold out? Click here to sign up to my newsletter to be the first to receive future dates and my weekly blog post on a fascinating historical spot in London.
To take yourself on a self-guided walk, you can download a Google map of over 300 hidden historic locations I highlight on my blog and Instagram.
Links to blog posts and Instagram reels are included (you do not need Instagram). On a computer the links are clickable, on a phone you have to type the URL separately into a browser. Click the link below to find out more.
Current Walks
St James’s: Style, Scandal and Seduction
A deep dive into the history of beautiful St James’s, looking beyond the facades to uncover scandals and salacious stories
- Sun 20th April 2.30pm– Sold out
- Fri 25th April 2pm – Sold out
- Sat 26th April 11am– Sold out
- Sat 10th May 2.30pm Sold out
- Sat 24th May 11am– Sold out
- Fri 6th June 10.30am – Sold out
Secrets and Symbols of the City
A walk exploring his historic heart of London: the City, aka the ‘Square Mile’. We will look at its fascinating past through the lens of its minutae: hidden gardens, narrow passageways and oft-overlooked little symbols. See all dates here.
- Sun 23rd March 2.30pm– Sold out
- Sat 5th April 2.30pm– Sold out
- Weds 9th April 2pm– Sold out
- Sun 27th April 2.30pm– Sold out
- Weds 28th May 2pm– Sold out
- Fri 6th June 2pm– Sold out
- Sun 15th June 2.30pm– Sold out
Spitalfields Secrets: A Life On The Fringes
Beautiful architecture, atmospheric streets, an inspiring cast of characters and, at times, a seething dark underbelly, Spitalfields has it all. Find out how so many different people and cultures have shaped this area over the centuries.
- Sat 22nd March 11am– Sold out
- Sun 23rd March 11am– Sold out
- Sun 20th April 11am– Sold out
- Sun 11th May 11am– Sold out
- Weds 21st May 10.30am– Sold out
- Fri 23rd May 10.30am– Sold out
- Weds 28th May 10.30am– Sold out
The Hidden Strand: Power, Wealth and Empire
A fun-filled walking tour of the hidden Strand and surrounding alleyways, uncovering its secrets and how power, wealth and empire have shaped its history. See all dates here.
- Sat 5th April 11am– Sold out
- Sat 10th May 11am– Sold out
- Sun 8th June 11am– Sold out
Smithfield Uncovered: Rebels and Retribution
A walk discovering one of London’s most captivating areas. Walk in the footsteps of queens, revolutionaries, monks, murderers and merry-makers to uncover an area of extreme contrasts and an, at times, gruesome history.
- Thurs 20th March 10.30am– Sold out
- Thurs 24th April 10.30am– Sold out
- Thurs 8th May 10.30am– Sold out
- Fri 23rd May 2pm– Sold out
Lambeth’s Legendary Trailblazers: From Blake To Chaplin
Discover a lesser-known area of London but one that is packed with history. Walk in the footsteps of Charlie Chaplin and William Blake as well as street urchins, pedlars and Tudor princes, as we explore off-the-beaten-track Lambeth. See all dates here.
- Sat 22nd March 2.30pm– Sold out
- Sun 15th June 11am– Sold out
Covent Garden: Behind The Scenes
See Covent Garden like never before on this walking tour digging out the area’s hidden history, its spectacles and scandals. Pull back the curtain on this well-known area and tread in the footsteps of pimps, Victorian actors and protesters. See all dates here.
- Tues 8th April 10.30am– Sold out
- Tues 27th May 10.30am– Sold out
Westminster’s Backstreets: Saints and Scoundrels
A walking tour of historic Westminster and its lesser-known backstreets, uncovering stories of heroic saints and scurrilous scoundrels. See all dates here.
- Sun 6th April 2.30pm– Sold out
- Sat 26th April 2.30pm – Sold out
- Sun 8th June 2.30pm– Sold out
I have also written two books that include a number of fun self-guided walks of London’s hidden history. Click here to find out more!
Recent Reviews
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Best London walking tour I’ve been on! Excellent tour. Jack is very engaging and clearly loves what he does. The tour was thoroughly researched and always fascinating. It touches on some real gems along Strand, along with some great Strand facts. 10/10 would recommend.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Historical Touring at its finest! We’ve been on a few previous walking tours and while Jack’s walking tour (of The Strand) focussed as much on history as it did on architecture, it was simply fascinating! Jack showed us so many hidden nooks and crannies and shared with us so much from London’s past that we were totally hooked! And all this delivered by a thoroughly affable and generally very knowledgeable chap. Just beware of his solid myth-busting!!!
Private Walking Tours
I also offer private London walking tours- perfect for curious Londoners and tourists who want to get off-the-beaten track! Simply email me at [email protected].
Looking for some London history inspiration? Check out my most recent blog posts below!
Forest Hill To Honor Oak: A Quirky Historical Walk
I recently went on a wonderful historical walk around Forest Hill in South London. My…
Two Musical Marvels: A Visit To The Handel Hendrix House
Sometimes in history you get remarkable coincidences. Two adjoining Georgian townhouses in Mayfair were, amazingly,…
A Rare Look Inside St James’s Palace: The two Chapels
I was recently lucky enough to be invited to have a look inside St James’s…
The Story Behind The Dragons In The City Of London
On the outskirts of the City of London you will find a series of fourteen…