FREE GUIDEDWALKS

OCTOBER – DECEMBER 2019

HOLBORNBLOOMSBURYST GILESFARRINGDONCLERKENWELL

WHERE TO JOIN OUR WALKSThere

,s no need to book, just show

up at the starting points (unless the walk

,s description says otherwise).

HOLBORN STATION KIOSK Meet by our bright orange information kiosk outside Holborn tube station, 88-94 Kingsway, WC2B 6AA.

CENTRAL SAINT GILES Find the red sculpture in the courtyard of Central Saint Giles, 1 St Giles High Street, WC2H 8AG and you’ve found the starting point.

CHANCERY LANE STATION From Chancery Lane tube station take the exit marked ‘Holborn Circus’ and meet by the junction of Holborn Road and Brooke Street. Our guide will be waiting for you.

FARRINGDON STATIONOur orange-uniformed guide will be waiting for you in Cowcross Street, in between the two station entrances/exits to Farringdon station.

WELCOME

WHO ATE ALL THE PIES?Wednesday 2 October1pm. Holborn Station Kiosk

Today we hear about the story of the 18th century serial killer Sweeney Todd. This walk visits the site of his barber shop and the place where his victims were made into meat pies.Duration: 45 minutes.

SUFFRAGETTE CITYFriday 4 October1pm. Holborn Station Kiosk

We visit several sites in Holborn and Bloomsbury linked to the struggle for votes for women.Duration: 45 minutes.

FARRINGDON STREETS ANDTHEIR STORYWednesday 9 October12.30pm. Farringdon Station

Today’s walk explores the origin of some of the street names in the Farringdon area.Duration: 45 minutes.

CLERKENWELL CALLINGFriday 11 October12.30pm. Farringdon Station

Today’s walk explores the origin of some of the street names in the Clerkenwell area.Duration: 45 minutes.

OCTOBER

OPERA: ACT I (NEW)Tuesday 15 and Thursday 17 October1pm. Holborn Station Kiosk

The first in our series of two about opera. Today we visit sites connected to the early history of opera in England. You don’t need to go on both parts of this series because each walk is designed to be enjoyed either on its own or together with the other tour.Duration: 45 minutes.

OPERA: ACT II (NEW)Tuesday 22 and Thursday 24 October1pm. Holborn Station Kiosk

The second in our series about opera. Today we continue the story by visiting different sites, this time connected to the history of opera in the 20th century. You don’t need to go on both parts of this series because each walk is designed to be enjoyed either on its own or together with the other tour.Duration: 45 minutes.

HAUNTED HOLBORNThursday 31 October1pm. Holborn Station Kiosk

Today it’s Halloween and we start a week-long series of ghost walks. We begin with a tour visiting locations in Holborn, including the haunting of a local pub, the ghost of an Egyptian mummy, and the haunting of one of Holborn’s oldest buildings. Duration: 45 minutes.

OCTOBER

“I just want to say a big thank you for participating in our Healthy Week! Our employees loved the tours of the St. Giles area. They were surprised to find so much history so close by. It was certainly a great treat for employees! We’ll certainly book the same again next year.”

Rajvir Aytan, NBC Universal, 2018

BEE Midtown Walks Guide, Aly Mir

NOVEMBER

MORE SPOOKY STORIESFriday 1 November1pm. Holborn Station Kiosk

Today we visit more spooky sites, including the place haunted by Lord Nelson’s ghost, and a theatre where something fishy is going on. Duration: 45 minutes.

AN ICY ONE FOR EC1 (NEW)Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 November11am and 2pm. Farringdon Station

This walk takes us to some of the spooky sites in the Farringdon and Clerkenwell area, including the ghosts of prisoners, plague casualties and victims of the bloody conflicts of the Reformation.Duration: 90 minutes.

SCARY ST. GILES AND BLOOMSBURYMonday 4 November1pm. Holborn Station Kiosk

Continuing our series of ghost walks, we go to supernatural sites in the Bloomsbury and St Giles area, including a haunted theatre and church. Duration: 45 minutes.

THE COCK LANE GHOSTTuesday 5 November12.30pm. Farringdon Station

Part one of our series about the 18th century Cock Lane Ghost, one of London’s most famous hauntings. Today we begin the story by visiting sites in the Farringdon area. You don’t need to go on both parts of this series, because each walk is designed to be enjoyed either by itself or together with the other part.Duration: 45 minutes.

SCRATCHING SOUNDSWednesday 6 November12.30pm. Farringdon Station

Part two of our series about the Cock Lane Ghost. Today we conclude the story by visiting locations in Clerkenwell and hear about the cultural significance of this 18th century phenomenon. You don’t need to go on both parts of this series, because each walk is designed to be enjoyed either by itself or together with the other part.Duration: 45 minutes.

november

MUSEUM MILE LONDON: UCL (NEW)Friday 8 November2pm. Central Saint Giles

This tour visits University College London’s three museums which are together members of the Museum Mile London – the Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology, the Grant Museum of Zoology and the UCL Art Museum.

The tour will start by the red sculpture in the courtyard of Central Saint Giles at 2pm and end near Goodge Street Station at 5pm.

Today’s walk visits one member of Museum Mile London, but our guide will also mention all the other members to encourage people to visit them in the future.

Museum Mile London is the must-see home of 14 museums, spanning from Bloomsbury to the River Thames, where you can do everything from discovering Egyptian mummies to driving a Tube train. Together, we are one of the top cultural destinations in the world. Within the Mile, we have one of the greatest concentrations of museums in the UK. Did you know you’re never more than seven minutes’ walk from another museum? 

#MuseumMileLDN www.museum-mile.org.uk

FREE.

Booking required and admission to the walk is by ticket only.

Booking commences online from 2 October. Please do not apply before this date because your application will not be accepted.

To book go to www.eventbrite.co.uk and search ‘Bee Midtown Museum Mile London walk.’

Duration: 180 minutes.

NOVEMBER

HOLBORN AT WARMonday 11 November1pm. Holborn Station Kiosk

This walk for Remembrance Day visits sites in Holborn connected with the Battle of Britain. Duration: 45 minutes.

A RING AROUND FARRINGDON Thursday 14 November2pm. Farringdon Station

 Join this guided walk to discover 1,000 years of history through the buildings and collections of six of its cultural organisations. Experience Barts Hospital Museum, which exhibits the fascinating history of medical treatment at the Hospital; the church of St Barts the Great, London’s oldest church, and the setting for many films and TV programmes; the church of St Barts the Less; the museum and chapel of the Charterhouse, a thriving almshouse and stunning seven acre historic site dating back to the 14th century; the Museum of the Order of St John, charting the story of the religious military order from its origins in Jerusalem in the 11th century to its modern incarnation as St John Ambulance; and the Goldsmiths’ Centre, home to over a hundred craftspeople who continue the area’s tradition of passing skills on to future generations and host to a changing programme of contemporary jewellery and silversmithing exhibitions. The tour will finish at the Goldsmiths’ Centre’s excellent café, The Bench.   

The tour will end near Farringdon Station at 5pm.

FREE. 20 places only.

Booking required and admission to the walk is by ticket only.

Booking commences online from 2 October. Please do not apply before this date because your application will not be accepted.

To book go to www.eventbrite.co.uk and search ‘Bee Midtown A Ring Around Farringdon walk.’

Duration: 180 minutes.

NOVEMBER

“We went on the University Challenge walk which took us to several university buildings, including Senate House. As always, Aly hit the right notes on the walk. He gave us time to browse through these world famous premises. It’s a joy to have him as a guide. He is so passionate, dedicated, has a great sense of humour and well-read which made the 120 minute walk so easy. So lucky to be a Londoner and to be able to enjoy these walks, never a dull moment!”

Annette Mascarenhas,Enfield resident, 2018

OPERA: ACT I (NEW)Wednesday 20 and Friday 22

November1pm. Holborn Station Kiosk

The first in our series of two about opera. Today we visit sites connected to the early history of opera in England. You don’t need to go on both parts of this series because each walk is designed to be enjoyed either on its own or together with the other tour.Duration: 45 minutes.

OPERA: ACT II (NEW)Tuesday 26 and Thursday 28

November 1pm. Holborn Station Kiosk

The second in our series about opera. Today we continue the story by visiting different sites, this time connected to the history of opera in the 20th century. You don’t need to go on both parts of this series because each walk is designed to be enjoyed either on its own or together with the other tour.Duration: 45 minutes.

DECEMBER

SUPER SLEUTHWednesday 4 December1pm. Holborn Station Kiosk

The first of our four walks about Sherlock Holmes. We visit locations in Bloomsbury from the life of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and places that were mentioned in his famous detective stories.Duration: 45 minutes.

CHARLES DICKENS ANDBARNABY RUDGESaturday 7 December 2pm. Holborn Station Kiosk

Barnaby Rudge was set against the background of the Gordon Riots of 1780 – the most violent riots in London’s history. This walk takes us to locations in the Holborn area that featured in the book. Duration: 90 minutes.

CHARLES DICKENS AND BLEAK HOUSESunday 8 December2pm. Chancery Lane Station

Bleak House is generally considered to be one of Charles Dickens’s finest novels. Today’s walk visits several sights in Holborn featured in this book. This is an extended version of our older Bleak House walk.Duration: 90 minutes.

THE GAMES AFOOTWednesday 11 December1pm. Holborn Station Kiosk

The second of our walks about Sherlock Holmes. Today we go to places in Holborn that featured in these famous detective stories. We also see locations from a recent Sherlock Holmes film and hear more about the life of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.Duration: 45 minutes.

“Thank you so much for taking TUC staff on a guided tour of the St Giles area on the same day as the opening of our new extension at Congress House, which coincidentally is called The Rookery. Everyone found the tour very enjoyable and I just wanted to send you a note of thanks to say how grateful I am that you could lead this activity. Thank you so much.”

Jane WarwickThe Trades Union Congress Social Club, Great Russell Street, 2018

UNLUCKY FOR SOMEFriday 13 December 1pm. Holborn Station Kiosk

A special walk for Friday the 13th visiting sites connected to spells, superstition and prophecies. Duration: 45 minutes.

CHRISTMAS CRACKERSWednesday 18 December1pm. Holborn Station Kiosk

A mixture of surprises – including the origin of a famous card game, one of the craziest forenames ever invented and the birthplace of a man who put his wife’s corpse on display!Duration: 45 minutes.

CHARLES DICKENS AND OLIVER TWISTFriday 20 December 12.30pm. Farringdon Station

This walk visits locations in the Farringdon area that featured in Charles Dickens’s famous novel Oliver Twist.

Please note the longer than normal length of this lunchtime walk.Duration: 90 minutes.

DECEMBER

“I was most impressed by your erudition, and the planning, that you had put into this new walk. It will be a marvellous addition to your portfolio and will increase the public appreciation of such important, but inadequately recognised, sites. Thank you again so much for organising it.”

Dr Charles Goodson-WickesRepresentative Deputy Lieutenant, Islington, Chairman, The Ring, 2019

DECEMBER

CHRISTMAS STORYMonday 23 December1pm. Holborn Station Kiosk

Visiting the place where the world’s first Christmas card was printed, an important site from the early history of British pantomime and a monument to the man who helped introduce the Christmas tree to our country. Duration: 45 minutes.

WALKING INTO YOUR LIFEMonday 30 December 11am. Central Saint Giles

The third walk in our series about Sherlock Holmes. We visit sites connected to six of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s famous detective stories, including The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Man With the Twisted Lip and The Missing Three Quarter. You don’t need to have read any of these because the stories will be explained. Duration: 105 minutes.

SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE BLUE CARBUNCLETuesday 31 December11am. Central Saint Giles

The mystery begins on Christmas morning when a man is robbed of his Christmas Dinner! This is the fourth of our walks about Sherlock Holmes, focusing on one of the short stories The Blue Carbuncle. Don’t worry if you haven’t read it because the story will be explained.Duration: 90 minutes.

BESPOKE WALKSFOR BUSINESSESIf you are a local business, how about arranging a special walk for your staff? Choose from our existing programme or let us organise one on a theme of your choice.

A walk makes a perfect part of a special event, staff day out, office party or leaving do.

We can even include a quiz or a pub stop. If you have new starters, we also offer walks which combine local history with useful practical information.

To find out more,call 020 7078 7077or email info@bee-midtown.com

ABOUT US

This programme of walks is brought to you by BEE Midtown, where EC1 meets WC1. We exist to promote, celebrate, and build upon everything that’s great about London’s best-connected postcodes.

Our areas are home to some of the world’s biggest brands and household names. Midtown is not just a commercial centre. It’s a hotbed of culture and creativity. It’s a vibrant destination with something to offer businesses, residents and visitors.

Together, we represent the new centre of London. We are Midtown. Holborn, Bloomsbury, St Giles, Farringdon & Clerkenwell

bee-midtown.com

@MidtownLDN

@MidtownLDN

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