Historiska London Monastery Tour

This was a wonderful tour, with lots of fun information and very interestingly delivered. I have been on another tour (equally good) with Ian and would recommend anything he offers as he is engaging and knowledgeable and a fascinating person. He loves dealing with questions and handles groups well. Even when delivering complex information, he is clear and never patronising. Thoroughly recommended.

A lovely, informative walk through, as other reviews have said, alleys, courts and backstreets that I never knew existed. Very interesting two hours even if you weren't interested in monasteries as there was so much history along the route. Ian was an enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide explaining what a large part monasteries played in pre-reformation life. Thoroughly recommended.

Great insight into London’s past. The street names will make sense to you and uncover more and more with every step you take

A really interesting and informative walking tour. I knew nothing about monasteries in London, but Ian brought the whole story to life, taking us to some of the remnants of London’s many monasteries, told stories of the glory days and their demise. One of the things I particularly enjoyed was discovering some of the more overlooked sights and corners of London. Places that I’ve walked past before without giving them much thought suddenly had a whole new significance — it really makes you see the city differently. Ian is an engaging and knowledgeable guide who clearly knows his stuff. He also welcomes questions, and I was able to ask him things throughout the tour to my heart’s content, which made it feel much more like an interesting conversation than simply being given a history lesson. A great way to explore London while getting a fascinating insight into some of the tumultuous periods in English history.

Wonderful walk taking in places I never knew existed hidden between roads I’d walked along many times. Ian’s talks were so interesting and informative I was sorry when we came to the end of the tour. Just the right distance for someone not used to walking far with plenty of rest stations. A great experience!

Ian was a most congenial and entertaining guide. His knowledge of the subject is all-encompassing and he managed to educate and stimulate us all the way on this extremely well-researched and interesting tour. Next time I want a tour I'll be booking Ian, no question! His Composer's Tour looks very appealing! Highly recommended.

Ian was an excellent guide - informative and humorous and answered questions thoroughly

The first thing I remember from the city tour led by Ian, was that it was fun. Ian was full of unusual stories with funny details. We had a good laugh. It was easy to follow Ian, as he is a tall gentleman with a clear and far-reaching voice. Ian appeared to know the area of our tour as the back of his hand. It was easy to imagine ourselves centuries back within the rich historic context of London. We learnt about how people lived, their passions, fears, and the cheeky (naughty) side of human nature. Ian also told us how these stories from the past had their effect on our life today. The tour was very enjoyable. I would wholeheartedly recommend Ian as a tour guide to anyone who likes to make the best out of their stay in London

I have been to St Barts the Great (and what an incredible church that is!), and know of the Blackfriars – the bridge and the pub, but had no idea that London was effectively monastery land up to the 16th century. Some monasteries, like St Barts, have ancient buildings still in use and a huge modern hospital on the original site, others have left clues behind on the landscape, and have profoundly influenced the development of London. Ian paints vivid and engaging stories about the sites on the tour with quirky good humour.

A wonderfully informative and entertaining tour of some of the former monasteries of London. Lots of historical context. And taking in some hidden gems that I (as a Londoner) didn’t know existed. Highly recommended!