Songs of Seven Dials Walk & Talk
Schedule
Sat Nov 15 2025 at 11:00 am to 03:30 pm
UTC+00:00Location
Stanfords | London, EN
About this Event
Join author Matt and Stanfords CEO Vivien for a walking tour of Seven Dials and learn about this iconic neighbourhood. Vivien will open the tour in the heart of The Mercers’ Company estate which lies along the southern boundary of Seven Dials. Learn about the evolution of the estate properties and businesses from 1530 to the present day. Matt will then lead the tour into the seven streets that radiate from the Seven Dials sundial and point out landmarks that feature in his book Songs of Seven Dials and the intimate human stories that they hold. Vivien will finish the tour explaining the present day work of the Seven Dials Trust.
About the speakers:
Matt Houlbrook is professor of Cultural History at the university of Birmingham. He is the author of Queer London: Perils and Pleasures in the Sexual Metropolis, 1918-57(2005) and Prince of Tricksters: The Incredible True Story of Netley Lucas, Gentleman, Crook(2016).
His Lastest book is the Songs of Seven Dials: An Intimate History of 1920's and 1930's London.
Vivien Godfrey is the Chairman and CEO of the Edward Stanford Group, a retailer of travel books, maps, globes and other travel related products. Stanfords was founded in 1853 at 6-7 Charing Cross Road by the first Edward Stanford and is now in it's 5th home nestled in the heart of Mercer Walk. Throughout its long history, it has been the essential first port of call for adventure and armchair travellers alike. Stanfords’ roll-call of customers past and present includes such famous names as Amy Johnson, David Livingstone, Captain Robert Falcon Scott, Ernest Shackleton, Florence Nightingale, Ranulph Fiennes,Michael Palin, and even Sherlock Holmes.
Timings:
11:00 – 12:00
12:30 – 13:30
14:30 – 15:30
The Walk is approx 1 hour, meeting at Stanfords 7 Mercer Walk, Covent Garden, WC2H 9FA.
Copies of The Songs of Seven Dials will be available to purchase in Stanfords.
Tickets £5.00
Icludes a voucher for a tea or coffee at Stanfords cafe and £5.00 discount off any book when purchased in Stanfords on the day of the tour.
Where is it happening?
Stanfords, 7 Mercer Walk, London, United KingdomEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
GBP 5.00
