Tracing London: Tower Hill, The Tower & The Great Fire

Walk through one of the oldest and most fascinating corners of London, where the city’s past is still hiding in its streets, walls and more
About this Event

Starting at Tower Hill, this two-hour walking tour takes you through layers of London’s history, from the remains of the ancient city and the darker stories of Tower Hill to the familiar landmarks of the Tower of London and Tower Bridge.

But look a little closer and there’s much more going on.

We’ll leave the well-trodden tourist route behind and uncover some of the stranger, more unexpected and often overlooked stories that have shaped this part of London.

There’ll be famous landmarks, forgotten characters, curious little details and a few stories that you probably won’t find on the usual sightseeing tours.

And, of course, we’ll finish with one of London’s most infamous events: the Great Fire of London.

Along the way you’ll discover:

• Ancient fragments of London’s Roman and medieval defences
• The history hidden around Trinity Square
• The site of public executions at Tower Hill
• The story behind Tower Bridge
• Dead Man’s Hole
• The Tower of London from the outside
• The curious mice and cheese of Philpot Lane
• The ruins of St Dunstan in the East
• Pudding Lane and the Great Fire of London
• The story behind The Monument

This isn’t a traditional sightseeing tour.

There are no headsets, no flags and no rushing from landmark to landmark.

Just London, its history and the stories hiding in plain sight.

Some are fascinating. Some are dark. Some are downright odd.

And some might make you look at a street you’ve walked down a hundred times completely differently.

The details

📍 Start: Tower Hill 🚇

👥 Meeting point: TBA

🏁 Finish: The Monument

⏱ Duration: Approximately 2 hours

👣 Pace: Relaxed walking pace with regular stops

👥 Places: Limited numbers to keep the walk personal and enjoyable

What’s included

• A guided two-hour walking tour
• Stories, history and local knowledge from Tracing London
• Plenty of opportunities to stop, look around and take photographs

What’s not included

• Entrance fees to museums, attractions or buildings, unless specifically stated
• Food and drinks
• Transportation to or from the meeting point
• Personal expenses

Please wear comfortable footwear and dress appropriately for the weather. This is an outdoor walking tour.

The Tower of London is viewed from the outside and the tour does not include entry to the Tower, or Tower Bridge .

Come curious.

Leave seeing London differently.

Tracing LondonLondon. The city where history hides in plain sight.