Mark Grant

Languages:

English.

Themes:

Architecture, Christopher Wren's London, City churches, Gardens and open spaces, General city tour, Great Fire of London, Literary tours, Medieval London, Public art, Religion, Romans, Wartime.

Biography

I have lived in the world's greatest City for nearly 30 years and after constant exploration, am still discovering new fascinating locations in the City.

I have a particular interest in History, Architecture and Art, and as an Internationally competitive quizzer, have appeared on BBC's Mastermind 13 times, my London specialist subjects being "The City Churches of Christopher Wren", "The theatres of Frank Matcham" and "Mayhew's - London Labour and the London Poor".

With a degree in Criminology, I also have an interest in True Crime. The City of London is extremely safe today, but it wasn't always thus and nearly every street corner has been the scene of a dastardly deed centuries ago.

Guided Tours

Foul play in Cheapside

In this walk around the western part of the City, we visit the locations of crimes spanning 300 years, including the lynching of a bishop, the slaying of an eel skinner and the earliest ondon handgun murder.

Carnage in Cornhill

In this walk, we visit the locations of crime, including one in which a rich man who bribes his way out of murder, a minstrel whose performance is not well received and a woman who stabs a clerk for shushing her in church.

Traces of medieval London

The Great Fire of London of 1666 destroyed 86 churches. Many were not rebuilt, yet there are traces - sometimes comprising whole parks - of these churches more than 350 years after they burned down. In this walk we look at the visible remains of the churches and talk about the famous and, often, strange people who were associated with them, the shows and inquisitions that took place within and, sometimes, their links to Shakespeare.

Wren smorgasbord

Sir Christopher Wren's office rebuilt 51 churches after the Great Fire of London of 1666 and 29 of them (or at least substantial bits of them) remain. Every one of them is unique and in this walk, we look at what makes each of them different, as well as their history, their links to famous people and why they have such funny names.