English.
Accessible tours, Architecture, Christmas Walks, Christopher Wren's London, City churches, Crime and punishment, Evening walks, Financial Institutions, General city tour, Great Fire of London, Journalism and the press, Lectures and talks, Legal London, Livery companies, Magna Carta, Markets, Medieval London, Religion, River Thames, Romans, Samuel Johnson, Samuel Pepys, St Paul's Cathedral.
I’ve worked in the legal sector as a professional trainer and coach in several different parts of the City over a number of years. I’ve always been fascinated by the sights and stories of the modern and historic City. Since qualifying as a City of London Guide when I first came to London, I’ve kept a lively interest in our ancient capital and the changes it’s undergone in the last few decades. I’m now taking the opportunity to get out onto to the streets, leading guided tours to share my passion for its hidden and better-known history, from the earliest times to today’s new and exciting developments.
Join me for a walk to find out why London is the world’s greatest city and hear stories that bring its 2,000 years of history to life.
Guided tours are ideal for creating a memorable experience for birthday or anniversary celebrations, work teams, business visitors, friends and families.
Get in touch if you have a particular interest and I can recommend or design a walk for you.
Dates for upcoming walks are shown below. If you'd like to book a place, or would like to be added to my mailing list for future walks, please email me.
London City Stories
Stories. Connect. People.
My tours are informative, inclusive and, above all, social and fun. They focus on engaging people and connecting them with their environment and community by telling stories about people, places and events that have contributed to the history of this remarkable city.
Whether you live or work in London or are a visitor, taking a walk through the City streets is a great way to find out about our heritage. Listen to stories about what life was like for people who lived, worked and travelled here before us and use your imagination to make connections with your own experience.
It’s not all about the past. The City of London thrives because it constantly adapts and evolves. Learn about how the City is changing right now and what we can expect to see in the future.
Here's my current tour list. I plan new dates every couple of months and add them here so if you're interested in a particular walk and no date is shown, do get in touch. If you'd like more information about what each tour covers, please email me.
With each of the walks you'll receive recommendations for places to visit, useful links and books to read if you’d like to delve deeper into the City’s story.
1666 And All That: A Year in the Life of Samuel Pepys NEW
Bankside: Beer, Brothels, Bishops and The Bard Sunday 13 April 11.00 am
A City Christmas NEW
City Giving: Philanthropy and Charity in the City of London
Heart of the City: London Over 2,000 Years
High Life and Low Life: West of the Fleet River
Ink! Publishing and Bookselling in Fleet Street and St. Paul's Sunday 20 April 11.00 am
Justice and Peace: The Inns of Court and Legal London
Markets, Medicine and Monasteries: The Stories of Smithfield
Radicals, Rogues and Religion: Clerkenwell Tales NEW
Tales of the Unexpected: The Stories and Secrets of Holborn NEW
The Flower of All Cities: Medieval London
Three Rivers: The Thames and the Lost City Rivers
Tom, Dick, Harry and Charles: Leadenhall Stories
Trading Places: Trade, Commerce and Finance in the City
Uncharted Passions: Experience Your City (an experiential tour) Private group bookings only
All of the tours can be delivered as talks with high quality illustrations (45 minutes to an hour).
"I have been on two of the tours and thoroughly enjoyed both of them. An unexpected bonus is that Sally knows about future plans for the City, and these are just as interesting as its special past. She vividly conveys the sense that the City is something ancient, with bizarre traditions and strange names, and yet it is also something that is dynamic and endlessly changing." GB, London
"Sally was simply perfect in every way. We had arranged for a private tour of the Inns of Court, for a group of French law students, and Sally adapted to this very specific audience amazingly. She managed to explain complex things in the clearest possible way, she knew the answers to even the most specialised legal questions, and she was very considerate with everyone all through the tour. We all highly recommend her!" SP, Paris
"We were spending the weekend with family and my sister suggested a guided walk with Sally would be fun as she had already been on a few. We decided to go on the High Life and Low Life: West of the Fleet River tour and we all enjoyed it very much indeed. So much history hidden away amongst the new buildings you wouldn’t think about unless pointed out as Sally did so well. Very entertaining and informative, many questions we had were answered with so much knowledge and enthusiasm, we’ll definitely be looking to do another walk with Sally in the future!" TB, Cardiff
"A really entertaining and informative afternoon spent looking at many tucked away areas around Leadenhall Market. Sally is extremely knowledgeable and brought history to life with anecdotes and facts we did not know before. We really enjoyed the interaction of reading quotes and guessing the answers to some fun questions. More walks will definitely be on our agenda." LB, Twickenham
"We arranged a private group Heart of the City walk with Sally. We all found it absolutely fascinating - Sally's knowledge of the history and architecture is so extensive and she tells it all in a very entertaining way." JN, London
"We have now done three walks with Sally and can't wait for our next one! So interesting and full of curious details and insights. She brings London to life and every time her walk is an exciting experience and you go home feeling you have got a little closer to knowing our amazing city." DH, Bromley
"Sally is a wonderful guide. She brings out not only the history but also the little anecdotes which make the walk more memorable, engaging and fun! I would love to do another walk with her!" CJ, London
"This is our third London walk led by Sally. Each time, she really brings the City to life. She is incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastic and always brings the best out of her audience by getting them engaged. We all enjoyed it very much and will no doubt be booking another very soon." KO'T, Surrey
"I really enjoyed walking with Sally and having the links between philanthropy and the City of London brought to life through her expert knowledge of the buildings and landmarks within the city, which ordinarily I have walked past and never noticed, and for some I never knew existed." TG, London
“Sally was great, so knowledgeable and able to adjust her information in response to the group’s interest and knowledge in a very flexible manner. Her passion for the City of London made the history really come alive.” DC, London
“In a relatively small area, I found out about the history of London from Roman times right up to the present day. Full of interesting detail.” PW London
“What a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon! The walk was riveting and perfectly pitched. Looking forward to the next one.” GB, Bromley
“Sally engaged the group by asking questions and getting us to read out snippets about life and death in earlier times. Hearing the words of people who were there at the time brought the stories to life.” BP, Kent
"Fascinating medieval aspects of the City of London between 1066 and 1500 with an enjoyable coffee break and a meal after!" DGB, Greenwich
"It was great how Sally brought to life a lot of locations which you wouldn't think about usually. It's nice to see the history woven beneath the surface of everything around you. I also really enjoyed the sense of narrative to the philanthropy focus and the details about how giving was structured, what motivated people to it and the ideas and intentions behind it." TR, London
“It’s wonderful to walk and look around you while someone who really knows their stuff talks to you about what you’re seeing rather than staring at a phone or guidebook.” RW, Kent
“Sally’s tour was a lovely way to spend time with friends – it was an enjoyable afternoon and I found out much more about an area of the City I thought I knew well.” JP, Kent
“Sally is an extremely knowledgeable guide and happy to be interrupted with the many questions you will have on your tour. Such a great way of getting to know more about the history of London!” PB, Lichfield
"Sally's knowledge of Smithfield and its history brought the area to life, helping to picture the scenes as they would have been centuries ago. Whilst some of the sights were well known landmarks, the walk also took us to locations that we would not have been aware of but were well worth visiting. A very rewarding way to spend the afternoon, which sparked an interest to find out more on the history of London." MD, Bromley
"I found the walking tour with Sally interesting and fun. She talked knowledgeably about the philanthropic points of interest along our walk, which was engaging and entertaining. I enjoyed it very much!" KS, London
“Sally was friendly and mindful of our needs for which I was grateful. I would definitely go on another tour with her.” RR, Kent
“Sally encouraged us to look up and look around to spot small details we might otherwise have missed, and to make our own connections with people and events in the past.” BP, Bromley
