London’s East End

Aldgate tube station, Aldgate High Street exit

Guided by Kevin

Walk Times

Day	Walk Type	Start Time	End Time
21 December 2019	Tour du Jour	10.45 am	12.45 pm	Winter

The walk sets out to explore as much of the East End as is possible in 2 hours.  We start at Aldgate  London’s ancient East Gate to investigate Roman and Medieval origins as well as the dramatic events of the Peasants Revolt of 1381.

The fields, Monasteries and villages of Whitechapel, Brick Lane,  Spitalfields, Shoreditch and Hoxton became the home for poor people and groups of immigrants excluded from the City’s Guild system.  From the 16th century, it gave refuge to  European protestants fleeing from French Catholic repression.  From the 17th century it welcomed Jewish refugees particularly from Russian, and in the 19th Irish, and exiles joined in.

The area was one of the main centres of industry for London until the 20th century when the vacant workshops and the crumbling historic housing began to attract artists and bohemian incomers.  The opportunities this gave created a vibrant new area and eventually must people began to appreciate the street art that covered virtually every inch of its walls.

The walk is guided by Kevin Flude, the distinguished former Museum of London archaeologist.

London’s East End – The Practicals

London’s East End takes place at 10.45 am on Saturday, December 21. The meeting point is just outside the Aldgate High Street exit of Aldgate Underground station.