The City Churches Tour
Cannon Street underground station, London
Guided by Rick Jones
Walk Times
| Day | Walk Type | Start Time | End Time | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Friday | Weekly | 10.30 am | 12.30 pm | Winter Summer | Reserve Online |
Discover the City of London’s extraordinary spires. After the devastating Great Fire of 1666, the renowned architect Sir Christopher Wren worked on rebuilding the city. That included, not just his famous work on St Paul’s Cathedral, but also a further 51 city churches.
What’s on this guided tour? We’ll explore five London churches designed by Sir Christopher Wren, along with others that have fascinating stories of their own. Here’s a taster: fan vaulting, Bow bells, a Mediterranean courtyard, a sermon timer, a mighty organ beneath Sir Christopher Wren’s most beautiful dome… Served up by a brilliant guide.
Want a five-word distillation of the tour? Visual feast, no dull moments.
The Wren Churches Walking Tour – The Practicals
Every Friday, the tour begins at 10.30 am outside Cannon Street tube station. It ends 2 hours later near St Paul’s Cathedral.
Your Wren Churches Walking Tour guide is the distinguished arts critic Rick Jones, Secretary of the Critics Circle.
The Wren Churches Walking Tour – The Itinerary
Starting at Cannon Street Station, our walking tour takes in five Wren churches. This old part of the city of London is endlessly fascinating. Make sure you look down the alleyways and up at the spires and intricate architecture of London buildings within the Square Mile. It’s brought to life by the interesting insights and stories from your illustrious guide (don’t just take it from us, be sure to feast your eyes on the rave reviews Rick gets, see what his walkers say about him).
St Mary Aldermary, Bow Lane
This Gothic-style church is the only surviving one of its kind. Its fan-vaulting is delicate as lace, so don’t forget to look up. Whilst this is cited as a Wren church, most of the work was done by one of his pupils as Sir Christopher was a very busy man in the late 17th-century.
St Mary-le-Bow, Bow Lane
This church isn’t only known for being designed by Wren. Its bells determine whether you can be legitimately called a Cockney (born within the sound of Bow bells). These same bells also made Dick Whittington turn again and return to London. Its Norman crypt is a show stopper (let alone a time stopper – yes, welcome to the 11th-century).
St Vedast, Foster Lane
The Great Fire of 1666 swept through this church on day three. Along with Wren, Nicholas Hawksmoor was involved in its reconstruction. Its discreet Mediterranean courtyard is a hidden gem in the midst of the bustling financial district of the city.
St Lawrence Jewry, Gresham Street
Right in the Square Mile and banking capital (pretty much within the shadows of the Bank of England and Mansion House), is St Lawrence Jewry. It’s in the courtyard of the Guildhall with its mayoral connections and the Lord Mayor’s Coach on the front. It’s on the site of a Roman amphitheatre, dating back to 1136.
St Stephen Walbrook
This wonderful church has the architect’s rehearsal dome (the precursor to St Paul’s Cathedral). It’s accompanied by Sir Henry Moore’s sculptured stone altar in the centre. This is where the tour ends in time for the free lunchtime organ recital. The glorious acoustics here make it well worth stopping to enjoy.
Other churches on the tour
The walking tour also includes non-Wren churches with their own interesting histories. There’s St Giles Cripplegate with links to Shakespeare, Milton, Cromwell and Bunyan. Then there’s Hawksmoor’s St Mary Woolnoth which has links to TS Eliot and Revd John Newton, slaver turned abolitionist and author of Amazing Grace.
If you want to explore more Wren churches nearby, take a look at:
St James Garlickhythe
St Michael Paternoster Royal
St Nicholas Cole Abbey
St Andrew Holborn
St Michael’s Cornhill
Did you know that Sir Christopher Wren also turned his hand to pub architecture? The Old Bell Tavern on Fleet Street was built by Sir Christopher Wren to keep his masons happy as they rebuilt the city in the wake of the Great Fire of London. Discover this and more of London’s oldest pubs on our guided tour.
Private tours
If you want a tour on a different day or in a different way, chat to us about private tours. We can provide guided tours for groups – a wonderful way to explore the city and to find out more about it at your pace. Have the tour guide to yourself or with your family, friends or colleagues. Our architecture and art gallery private tours are always guided by professional art experts – art historians or art critics (like Rick Jones) – who are, into the bargain, professionally qualified, award-winning Blue Badge guides.
Tom S –
We’ve been on many London Walks over the years, however, this one stands out as the best. We would have never found these churches or learned about the City of London and its church history without our knowledgable guide, Rick. A very enjoyable 2 hour walk with an impressive recitation of John Milton thrown in!
Jenny Bassett –
Excellent and informative tour with a very knowledgeable guide who imparted his knowledge in an entertaining and interesting fashion. It was the little gems of information that made the difference. I cannot recommend this tour highly enough.
Melanie –
A wonderful tour of some of Wren’s churches and so many fascinating nuggets about them from Rick. Many of them are completely hidden away and easy to miss, looking nothing grand from the outside, but then reveal glorious interiors. Find out why St Mary-le-Bow is so called and visit the church where Wren constructed his first (and the first in the country) dome then stay on for an (optional) organ recital. Highly recommend. Thank you Rick!
Anne-Marie Brennan –
I’ve done lots of London Walks and so far this is a favorite. Before the walk I was a bit snooty about visiting non medieval (later) churches-but of course most of the medieval city churches were destroyed by the Great Fire and the Blitz. This walk was quite an education! The city churches are amazingly diverse, fascinating and many provide support and diversion for city workers. Rick is an expert on their history. The organ recital at the end of the walk by the organist at Norwich Cathedral was the icing on the cake for me!
lesley –
Excellent tour led by the very knowledgeable and entertaining Rick. Impeccably timed to hear the Bow Bells peal and optional lovely organ recital at the end.
Lesley –
Excellent tour of Wren churches. Rick so knowledgeable and entertaining even singing the Biw bells peak to us. Impeccable timing culminating in an optional organ recital
Claire C –
A fascinating City walk showcasing some of the most beautiful Wren churches which have served fire, bomb and blitz. You will marvel at Wren’s fan vaulting, enjoy the silence of an ancient crypt and wander into a charming Mediterranean courtyard , whilst hearing about the many interesting historical and literary connections of these churches. Rick is a most engaging and erudite guide. Highly recommended.