When Horses Ran London

(7 customer reviews )

Chalk Farm tube station, London

Guided by Charlie

Adult: £20 · Students & Seniors: £15 · Children: £5

Walk Times

Day Walk Type Start Time End Time
18 April 2025 Tour du Jour 10.45 am 12.45 pm Winter Reserve Online
29 November 2025 Special 10.45 am 12.45 pm Winter Reserve Online

Hear it from the guide

Without its horses, London in 1900 would have ground to a halt – no buses, no deliveries, no goods trains. Come on a walk that reawakens this city’s cab stands, its multi-storey stables, its marshalling yards, its fashionable rides, its hay markets.

They’re all still there, but do we notice them? This is an amazing eye-opener into a lost city.

Find out just how much horsepower each bus route needed, and why flogging a dead horse wasn’t just a turn of phrase.

Here was a city so full of horses it was worried it would get buried in its own horse manure. Instead, the end was nigh – and we’ll cover that ground too, pick up on how the internal combustion engine cleaned the air, and the Great War was the great cull.

If you like horses you will love this, if you like London this will change the way you see the city.

In the words of walker Alison Bloomfield, “as ever Charlie’s walks are crammed with facts and fascinating stories. I remembered 300,000 horses, the number 24 omnibus route, the Vinot car company, the hidden canal basin allotments, and the mews for carriage or car. Don’t ask about the poleaxe – too gruesome! Do ask about the number 24.”

IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE GUIDING

WHEN HORSES RAN LONDON – THE MEETING POINT

The meeting point is just outside Chalk Farm Tube. The walk was created and is guided by Charlie.

7 reviews for When Horses Ran London

  1. Bob Hammond

    Wonderful, informative walk that helps one visualize the London of the late 1800’s, prior to the advent of the internal combustion engine. Charlie is a well-organized, extremely knowledgeable guide who did a tremendous job of presenting information to our large group of 25 or so walkers. No issues hearing him with the large group and all questions answered. FYI, the walk is a bit longer than the usual two-hour London Walk. Will definitely book another walk with Charlie!

  2. Sarah Clayton

    The walk was really interesting, covering lots of issues and fascinating history. The horse has played such a massive role in the history of London, not only pulling buses and Hackney cabs, but enabling commerce and the transport of goods, in vast amounts, for centuries. The walk is well worth doing… and Charlie is a great guide.

  3. Alison Bloomfield

    As ever Charlie’s walks are crammed with facts and fascinating stories. I remembered 300,000 horses, the number 24 omnibus route, the Vinot car company, the hidden canal basin allotments, and the mews for carriage or car. Don’t ask about the poleaxe – too gruesome! Do ask about the number 24.

  4. Bennett Brooks

    We just went on Charlie’s excellent “When Horses Ran London” walk yesterday. It was a fantastic few hours: full of fascinating history and interesting insights into the bits of London you walk by every day but likely never notice. Charlie is a great guide – knowledgeable, entertaining, and always taking care to make the walk is working for all. Highly recommend.

  5. Justin Whitmarsh

    Well, it’s a London Walk so what can we say? Excellent as usual. Great guide and fascinating topic.

  6. Sophie Stutter

    An excellent walk , lots of detail. An extremely well informed and enthusiastic guide.

  7. Andy Grainger

    Thoroughly enjoyed this walk despite the rain. Why buy Gore-tex if you are not prepared to go out in it? Charlie is highly knowledgeable and engaging and the walk built on my visit to the London Transport Museum yesterday. I learnt about cabbies and Black Beauty and the origins of the RSPCA. The mega infrastructure project that was Camden Lock in the 1820’s linking road, rail and canal with horses. Gilbey’s Gin! The John Nash master design to supply his newly constructed West End. The lovely houses at Primrose Hill backing on to the Canal. And the horses – I used to ride horses of 10-12 years old, in 1900 they were mostly dead by 6 or 7. Electric largely replaced horses for public transport in a moment. Many thanks Charlie, for guiding me around that moment.

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