Open House Festival

Calamity and civility: contrasts in Clerkenwell

walk/tour

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Charterhouse Square (outside Charterhouse), EC1M 6AN

Tranquil Clerkenwell, so close to the bustling City has a distinct character and intriguing history. Once centred around great religious houses, the area has been the scene of fierce rebellion, innovative architecture, and major commerce.

Getting there

Tube

Barbican, Farringdon

Train

Farringdon

Additional travel info

The tour begins at Charterhouse Square (EC1M 6BQ), and ends at West Smithfield (EC1A 9HY). Both locations are well served by buses.

Access

Facilities

Accessibility notes

All areas visited are level.

What you can expect

Seating is available in Charterhouse Square and in the chapel, near the start of the tour.

About

History

The tranquility of Clerkenwell belies its tumultuous history.
From burial site of many thousands of Black Death victims, to a collection of great religious houses swept away by Henry VIII, the area has known the clamour of commerce as people and beasts from all over the kingdom converged on Smithfield, and been witness to murder, plunder, and vicious execution.

Golden Key Academy

This tour is led by an alumnus of Open City’s Golden Key Academy – a course training up insightful and engaging guides dedicated to explaining London and bringing its many stories to life. It is part of a wider collection of tour events created by Golden Key Academy guides for the Open House Festival celebrating their conclusion of the eight month course.

Further information on the Golden Key Academy can be found here https://open-city.org.uk/golden-key-academy

Nearby

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