This 2000-year-old City – also called ‘The Square Mile’ – has suffered many disasters and setbacks and has, each time, come back better and stronger than ever.

Let me tell you of the devastating fire which destroyed 80% of the City and the man, Sir Christopher Wren, who rebuilt it. We then had what we call the second Great Fire of London – the Blitz, which was eight months of sustained bombing in the City of London by the German Luftwaffe. We will hear of the bravery of two people who helped to fight the firestorm on the night of 29th December 1940 – the worst night of the bombing. It became known as ‘Red Sunday’.

We will visit some beautiful places and monuments – each of which has a darker side to them.

The City of London was also a place for punishment and executions – we will explore some of these.

Hear of the warring queens who haunt a ruined monastery.

The black dog that haunted the prisoners in Newgate Prison.

Why you weren’t safe in the City’s churchyards and many more tales of the horrors that took place in the seemingly beautiful places…

Meeting place: exit 2 of St Paul’s tube station, between the coffee stall and the Co op food store.

Itinerary to include:

St Paul’s Cross – a place where sinners were scorned, heretics were damned, and punishments were meted out.

Temple Bar – built by Sir Christopher Wren after the Great Fire – a beautiful gate in Portland Stone, which it also served a darker purpose.

The site of Newgate Prison – described as “the blackest hole in London.”

The Watch House – a police station built specifically to watch over the graveyard next to it.

Smithfield Market – a place for healing, for religion, wife selling – and execution.

The ghost of Barts Hospital

A moving memorial to brave Londoners who lost their lives saving others.