Private Shakespeare Walking Tour of London

The journey, in full

St John’s Gate – Policing the Playwright St John’s Gate is one of the few places in London we can say with certainty that William Shakespeare visited. As home to the Office of the Master of Revels—the official censor of Elizabethan and Jacobean England—this was where every play had to be approved before it could be staged. Shakespeare himself would have stood here, scripts in hand, seeking permission to perform. At this evocative gatehouse, discover why Shakespeare was subject to state censorship, how the Master of Revels controlled what audiences could and could not see, and how theatre censorship surprisingly survived until 1968. Learn how the end of censorship transformed the way Shakespeare is staged—and how it changed our understanding of his work forever. St Bartholomew’s Hospital – Madness, Medicine, and the Stage Founded in 1123, St Bartholomew’s Hospital—known lovingly as “Barts”—is the oldest working hospital in the world and one of the few places standing in London during Shakespeare’s lifetime. Alongside the notorious Bedlam Hospital, Barts profoundly influenced early modern ideas about illness, madness, and humanity. Here, your guide will reveal how these hospitals inspired Shakespeare’s characters, themes, and settings—and how figures drawn from real life would later appear on his stage. You will also explore why some of the most dramatic events in English history are notably absent from Shakespeare’s plays, a silence shaped by censorship and the realities of living under what was effectively a police state. St Mary Aldermanbury Garden – Guardians of the Folios This peaceful garden hides a remarkable literary legacy. It stands on the site of St Mary Aldermanbury Church, destroyed during the Blitz and later carefully dismantled and relocated. The original church was the burial place of two of Shakespeare’s closest friends and professional partners: Henry Condell and John Heminges. Both men were shareholders in the Globe Theatre and, crucially, the editors of Shakespeare’s First Folio. Standing beside their memorial, hear the extraordinary story of how these two actors preserved Shakespeare’s plays after his death—without them, much of his work would have been lost forever. Guildhall Library – The First Folio Within the Guildhall Library lies one of the world’s preserved copies of the First Folio, the 1623 volume that collected 36 of Shakespeare’s plays. Without this single book, iconic works such as Macbeth, Twelfth Night, and Julius Caesar may never have survived. The Guildhall Library itself is a treasure trove of London’s history, holding over 200,000 printed works dating back to the 15th century. From commerce and architecture to crime and daily life, this extraordinary collection paints a vivid picture of the city Shakespeare knew—and the world that shaped his writing. Guildhall – Power, Politics, and Richard III The Guildhall has long been the administrative heart of the City of London, and its importance was well understood by Shakespeare. Mentioned in Richard III, it plays a critical role in Richard’s ruthless climb to the throne. Here, your guide will unpack how Shakespeare used real civic institutions to heighten political drama—and how contemporary audiences would have reacted to this scene. You’ll also learn about one of history’s most valuable legal documents: the deed for Shakespeare’s Blackfriars property, bearing his rare surviving signature and preserved in the London Metropolitan Archives. St Paul’s Churchyard – Selling Shakespeare In Shakespeare’s day, St Paul’s Churchyard was the beating heart of London’s book trade. It was here that Edward Blount sold the newly published First Folio, printed by Isaac Jaggard just seven years after Shakespeare’s death. Although much of the surrounding area has changed, the importance of this site remains. With sweeping views of the 17th-century cathedral, your guide will explain why the First Folio is one of the most valuable books in the world, how it safeguarded Shakespeare’s legacy, and why collectors will pay millions to own one today. Southwark Cathedral – A Final Curtain The tour concludes at Southwark Cathedral, a place deeply entwined with Shakespeare’s life and family. Here lies Edmund Shakespeare, William’s younger brother and fellow actor, buried just beyond the walls of the theatres where Shakespeare’s plays were performed. Discover how Shakespeare is commemorated in this ancient Gothic cathedral, alongside the modern founder of Shakespeare’s Globe, and reflect on how a man born to a glove-maker in Stratford came to transform English literature forever.