Bloomsbury Uncovered: Literary Giants & Hidden Secrets Discount Tickets

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Overview

What if the most fascinating stories in London aren't in any guidebook? Bloomsbury's elegant Georgian squares and hidden cobbled mews conceal extraordinary tales that most visitors walk straight past. On this tour, Maxine, a lifelong Londoner and passionate storyteller pulls back the curtain on one of London's most interesting neighbourhoods. You'll discover the hospital that changed how the world treats its children, stand outside the home of Virginia Woolf, and visit the church where Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath were married. You'll hear how J. M. Barrie's most famous creation saved thousands of children's lives, uncover the secrets of a grand hotel with a little-known connection to the Titanic, and meet the Victorian philanthropists who quietly changed the world from these very streets. Every stop reveals a different layer of Bloomsbury: The authors, the activists and the hidden histories that no guidebook will ever tell you.

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

England, WC1B 5BE, United Kingdom

Please arrive 10-15 mins before the tour starts. Please look for me outside the station, I will be wearing a guide badge and holding an iPad.

End Point

End point

The Brunswick Centre is a 5 min walk from Russel Square station and many bus routes, there is also a lovely array of shops and restaurants.

Language Offered

English-GUIDE

Itinerary

1. Russell Square Hotel
Our first stop is at the Fitzroy Hotel, formally the Russell Hotel. Learn all about this beautiful Victorian building and it's stories linking it to the Titanic.
Duration: 5 mins
2. Marchmont Street
Set amongst Georgian terraces and independent shops and cafés, with an array of blue plaques overhead, stare down at the pavement and you’ll discover hidden trinkets symbolising the tokens mothers once left behind when handing their babies over to the Foundling Hospital.
Duration: 5 mins
3. The Foundling Museum
Hear the story of how, in 1739, Thomas Coram—a sea captain and philanthropist—obtained a Royal Charter and established the Foundling Hospital for abandoned children living on the streets.
Duration: 5 mins
4. Queen Square
Queen Square was laid out in the 1700s and was built for the rich and powerful. Learn how all the residential buildings slowly turned into hospitals and how it ties into the madness of King George III
Duration: 5 mins
5. Lambs Conduit Street, Camden, London
Lamb’s Conduit Street is described as a charming, pedestrian‑friendly historic street dating back to Tudor times, renowned for its Georgian architecture, independent boutiques, and village‑like atmosphere.
Duration: 5 mins
6. Doughty Mews
Today, Doughty Mews is a picturesque, cobbled lane lined with million‑pound townhouses, but it began life as housing for the horses and servants of the wealthy families who lived on the neighbouring street.
Duration: 5 mins
7. Coram's Fields
In 1739, Thomas Coram obtained a royal charter and established a hospital for abandoned children who were living in the streets as their mothers were unable to care for them.
Duration: 5 mins
8. Brunswick Square Gardens
Hear how this square got its name, and learn all about the famous residents who lived around the square and a scandalous court case that involved the King!
Duration: 5 mins
9. The Horse Hospital
Known at The Colonnade: dating back to the 19th century, learn about The Horse Hospital a stabling for cab drivers sick horses.
Duration: 5 mins
10. Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children
Hear the heartbreaking story of how the hospital was founded by Charles West who was appalled by the child mortality in the Victorian era and its links to Peter Pan
Duration: 5 mins

Inclusion

Guide

Cancellation Policy

Check mark icon Refundable tickets

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

  • 100% refund if cancelled 1+ days before the start date
  • 0% refund if cancelled less than 1 day(s) before the start date

Additional Info

Wheelchair accessible

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller

Service animals allowed

Public transportation options are available nearby

Transportation options are wheelchair accessible

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Supplied by Maxine's Walking Tours

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