The Freemasons Tour of London

London’s old religious and military orders come alive on this private walk from Farringdon to Freemasons’ Hall. In three hours, you move from a medieval well and Knights of St John sites to plague pits, Templar churches, secret courtyards, and the home of English Freemasonry. The range is impressive, especially for a half-day outing.

I like the way this tour gets you away from the usual London circuit and into overlooked corners such as Charterhouse Square, Blackfriars, Inner Temple, and Lincoln’s Inn. I also like the personal format, with a guide such as Kevin able to answer questions and adjust the pace for your group. The main drawback is the brisk schedule: 22 stops in about three hours means many visits last only five minutes.

• Start at Farringdon and finish near Covent Garden: The route crosses some of London’s oldest districts without wasting half a day on transport.
• See Templar and Hospitaller landmarks: St John’s Gate, the Museum of the Order of St John, and Temple Church give the tour its medieval focus.
• Visit places most sightseeing buses skip: Charterhouse, Blackfriars, Inner Temple, and Lincoln’s Inn add quiet lanes and courtyards to the day.
• Get a private guide for your own group: The format suits people who want to ask questions and avoid a large walking party.
• Hotel pickup is offered: You can meet at your Central London hotel, though the Underground or taxi cost to Farringdon is not included.
• Check closure days carefully: The Museum of the Order of St John is closed Monday and Tuesday, while Charterhouse and the Freemasons Museum are closed Monday.

A private route through London’s old religious quarters

This is not a general overview of London. It follows a particular thread: medieval orders, military faith, secretive societies, old churches, monastic ruins, and the way these institutions shaped the city.

You begin near Farringdon and finish at Freemasons’ Hall on Great Queen Street. Along the way, the route crosses Clerkenwell, Smithfield, the City of London, Fleet Street, the Inns of Court, and Covent Garden. That gives you a useful sense of how close many famous landmarks are, even when the streets between them feel tucked away.

The tour is private, so only your group takes part. That matters here. Several stops are small or easy to miss, and a guide can point out details that would be lost in a large crowd. Kevin is the guide named most often in the available feedback. His long experience as a Londoner and his enthusiasm for local stories were repeatedly praised, particularly his willingness to answer many questions.

The route is offered in English and takes about three hours. You should expect a moderate amount of walking, with frequent standing and short stops. Comfortable shoes matter more than speed.

Clerkenwell’s well, communists, and Knights of St John

The first stop is Clerk’s Well, a five-minute look at the old well that gave Clerkenwell its name. It is the sort of modest site that can be easy to miss without someone explaining why the surrounding district carries that name.

Nearby, the Marx Memorial Library adds a completely different layer to Clerkenwell. The area’s political past is not treated as a separate museum visit here. Instead, it becomes part of the walk, showing how one district moved from medieval religious orders to modern political movements.

The next stop is St John Priory Church and its garden. Traditional medicinal plants recall the practical side of religious institutions, while an old military weapon provides the surprise. You will spend about ten minutes here, enough for the guide to connect the church garden with the military order that once operated nearby.

St John’s Gate is one of the strongest early sights. This old gatehouse once marked the entrance to the compound of the Knights of St John, also known as the Hospitallers. The building gives the tour a clear physical anchor: you are not just hearing about a medieval order, you are looking at part of its former base.

The Museum of the Order of St John follows. The visit includes the gatehouse and a quick look at weapons and armour. Admission is included, but the museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. If those are your only possible touring days, confirm the current arrangement before booking, since this is one of the central stops.

Charterhouse and the unsettling story beneath the city

Charterhouse Square brings the tour into darker territory. The square occupies the site of one of London’s large plague pits, and the visit continues into Charterhouse Chapel. A recently discovered skeleton of a Black Death victim helps make the scale of the medieval plague more immediate.

This section will suit you if you like archaeology and difficult stories. It is not a polished royal attraction. The appeal comes from seeing how an ordinary-looking London square can conceal a major burial site beneath it.

Charterhouse is closed on Mondays. The tour information lists this stop as free admission, but the visit still depends on access arrangements. The schedule allows about fifteen minutes, so expect an introduction rather than a long museum session.

From there, you reach St Bartholomew the Great, one of London’s oldest churches. It was founded by a crusader, which fits the theme, and its age gives the route another strong medieval point. St Bartholomew’s Gatehouse, dating back almost 800 years, is another short stop nearby.

You will not be spending a full morning inside each church. Several stops are five-minute exterior visits, and admission is not included at some locations. That keeps the tour moving, but you should book it for context and access to overlooked places, not for extended time at every building.

From William Wallace to St Paul’s Cathedral

The William Wallace Memorial marks the place associated with the execution of the Scottish hero linked with Braveheart. The guide also covers other events connected with this historic location, so the stop is broader than a single memorial.

The route then passes Christchurch Greyfriars Church Garden. The ruined monastic building sits beneath the shadow of St Paul’s Cathedral, creating one of those sharp London contrasts: medieval remains, a quiet garden, and one of the city’s most famous landmarks close together.

Christopher Wren’s Temple Bar follows. This former gateway to the City of London has a long and sometimes grim past. You will see St Paul’s Cathedral as part of the route, though this is not a cathedral interior tour and admission is not included.

These stops work best as a connected walk. You get a sense of old city boundaries, lost religious foundations, and the way later London was built around them. If your main goal is to enter St Paul’s and spend time inside, you will need a separate visit.

Blackfriars, Temple Lane, and the Templar church

At Blackfriars, the guide takes you through a small yard and tiny alleyway to see what remains of the institution that gave this area its name. The stop is brief, but it rewards close attention. This is exactly the kind of place most people pass without knowing what they are looking at.

The Crypt on the Green offers another short look at monastic remains. It sits off the main tourist path, yet it lies on the route toward Temple Church. The tour repeatedly uses this pattern: a famous district provides the setting, but the guide directs you to the less obvious fragments.

Middle Temple Lane leads into one of London’s most atmospheric legal quarters. Middle Temple is known for its handsome buildings and courtyards, and it has appeared in television and film, including Downton Abbey. You may recognize the setting even if you have never visited it before.

Temple Church is the major stop in this section. Built by the Knights Templar and inspired by what they saw in the Holy Land, it became especially famous after the Da Vinci Code films. The church is now described as a quieter place again, which is good news if you prefer architecture and atmosphere to crowds built around a pop-culture connection.

The visit lasts about fifteen minutes and admission is included. One point deserves care: the church was modeled on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, not Solomon’s Temple. The distinction matters if you are interested in medieval religious architecture, so listen closely to the exact explanation given on the day.

Inner Temple comes next. Its calm courts and enclosed spaces offer a pause from the larger streets around them. Admission is listed as included, though this is still a short guided visit rather than an extended exploration of every corner.

Fleet Street, Dickens, and an old Masonic meeting place

The walk continues along Fleet Street, once the center of the British newspaper trade. The street is now quieter than its reputation suggests, but its name still carries strong links to journalism and London public life.

You also pass a long-lost ruin connected with a famous monastic order. This is another moment when the tour asks you to picture what disappeared rather than simply admire what remains.

The Old Curiosity Shop provides a literary stop. The shop was made famous through Charles Dickens, and you pass by rather than spending time inside. The Seven Stars pub adds the direct Freemasonry connection. This tiny old pub was once an early meeting place for Freemasons, giving the tour a more personal link to its final destination.

These stops will appeal to you if you like London as a collection of stories rather than a sequence of grand monuments. The tradeoff is that some visits are exterior views lasting five minutes. You get plenty of variety, but not much time for a relaxed drink, meal, or long interior visit during the tour itself.

Lincoln’s Inn and Freemasons’ Hall

Lincoln’s Inn is the final major district before Freemasons’ Hall. The tour passes through its large square, described as the largest in London, and covers its connection with the Great Fire of London.

The setting is quiet and formal, with a different feel from Fleet Street and the City streets earlier in the walk. It helps show how London’s legal institutions occupy their own secluded world, even when they are surrounded by busy central neighborhoods.

The final stop is Freemasons’ Hall on Great Queen Street. This is the headquarters of the United Grand Lodge of England and the Supreme Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of England. It also serves as a meeting place for Masonic lodges in London.

The Freemasons Museum is closed on Mondays. The itinerary allows about fifteen minutes at the hall, and the listed admission is free. This is not a lengthy museum program or a private look into every Masonic room. Instead, it gives you a focused introduction to the building and its role.

The tour ends here, a few minutes from Holborn and Covent Garden Underground stations. That is a useful finish. You can continue to Covent Garden attractions, find lunch, or take the Tube elsewhere without retracing the route.

What the $253.66 price means

At $253.66 per person, this is a costly half-day outing, especially for one person. Its value depends heavily on group size and your interest in the subject.

For a couple or small group, the private format can make sense because you are paying for a dedicated guide rather than a standard large-group walk. The hotel pickup also saves you from finding the start point alone, though the actual Underground or taxi ride to Farringdon is not included.

You should not compare the price only with a basic walking tour. This route covers a wide area, includes several places with admission listed as included, and focuses on details many general tours skip. Still, the price is harder to justify if you prefer a slow pace, long museum visits, or a broad introduction to London.

The free cancellation policy allows a full refund when you cancel at least 24 hours before the start time. Confirmation is sent within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability.

Who will enjoy this London walk most

I would choose this tour if you enjoy medieval orders, churches, architecture, old ruins, Freemasonry, military stories, or the less familiar side of central London. It also suits repeat visitors who have already seen the main royal sights and want a different route.

You should have moderate physical fitness. The tour links 22 stops, and some streets, courtyards, and lanes may require steady walking and standing. Service animals are allowed, and the start point is near public transportation.

This is less suitable if you want a relaxed church tour, a full visit to St Paul’s Cathedral, or long periods inside museums. The schedule is packed. At many stops, the guide has only five minutes to explain the place before moving on.

The strongest quality is the human guide. Kevin’s passion for London and his ability to answer questions are central to the experience. One piece of direct feedback criticized a historical detail and felt the tour leaned too much on trivia. That warning is useful: the experience depends on how much you enjoy fast-moving stories, small facts, and local interpretation alongside formal history.

Should you book The Freemasons Tour of London?

Book it if you want a private, tightly packed route through London’s Templar, Hospitaller, monastic, legal, and Masonic past. You will see places that are easy to miss, and the combination of churches, plague sites, ruins, old pubs, and quiet courtyards gives the morning real variety.

Before booking, check the day of the week. Monday removes Charterhouse access and the Freemasons Museum, while Monday and Tuesday close the Museum of the Order of St John. Also confirm that the quick pace suits you.

For an interested small group, the price can be fair because of the private guide and hotel pickup. For a solo visitor or anyone wanting long interior visits, it is harder to recommend. Choose it for unusual London stories and a lively guide, not for a slow, conventional sightseeing tour.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

It starts at Farringdon Station on Cowcross Street, London EC1M 6BY. You can also arrange to meet the guide in the reception area of your Central London hotel.

Does the tour include hotel pickup?

Yes. Hotel pickup is offered from your Central London accommodation. The guide travels with you to Farringdon by Underground or taxi, but Tube tickets before and after the tour are not included.

Where does the tour end?

The tour ends at Freemasons’ Hall at 60 Great Queen Street. It is a few minutes from Holborn and Covent Garden Underground stations and close to Covent Garden attractions.

How long does the experience last?

The tour lasts approximately three hours and begins at 9:30 am.

Is this a private tour?

Yes. Only your group participates in the activity.

Which sites are closed on certain days?

The Museum of the Order of St John is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Charterhouse is closed on Mondays, and the Freemasons Museum is also closed on Mondays.