{"product_id":"connected-clerkenwell-architecture-walking-tour-saturday-1-august-2026-11am","title":"Connected Clerkenwell architecture walking tour - Saturday 1 August 2026 11am","description":"\u003cp data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\" class=\"sqsrte-large\"\u003eJoin Open City for a walking tour exploring how centuries of connectivity shaped the unique architectural, landscape and urban history of Clerkenwell\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\" class=\"\"\u003eFrom industrial manufacturing to the global trade in architecture and design services — this insightful walking tour tells the story of how Clerkenwell’s central location as a hub for London’s creative industries shaped its extraordinary built environment.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\" class=\"\"\u003eThis walking tour between the soon-to-open London Museum and Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration explores the varied connections which defined Clerkenwell – covering people and their stories; communities and the built environment; and the area’s layered history and the lively streets of today. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\"\u003eClerkenwell is one of the oldest parts of the capital, with its development at the edge of the City of London dating back to medieval times, and it has long been the connective tissue and buffer zone between the City merchants and the rural and suburban outskirts.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\"\u003eOver the past few decades, Clerkenwell has transformed from a down-at-heel post-industrial pocket of London to a thriving centre of bars, restaurants and creative industries at the heart of the capital. The streets that were once a hinterland for the meat-trading of Smithfield Market are now populated with designers, architects and workers in the global creative industries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\"\u003eFurther north, what was once one of the poorest parts of London has become a leafy, spacious home to parks and apartments, the eateries of Exmouth Market and the social and architectural milestone of Lubetkin’s Finsbury Health Centre.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\"\u003eHighlights include an external preview of the new London Museum at the site in Smithfield Market where the spectacular complex of buildings are being constructed. \u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe walk ends at another innovative new venue, the Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration, which opened in June,\u003c\/span\u003e a reinvention of a waterworks engine house as a unique museum with a collaborative approach to storytelling and ideas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\"\u003eThis is a walk that offers the opportunity to think about how old and new can come together in a sustainable way, how new and old institutions can build connections with the public, and how a small area of London can have vital connections with the rest of the city and the world beyond.  \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eKey information\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"page\" title=\"Page 1\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"section\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"layoutArea\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"column\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"sqs-block gallery-block sqs-block-gallery\" data-block-json='{\"existingGallery\":null,\"newWindow\":false,\"methodOption\":\"transient\",\"active-alignment\":\"left\",\"aspectRatio\":null,\"auto-crop\":true,\"autoplay\":true,\"autoplay-duration\":5,\"blockAnimation\":\"none\",\"collectionId\":\"618963f288e9155cbeae2b32\",\"controls\":true,\"design\":\"slideshow\",\"meta-position\":\"bottom\",\"show-meta\":true,\"show-meta-basic\":true,\"show-meta-only-title\":false,\"show-meta-only-description\":false,\"show-meta-on-hover\":false,\"square-thumbs\":true,\"thumbnails\":false,\"vSize\":null,\"transientGalleryId\":\"618963f288e9155cbeae2b32\"}' data-block-type=\"8\" id=\"block-de46f678e19c8ca5a991\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"sqs-block-content\" id=\"yui_3_17_2_1_1636972394179_298\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"sqs-gallery-container\n  sqs-gallery-block-slideshow\n  \n  \n  sqs-gallery-has-controls\n  \n\n  \n    sqs-gallery-block-show-meta sqs-gallery-block-meta-position-bottom\n    \n  \n  sqs-gallery-block-show-meta\n  \n  \n\n  \n  \n\n  \n  block-animation-none\n  clear\" id=\"yui_3_17_2_1_1636972394179_173\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"sqs-gallery sqs-gallery-design-stacked\" id=\"yui_3_17_2_1_1636972394179_193\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\" class=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMeet:\u003c\/strong\u003e Outside Farmer J, 50 Cowcross St EC1M 6AL\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\" class=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ewhat3words location\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/grit.marble.plates\/\" target=\"_blank\"\u003e\/\/\/grit.marble.plates\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\" class=\"\"\u003eThe 2nd stop on the tour is Outside Port of London Authority building, Charterhouse St EC1M 6AL\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\" class=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eEnd: \u003c\/strong\u003eQuentin Blake Centre for Illustration, 1 Myddelton Passage EC1R 1AG\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\" class=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDuration:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2.5 hrs approx\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\" class=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eDistance:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2.8 km\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-rte-preserve-empty=\"true\" class=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRoute notes:\u003c\/strong\u003e This walk follows pavements throughout, though some surfaces are uneven. There are a few sets of steps along the route and these can be avoided.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"sqs-block html-block sqs-block-html\" data-block-type=\"2\" id=\"block-7240a3a06edf0871dcf2\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"sqs-block-content\"\u003e\n\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout your tour guide\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003eDebbie Kent is a Clerkenwell and Islington Guide, as well as a member of the Walking Artists Network. She has lived in London all her life – both north and south of the river, but currently in EC1 – studied at LSE and Goldsmiths, and has a passion for learning about the city and sharing her experience with others. She works as a journalist.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp class=\"\"\u003eKent is a graduate of the 2023 Golden Key Academy — a masterclass for urban and architectural tour guiding run by Open City.  She joined the Open City tours team in May 2026.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\" class=\"\"\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003e \u003cstrong\u003ePhoto: \u003c\/strong\u003eby Debbie Kent \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"OpenCityShop","offers":[{"title":"Pay it forward ticket","offer_id":56976598565242,"sku":"TOURS","price":29.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Standard","offer_id":56976598598010,"sku":"TOURS","price":19.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Over 65 ticket","offer_id":56976598630778,"sku":"TOURS","price":13.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Under 25s ticket","offer_id":56976598663546,"sku":"TOURS","price":9.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Income support\/jobseekers ticket","offer_id":56976598696314,"sku":"TOURS","price":9.5,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1068\/1786\/files\/clerkenwellgreen.jpg?v=1779369098","url":"https:\/\/shop.open-city.org.uk\/products\/connected-clerkenwell-architecture-walking-tour-saturday-1-august-2026-11am","provider":"Open City Shop","version":"1.0","type":"link"}