---
title: Turmoil, Templars & Oliver Twist London's Squalor and Splendour
lang: en
type: tour
city: London
country: United Kingdom
price: 24
currency: EUR
price_unit: per_person
availability: bookable
rating: 5
reviews: 41
duration_minutes: 120
languages: [en]
free_cancellation: true
schedule_checked: 2026-10-01
data_updated: 2026-10-01
canonical: https://guidekin.com/uk/london/tours/turmoil-templars-oliver-twist-london-s-squalor-and-splendour/
---

# Turmoil, Templars & Oliver Twist London's Squalor and Splendour

**Guidekin's take:** Walk through Holborn via Oliver Twist locations, Freemasons' Hall and the Knights Templar headquarters, linking fiction with the area's history. Guided commentary is included; you need to sustain a reasonable walking pace. 5 from 41 reviews at €24 per person for 2h.

## Overview

Travel through two thousand years of history, meeting Saxons, the Knights Templar, Charles Dickens, Freemasons, and the Bow Street Runners!

On our guided walking tour we'll travel across Holborn, with its highs and lows over the past two-thousand years. We'll learn about the turmoil of the Saxon period, visit the locations of Fagin's den and execution in Oliver Twist, see the splendour of Freemasons' Hall and the Knights Templar headquarters, hear about a couple of London's most notorious prisons, and discover the world's largest collection of retail silver!

The guided walking tour begins outside Covent Garden Station, ends near to Blackfriars Station, and will take around two hours.

Ticket sales will be limited to fifteen attendees, to ensure maximum enjoyment for everybody on the tour.

## Before you book

- Meeting point: I will be outside the exit of Covent…
- Starts 11:00, 14:00: 2 departures a day
- Age 13+: minimum age to join

## Key facts

- Price: from €24 per person
- Duration: 2h
- Rating: 5.0/5 from 41 reviews (collected from Guidekin & Viator & Tripadvisor)
- Free cancellation (see policy below)
- Recommended by 100% of travellers (share of four- and five-star reviews)
- Operator: Historic London Tours

## What's included

- Guided walking tour

## Not included

- Gratuities

## Itinerary

1. **Bow Street Museum of Crime and Justice** (5m) - The history of the Bow Street Runners
2. **Freemasons' Hall** (5m) - The history of Freemasons' Hall
3. **Royal Courts of Justice** (5m) - The history of the Royal Courts of Justice
4. **Temple Church** (5m) - The history of the Knights Templar and Temple Church
5. **The London Silver Vaults** (5m) - The world's largest collection of retail silver
6. **Staple Inn** (5m) - The last remaining of the Inns of Chancery buildings
7. **Old Bailey** (5m) - The site of the Central Criminal Court - aka the Old Bailey - where Newgate Prison once stood

## Schedule

- Runs: Fri, Sat, Sun
- Departures: 11:00, 14:00
- Schedule last checked: 2026-10-01
- These are published departures, not a live seat count; availability is confirmed at checkout.

## Cancellation

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

## Meeting point

I will be outside the exit of Covent Garden Station, holding an Historic London Tours sign.
Map: https://www.google.com/maps/place/?q=place_id:ChIJT2mIkcwEdkgRYspzsBq1iAM

## Good to know

- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Not recommended if you're unable to walk two miles at a reasonable pace

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