The Haunted Pubs of Old London: Small Group Tour

London keeps its ghosts close. This three-hour walk links old pubs, plague sites, execution grounds, churches, and film locations around Smithfield and the City. I especially like the small group of no more than 14 people and the way the tour reaches places many visitors miss, including Charterhouse and St. Bartholomew the Great. The first pub also includes a half-pint, which helps get the afternoon started.

The main caution is pace. Guide Arthur is praised for wide-ranging stories and generous answers, but the tour can run long when conversations gather steam. You also pay for drinks at later pubs, and on Sundays the pub visits change. If you want a tightly timed ghost crawl, this may feel loose. If you enjoy history, old buildings, and a guide who follows an interesting thread, that looseness can be part of the fun.

Key points at a glance

• Start with Roman London: Hear how the Barbican area changed from Roman times to the present, including a secret beneath its walls.
• Visit authentic old pubs: Stop at the Sutton Arms, Rising Sun, and Viaduct Tavern, with one half-pint included and later drinks extra.
• See London’s darker past: Learn about plague, public executions, body snatching, prison history, and the Black Death.
• Enter remarkable churches: St. Bartholomew the Great, St. Bartholomew the Less, and the Charterhouse add real historical weight to the ghost stories.
• Keep the group personal: The maximum of 14 makes it easier to hear the guide and ask questions.
• Expect a flexible walking tour: Comfortable shoes and weather gear matter, and you should allow some extra time.

Why this part of London makes a good ghost walk

This is not a tour of London’s famous postcard sights. It works through the old City, Smithfield, and the streets around the Barbican, where narrow lanes and ancient institutions carry some of the capital’s darker stories.

The setting does much of the work. You move past a former monastic complex, medieval churches, an old hospital, a market with a grim past, and pubs linked to prison life and body snatching. The ghost stories are tied to actual places, not simply read from a list of spooky legends.

That mix gives the tour more substance than a standard pub crawl. You get drinks, but you also get context. The supernatural material is set beside documented events such as plague outbreaks, executions, the dissolution of monasteries, and the history of Newgate Prison.

The 4.9 rating from 38 reviews and 97 percent recommendation figure suggest that the strongest part is the guiding. Arthur receives repeated praise for his storytelling, enthusiasm, local suggestions, and ability to answer questions beyond the basic route. His style appears conversational rather than scripted, which suits a small group but can affect the timing.

Meeting at the Barbican at 2:30 pm

The tour begins at Underground Ltd on Aldersgate Street, near Barbican, at 2:30 pm. The location is close to public transport, so it is a practical starting point if you are already visiting the City or arriving by Underground.

The opening section covers the Barbican from Roman times to today. You also hear about a secret beneath its walls. This gives the tour an early sense of place before the first drink, and it helps explain why this part of London has so many layers beneath modern buildings.

The starting area is useful for another reason: you are not thrown straight into a pub. You begin with the history of the district, then gradually move into stories of spirits, crime, disease, and death. That order should suit you if you want the setting explained before the ghost tales begin.

The group limit matters here. With no more than 14 people, you should have a better chance of hearing details in narrow streets and asking questions without shouting across a crowd. One booking even became a private tour because nobody else had joined, though that is not something you should count on.

Sutton Arms: your first haunted pub

The Sutton Arms is the first pub stop, and a half-pint of beer of your choice is included. A soft drink can serve as the equivalent if you do not drink alcohol.

You have about 40 minutes here, making it one of the longer stops. That gives you time to settle in, listen to the pub story, and get acquainted with the group. The tour is described as a good way to meet people with similar interests, and a shared table or bar stop is a natural place for conversation.

Sunday bookings work differently. The group visits the Sutton Arms from outside and has a drink at the Fox & Anchor instead. That is worth checking before you book if the first pub is a major reason for choosing the experience.

The included half-pint adds some value to the $102.83 price, but it does not cover the later drinks. Expect to buy a beverage at the Rising Sun and Viaduct Tavern, generally around £2.50 to £6.50 per drink. Your total cost will therefore be higher than the advertised tour price.

Charterhouse Square and the Black Death

After the first pub, the route turns to Charterhouse Square. The guide explains the Black Death and its devastating effect on medieval London during a 20-minute stop.

This is where the tour’s historical side becomes especially useful. The subject is not treated as a vague backdrop for ghost stories. You get a clearer sense of how disease shaped the city and why stories of death, burial, and unsettled spirits remain attached to these streets.

The walk around Charterhouse also gives you a break from the pub atmosphere. That variety is one of the tour’s strengths. You are not spending three hours moving from bar to bar. The pubs act as anchors for a broader walk through London’s past.

Charterhouse and the fate of its monks

The Charterhouse is the City’s last surviving monastic building, and the stop focuses on the gruesome fate of its monks. The visit lasts about 10 minutes, so expect a concise explanation rather than a full tour of the complex.

This is one of the stops that can be easy to miss on your own. The surrounding City can feel modern and office-heavy, yet the Charterhouse preserves a direct link to medieval religious life and the upheaval that followed.

The short timing is both a strength and a limitation. You get another atmospheric location without spending too long in one place, but you may want to return separately if you have a strong interest in the building itself.

Cloth Fair and St. Bartholomew the Great

Cloth Fair once hosted the notorious Bartholomew Fair. It was also home to a pub where condemned criminals were given their last pints before execution, and it contains London’s oldest house.

This compact street packs several layers of the tour together: trade, entertainment, punishment, old buildings, and pub culture. It is the kind of stop where Arthur’s broader knowledge can add value, since the site connects more than one strand of London history.

The next stop is the Church of St. Bartholomew the Great, described as London’s oldest surviving parish church. Its founder, Rahere, is associated with a ghost story, and the church has appeared in films such as Four Weddings and a Funeral, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Shakespeare in Love, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, The Other Boleyn Girl, Sherlock Holmes, Avengers: Age of Ultron, and Transformers: The Last Knight.

Admission is free, though donations are welcome. For many people, this will be one of the tour’s best stops even if the ghosts do not convince them. The age, architecture, and film connections give you plenty to look at while the guide tells the story.

The Rising Sun and the Resurrection Men

At the Rising Sun, the focus shifts to the Resurrection Men, who were involved in the trade in human bodies. You are expected to buy a drink, and it is not included.

The pub visit lasts about 30 minutes. It is one of the main moments for atmosphere, so you should be ready to pay for a beverage even if you are not drinking alcohol. The tour description gives an expected range of roughly £2.50 to £6.50 per drink at the pubs.

This stop will suit you if you like your ghost stories tied to uncomfortable historical facts. It is not just a tale of a haunted room. The subject connects medical practice, grave robbing, and the value placed on human remains in earlier periods.

Smithfield Market and the execution ground

Smithfield Market is visited from outside operating hours. Its history reaches back more than a thousand years, and the site was also one of London’s major execution grounds.

The stories here are grim. Traitors were hung, drawn, and quartered. Heretics were burned at the stake. Poisoners were boiled alive. The market’s long connection with meat and death gives the stop an especially dark atmosphere, though the tour presents it as historical context rather than a theatrical scare show.

The visit lasts about 10 minutes. That is enough to explain the setting and its importance, but not enough for an extended look at market operations. Because the market is visited outside operating hours, you should not expect a working-market experience.

The nearby Church of St. Bartholomew the Less receives a brief five-minute visit. It is small but beautiful, and its inclusion helps show how many significant religious buildings are packed into this corner of London.

St. Bartholomew’s Hospital and Cock Lane

The route continues to the Baroque courtyard of St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, England’s oldest hospital. The courtyard is associated with three ghosts, and the stop lasts about five minutes.

This is a good example of the tour’s value beyond pubs. You are seeing a historic institutional space that is easy to pass without understanding. The guide connects the building to the people who lived, worked, suffered, and died there.

Cock Lane follows, with stories including Scratching Fanny. The stop is also about five minutes, so you will hear the essential tale and move on. Short stops like this keep the route moving, but they may leave you wishing for more time if a particular story catches your interest.

One practical point: the route covers many sites, but the walking is not described as especially strenuous. Still, wear comfortable shoes. You are on your feet for about three hours, with repeated stops in streets, churches, and pubs.

From Newgate Prison to the Viaduct Tavern

The Old Bailey section explains how the courthouse emerged from the ruins of Newgate Prison. You also hear about the Black Dog of Newgate, one of the route’s more memorable ghost stories.

The final pub is the Viaduct Tavern, often considered one of London’s most haunted pubs. It was built on the ruins of Newgate Prison, which gives the stop a strong connection to the earlier stories of crime, punishment, and execution.

A drink here is not included. On Sundays, the group visits the pub from outside and has a drink at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese on Fleet Street instead. The Sunday adjustment means you still get a historic pub stop, but not the same venue or setting.

The advertised tour lasts about three hours. One important practical warning is that the guide’s storytelling can make the schedule flexible. Arthur is praised for answering questions and sharing restaurant recommendations, social history, and extra London facts, but one party had to leave before the final pub because the tour ran over. If you have a dinner reservation or evening theater booking, leave a generous buffer.

What the $102.83 price includes

The price is high for a three-hour walking tour, so value depends on what you want from the experience. You are paying for a small group, a guide-led route through several historic sites, entry to the included church stops, and a half-pint at the first pub.

You are not paying for a museum-style series of admissions. Most stops are viewed from public areas or have free admission. The value comes from the route and the explanation: finding places that are easy to overlook, understanding their connections, and hearing the stories in the locations where they unfolded.

You should budget extra for at least two drinks. The later pub purchases are expected, and the supplied estimate of £2.50 to £6.50 each gives you a reasonable guide. Group discounts are available, though the exact saving is not specified.

For a history-minded visitor who would otherwise spend hours wandering the City without context, the price can make sense. For someone who mainly wants inexpensive drinks and quick ghost stories, it may feel steep.

Who will enjoy this tour most

I would choose this experience if you like:

• London history with a macabre edge
• Old churches, courtyards, and streets away from the main sights
• Traditional pubs with a strong sense of place
• Film locations, especially Shakespeare in Love and Skyfall
• Small groups and conversational guiding
• A tour that allows questions and side stories

It is less suitable if you need a strict finish time, dislike walking between several short stops, or want every moment to take place inside a pub. It is also not a pure paranormal investigation. The strongest material is the combination of documented history, local folklore, and atmospheric places.

Arthur is a major part of the experience. The feedback repeatedly highlights his warmth, energy, history background, beer guidance, restaurant suggestions, and ability to discuss wider English and London society. The same free-flowing approach can produce extra value for curious people, though it may frustrate you if you prefer a tight script.

Practical details before you book

The tour is offered in English and accepts mobile tickets. Confirmation is sent within 48 hours, subject to availability. Most people can participate, and the group maximum is 14.

The starting point is Underground Ltd, Aldersgate Street, Barbican, London EC1A 4JA. The tour ends somewhere different from the starting point, at or near the final pub stop. Plan your onward journey after the tour rather than assuming you will finish back at Barbican.

Free cancellation is available up to 24 hours before the start time. Cancellations or changes made within 24 hours are not refunded, and the experience may be rescheduled or refunded if the minimum number of participants is not reached.

Bring a coat or rain gear if the forecast calls for it. The route uses outdoor streets as well as indoor pubs and churches, and comfortable footwear will make the afternoon easier.

Should you book The Haunted Pubs of Old London?

Book it if you want a personal, history-heavy walk through an overlooked part of London, with real pubs and genuine old buildings along the way. The small group, the unusual route, and Arthur’s storytelling are the strongest reasons to go.

Skip it if your priority is a short, tightly timed pub crawl or a low-cost activity. The $102.83 price does not include later drinks, Sunday venues change, and the flexible storytelling may push the finish past the three-hour estimate.

For the right audience, this is less about chasing proof of ghosts and more about seeing how London’s darkest stories cling to its streets, churches, hospitals, and pubs. That is a good reason to book it early, especially since it averages 42 days of advance booking.

FAQ

Where does the tour start?

It starts at Underground Ltd on Aldersgate Street, near Barbican, London EC1A 4JA.

What time does the tour begin?

The tour starts at 2:30 pm.

How long does the tour last?

It lasts approximately three hours, though the timing may be flexible because of questions and extended storytelling.

How large is the group?

The maximum group size is 14 people.

Is a drink included?

A half-pint of beer, or an equivalent soft drink, is included at the first pub. You are expected to purchase drinks at the other pubs.

How much do drinks cost?

The stated price range is about £2.50 to £6.50 per drink, depending on your choice.

What happens on Sundays?

On Sundays, the Sutton Arms and Viaduct Tavern are visited from outside. The group has a drink at the Fox & Anchor instead of the Sutton Arms and at Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese instead of the Viaduct Tavern.

Is admission to St. Bartholomew the Great included?

Admission is free. Donations are welcome.

Can I cancel for a refund?

Yes. You can cancel at least 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Cancellations or changes within 24 hours are not refunded.