Never Mind the Bollards, Here's the Walking Tour

This walking tour aims to tell a number of stories across central London though one of it’s most abundant and unnoticed elements of street furniture; the humble bollard. Standing proud on our pavements, these posts carry peculiar stories, protect buildings of historic significance, and come in an array of beautiful shapes and sizes. Come along to learn more about our streets’ cast iron compatriots.

What to expect: The tour will start at a row of bollards marking the short-lived Brunswick Theatre, before heading West into The City of London and up through its financial district until we reach the end point at The Barbican’s Pedways, where the mid-century utopian vision of separating pedestrians from vehicles removed the need for bollards in the building of post-war Britain. Along the journey you can expect examples of ornately designed bollards by the City of London Corporation, tales of cannons, anti-terrorism measures, some of England’s most well-known authors’ favourite churchyards, and posts that move in the night.

Practicalities: The tour will last around two hours – please wear suitable shoes for walking, and weather appropriate clothing.