On this 4-night and 5-day tour we journey into the capital’s turbulent past - where alleyways, royal palaces, prisons, squares, and parliamentary chambers have witnessed some of the most dramatic acts of defiance in British history. London has always been more than a seat of power; it has also been a crucible of challenge, conflict, and change. Across the centuries, rebels, radicals, citizens, and outsiders have risen up here to confront authority, demand rights, or reshape society - sometimes peacefully, often violently, and always with lasting consequences.

From the focal points of revolt at the Tower of London and Parliament Square, to the flash points of Cable Street and Brixton, and the secret hideouts of Cato Street, this tour explores the places where revolt and protest developed and where society struggles, and continues to struggle, to bring about change. 

London is a city built on power—dynastic, political, and economic—but it has been equally shaped by resistance. For nearly a millennium, its streets, prisons, and neighbourhoods have witnessed uprisings, conspiracies, community defiance, and radical ideas. From medieval rebels to modern protesters, London has never submitted quietly.

In the Middle Ages, the Tower of London, built to command the capital, became a lightning rod for popular anger. During the Peasants’ Revolt (1381), thousands surged towards it in a mass protest against oppression. Just decades later, Jack Cade’s Rebellion (1450) briefly seized control of London, demanding fair governance and reform.

Early modern London saw dissent take new forms. At the Houses of Parliament, the Gunpowder Plot (1605) came close to destroying the government outright. In the radical climate shaped by the French Revolution the 19th century produced fresh threats as shown by the Cato Street Conspiracy (1820), a plot to bring down the government.

Working‑class districts have long been centres of resistance. The Battle of Cable Street (1936) halted fascism in the East End, while the Brixton Riots (1981) exposed deep racial and social tensions. Political violence—as with the assassination of Airey Neave (1979) and attacks on Downing Street (1991) —has frequently reached the heart of government. In recent years Parliament Square has been the focus for particularly large protests demonstrating that London is a city continually challenged and reshaped by its people.

Day 1 Arrival: Rebellious Citizens of London: Meet midday at our London hotel for a light buffet lunch and introductory talk by our expert historian. Travel to the Tower of London where we explore revolt in Medieval London including the Peasants Revolt and Jack Cade’s Rebellion. Return via Great Rising of 1381 Memorial near Smithfield. Hotel in London – 4 nights. (L, D).

Day 2 Religion and Revolt: We travel to Westminster, heart of government in Britain for over 900 years which has, unsurprisingly, developed as a febrile epicentre for protest and revolt. Outside the Palace of Westminster we discuss the Gunpowder Plot (1605), the most audacious religiously inspired attempt in British history to eliminate the Monarch and Lords. Here at Old Palace Yard, we view the execution site of Guy Fawkes and other plotters. Tension between Catholic and Protestant communities also led to the Gordon Riots (1780), a week of serious unrest during which rioters gained access to the Parliamentary chamber.

Our afternoon is spent in Clerkenwell where we explore the site of the Spa Fields Riots (1816) another incident of serious unrest provoked by dire economic circumstances and the involvement of Radical speakers like Henry ‘Orator’ Hunt. (B, D)

Day 3 The Struggle for Reform and London Uprisings: We start the day at Kennington Park, roughly the site of the huge Chartist demonstration of 1848 which attracted over 50,000 people. We return to the Reform Club where we discuss the movement for Parliamentary Reform and the Great Reform Act (1832), central to public agitation in the nineteenth century.

In the afternoon we journey to Whitechapel to explore the events of Sunday 4 October 1936 when supporters of the British Union of Fascists clashed with police in Cable Street. Our guide will point out the location of the barricades erected by anti- Fascist protestors in what was one of the capital’s most serious and bitter disturbances. (B, D)

Day 4 The Brixton Riots: this morning we travel to Brixton in south London for a guided walk of the events of April 1981 when mainly black youths clashed with police in some of the country’s worse race riots. Our guide will show us the main sites of these events including the Ritzy Cinema, the Windsor Castle Pub and Railton and Atlantic roads. But moreover we will learn about the potent mix of racial tension, unemployment and deep social problems that precipitated these events.

Our final afternoon explores the role of terrorism in London’s recent history where through visits to some of the key sites we examine the causes of the incidents, the individuals involved and the outcomes of these terrible events. Our visits will include Trafalgar Square, the Balcombe Street Siege, the 7/7 Tavistock Square memorial, London Bridge and Borough Market. (B, D)

Day 5 Archival visit: On our last morning we will enjoy an archive visit to view documents, letters and objects relating to revolt and rebellion in the capital. Venue to be confirmed. Return to our hotel and disperse early afternoon. (B)