Overview
Whitehall is shorthand for the civil service, for the administrative function of government and for its sometimes uncomfortable intersection with politics. It is also, of course, a street. The name migrated from a palace located here, the main royal residence of the Tudor and Stuart dynasties and the largest princely residence in Europe. With adjacent streets and precincts, this slice of London between Trafalgar Square and the Palace of Westminster can be claimed to be the most historically significant half mile in England.
The architectural legacy is of commensurate importance. Inigo Jones's Banqueting House, Kent's Horseguards, Barry and Pugin's Houses of Parliament, Scott's Foreign Office, Shaw's Scotland Yard and many other fascinating buildings, both grand and domestic, crowd into the district. The footprint of the largely invisible Whitehall Palace is intriguingly omnipresent.
The area has been at the centre of English political life for a thousand years, and as, fortuitously, one of the broadest streets in central London it is a processional way for state occasions and the route of protest marches, and an arena for memorial statues and for Remembrance Sunday. Behind the walls as we stare at them discussions and decision-making will be taking place which will affect us all.
Led by an architectural historian, the primary focus is on the buildings and their changes over time. But the history of a nation – and of an empire – is woven into the physical fabric, and commentary will touch upon events past and recent, people historical and contemporary.
Start and finish
Westminster Underground Station, 9.45am & 5.00pm.
Price
£220, including refreshments and lunch.
More information about Culture Days gift vouchers.
Group size
Maximum 18 participants.
Dietary requirements
Please tell us at the time of booking if you have a preference for vegan, vegetarian, fish or meat
Fitness
Walking: nearly 4 miles. Our normal indication of the fitness required is that you should be able to walk at about 3 mph for at least an hour at a time. There are three refreshment breaks, and the terrain is flat.
Are you fit enough to join the tour?
Cancellation
We will return the full amount if you notify us 22 or more days before the event. We will retain 50% if cancellation is made within three weeks and 100% if within three days. Please put your cancellation in writing to info@martinrandall.co.uk. We advise taking out insurance in case of cancellation and recommend that overseas clients are also covered for possible medical and repatriation costs.
