Art and Architectural Tours

On-and-off the beaten track locations for an insight to spark your imagination...for further information on any of the suggested tours below or to discuss your own specific requirements please contact us at info@morethangoodmanners.com

MEDIEVAL LONDON: STORIES IN STONE

While many medieval buildings were lost to the catastrophic fire of 1666, the few that remain illustrate the mysterious and spiritual nature of medieval London. We will visit Smithfield’s St Bartholomew the Great, the ancient Catholic church of St Ethelreda’s, and the curious Knight’s Templar church of St Mary.

SEVEN MASTERPIECES: 16TH CENTURY ITALIAN ART IN THE NATIONAL GALLERY AND V&A

London has a huge amount of 16th century Italian art. This was a time when humanism was at its peak, the Vatican and northern courts were using art for political propaganda, and artists became key members of society. On this day we will see works by Michelangelo, Raphael, Bronzino, Titian, Tintoretto, Correggio and Giambologna.

PHOENIX FROM THE FLAMES: WREN AND HAWKSMOOR CITY CHURCHES

The calamitous Great Fire of London heralded a unique period of opportunity. Wren and Hawksmoor were the main protagonists of this era. Through their City churches and revolutionary English Baroque style we will learn about one of the most fascinating architectural projects in European history.

THE GLORIES OF GREENWICH

After a boat ride down the river Thames we will find Greenwich to be stuffed full of art, architecture and science. It boasts Inigo Jones, Wren, Webb, ‘Athenian’ Stuart, West, Thornhill, Hogarth and Van de Velde. In Wren’s Observatory we will discover the secrets of longitude and Harrison’s clocks, as well as the meaning of Greenwich Mean Time.

RUBENS IN LONDON: THE BANQUETING HOUSE AND NATIONAL GALLERY

The Apotheosis of James I (James VI of Scotland) by Rubens is one of London’s most important painting cycles. It was commissioned by Charles I for Inigo Jones’ revolutionary Banqueting House – the site of Charles’ 1649 execution. Rubens and his celebrated pupil Van Dyck continue to amaze us in the nearby National Gallery of London.

REMBRANDT: ATMOSPHERE, PRESENCE AND LIGHT

We will start in the National Gallery looking at Titian, Caravaggio and Rubens. We will then study Rembrandt’s dramatic and powerful works, which reveal a fascinating biography of his life and ever changing artistic style. After lunch we will visit his staggering etchings in the British Museum, which changed the face of this medium forever.

GEORGIAN LONDON: THE GREAT AND THE GOOD

This day explores Georgian London and four of its most fabulous men: architect and collector extraordinaire John Soane; philanthropist and founder of the Foundling Hospital Thomas Coram; painter and satirist William Hogarth; and the great German composer George Frederick Handel. We will visit the Foundling Museum, Handel House and the Soane Museum.

VICTORIAN ECLECTIC ARCHITECTURE

Victorian artistic taste was eclectic, diverse and beautiful. We will visit the Byzantine Westminster Catholic Cathedral, the Gothic Revival Palace of Westminster, the Arts & Crafts All Saints Margaret Street and the Middle Eastern Leighton House Museum.

WREN TO ROGERS: SQUARE MILE ARCHITECTURE

In the architecturally thrilling square mile City of London, modern constantly backs onto old. We will study the histories, techniques, difficulties and impacts of three of London’s most iconic buildings: Wren’s St Paul’s Cathedral, Roger’s Lloyd’s Building and Foster’s Gherkin.

THE SOUTHBANK: THE FESTIVAL OF BRITAIN AND MODERNISM

The Southbank is an essay in modernism. The Royal Festival Hall, the lasting legacy of the 1951 Festival of Britain, is a surprisingly beautiful building that needs close attention. We will also visit the nearby iconic National Theatre, the Golden Jubilee and Millennium bridges, and the wealth of public modernist sculpture in the area.