Old Portsmouth Historical Walking Tour
About this activity
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Experience Highlights
Embark on a dark and fascinating journey on this historic walking tour of Old Portsmouth, where you'll discover the most fiendish legends and sinister characters that have populated its streets over the past 900 years.
The 1 hour 30 minute tour is led by a local guide who is an expert in Portsmouth history and is conducted in English. The meeting point is in front of the Landport Gate and the tour ends at the Bridge Tavern.
- Book now and discover the dark side of Portsmouth.
- Explore corners of Portsmouth that history books omit.
- Experience diabolical legends in every street and tower.
What’s included
- 1 h 30 min walking tour with local English speaking guide
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Step by Step
Enter one of England's oldest walled cities and delve into an Old Portsmouth that few know about. You'll start at the historic Landport Gate, the only surviving original entrance, where your guide will challenge you to enter this 'hellish lair of fiendish demons'.
As you walk through the cobbled streets, stop at the imposing Portsmouth Cathedral, where you'll discover secret connections to the 'chaplain' Thomas Becket and ancient occult rituals. Further on, you will be amazed by the Royal Garrison Church, the famous "open-air church" that only the damned dared to approach.
The tour continues to the Round Tower, built in medieval times and nicknamed "hot walls" because of the legends of bonfires and sorcery that took place here. You will cross over to the mythical Spice Island, among mills and taverns, where sailors tried their luck... and sometimes never returned.
Before ending at the evocative Bridge Tavern, you'll pass Clarence Pier, now a place of attractions, but once the scene of horrors and crime. Each stop combines anecdotes, myths and historical facts, making this tour a haunting and captivating experience for travellers and locals alike.
