Harry Clayton

I have lived in London for the past 35 years and I love the excitement, vibrancy and variety of this extraordinary city. I have a degree in Medieval and Modern History and for over twenty years I have taught History in a central London independent school, taking advantage of our local museums, galleries and palaces to help bring the subject to life.
Now as a professional Blue Badge Guide, I want to help bring this city to life for you, our visitors, in terms of its colourful history and its contemporary delights. I enjoy guiding in London’s major tourist sites, such as Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s Cathedral and the Tower of London, as well as exploring the ‘hidden gems’ off the beaten track, in areas such as Mayfair, St James’s, Soho, Southwark, Bloomsbury and the City of London. I would love to create a bespoke tour to fit in with your wishes, and will combine walking tours, site visits and use of public transport to ensure that you get the most out of your time in London.
I have special interest in World War Two London and the Blitz; Royal London; London in the English Civil War and Medieval London. I have two tours of the recently opened National Portrait Gallery; the Women of Influence tour looks at the portraits and the stories of up to twenty inspiring and influential women, between the sixteenth and twentieth centuries. The 'Rehanging the British Conscience' tour focuses on those people who have until now been invisible in British History. I am also very happy to show you around the highlights of the fabulous National Gallery
I have also developed a tour of the highlights of Street Art in Shoreditch and Spitalfields, combining a close look at contemporary street art with the area's colourful social history.
I enjoy guiding individuals, small groups and families. I really look forward to hearing from you.
Some reviews of my tours:
- "One of the highlights of a week in London. Harry, our guide couldn’t have been more knowledgeable or passionate about this period in history. My husband, a history fanatic, was on the edge of his “seat” the entire time." RO April 2025
- "This was quite possibly the most informative, enjoyable and worthwhile London tour we have ever taken. Saw sites, heard stories, and learned history we certainly never would have found otherwise. Harry was wonderfully friendly, entertaining, and knowledgeable. We would love to do a tour with him again." DB March 2025
- "Harry was fantastic for our Churchill Novice Family. Answered all our questions. Asked us questions. Gave great recommendations for after the tour. Highly recommend." DL February 2025
- "Harry was the perfect guide for two people who study history, sharing several great stories and insights along the tour while navigating us through the throngs effortlessly. Thank you, Harry!" PK December 2024
- "Harry was fabulous and the tour was fascinating. As is so routinely the case, we could not have reproduced 10% of the tour experience on our own if we had worked on it extensively. Having knowledgeable, engaging, and fun guides is a wonderful gift and Harry was exactly that." SL October 2024
- "Harry was fantastic! Incredibly knowledgeable and got an immediate feel for what we were interested in. Great conversationalist, and the tour was the perfect way to be introduced to all the main sites without getting bogged down with other tourists or having to wait in a long queue. It was the perfect approachable, yet boutique, experience that we were looking for!" AP October 2024
- "We had an incredible experience touring the Churchill War Rooms with our expert guide, Harry. His deep knowledge and passion for history brought every room to life, making the stories of Churchill and his team even more compelling. Harry's engaging storytelling and attention to detail truly enhanced the experience, allowing us to feel immersed in the history of World War II. It was an unforgettable tour that I highly recommend to anyone interested in history or wanting to understand more about this pivotal moment in time." WM August 2024
- "We loved our Tower of London tour! Our wonderful guide Harry was fantastic with kids and adults alike; he provided a perfect amount of history, fun stories, and facts. Highly recommend." RM July 2024
- "Harry is the quintessential expert on English history as well as Westminster Abbey. While we knew a lot of English history, we learned even more from Harry in the context of learning about Westminster Abbey. Harry made our tour easy, relaxed and an unique learning experience." JC June 2024
- "I believe my husband, Tom, has already sent our review, but I will emphasize that Harry was a marvelous guide. Our only regret was that we didn't have more time to spend with this very knowledgable guide. We couldn't have been more pleased." TC June 2024
- "Harry was excellent and did a great job making it age appropriate for my teens! Incredibly engaging! He made them characters in the story which really made them come alive! We did Tower of London with him today and easily could have done more tours if we could afford more than one a trip!" EJ April 2024
- "This was a great intro walking tour! Harry was an amazing tour guide. He was very engaging with both the adults and kids and provided an ourstanding overview of London which set the stage for the rest of our visit. Probably the best tour guide we have ever had!" JF March 2024
- "Our guide Harry was fantastic and customized our tour perfectly for my family!" JC March 2024
- "Harry was fantastic! It was an amazing day and Harry was a great guide. He was incredibly knowledgeable and had a good sense of humour. Please extend our sincere thanks for a wonderful time spent in London." EM February 2024
- "We loved our Westminster Abbey tour! Harry was fantastic - knowledgeable, funny, and easy to talk to. It was just a wonderful morning - we could have stayed another 3 hours!" KH January 2024
- “Wow, wow, wow! Best guides we’ve ever had on a trip. I’d like to give you names in case you don’t have them so that you can pass along my praise to the right people plus request these guides specifically for future clients”. KB December 2023 to Agent.
- “Definitely one of the best tours I ever had. We learned a lot about the history of London and its most important people, thank you Harry” LJS December 2023
- “Harry, our London city guide, was terrific. I could see our returning to London and requesting more of Harry” SK November 2023.
- “Our guide Harry read the room perfectly. Our group of nine was a mixed bag of ages, attention span, physical ability and interest in history. Harry managed to find the sweet spot and every one of us enjoyed this tour” BA October 2023
- “He was superb, knowledgeable, and caring. We would highly recommend him for any tour of London” AC October 2023
- “If we had the chance, we would book every tour that Harry gives! He was absolutely exceptional. So knowledgeable, but also fun and highly personable. We learned so much and had the best time” NH September 2023
- “Great tour for laying the foundation for your visit to London. You will walk to just about every major attraction in town and in addition receive a deeper understanding of the history of England. Having a history professor as a guide was a real bonus. Wear some comfortable shoes, you'll get your steps in” GC September 2023
- “Harry was an excellent guide. The war rooms were fascinating and it felt like you were stepping back in time” SC September 2023
- “Harry was wonderful! Knowledgeable and professional while making it fun and interesting for the entire family! We all loved it!” CH July 2023
- “Harry was fabulous and great at engaging the kids and everyone in our little group” LB July 2023
- “The tour was excellent! Harry did a fantastic job of delivering the highlights and history of the Tower London in a way that was child-friendly—but we still learned a lot and our children loved it. They really enjoyed Harry’s stories, as did my husband and I. Harry was friendly and knowledgeable. We’d highly recommend Harry and this tour!” JM June 2023
Languages
EnglishTop 5 Specialities
London Street Art Tour
The City of London Tour
Tower of London Tour
Classic London Tour
Guide Calendar Last Update: 20th of April, 2025
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