Dotted around the City of London are a number of very grand buildings, and while normally private, some are open to the public if you book a tour. These are the Livery Halls, built for the ancient city guilds, in part for guild business, but also as halls to hire out for functions.
Today the Livery Halls are still operational, and if so minded, most of the Livery Companies that own a hall will hire it out to you for corporate events, weddings and the like
However, the following companies also offer public tours of their Livery Halls:
Armourers & Brasiers’ Company
(c) Armourers & Brasiers’ Company
A striking Georgian building in the neo-Palladian style, it contains a host of beautiful and fascinating artefacts acquired during its long history.
Minimum number: 20 people
Cost: From £15 per person
Dates: Monday or Friday mornings from 11am but other days and times can be negotiated.
Additional notes: Tea, coffee and biscuits are provided as part of the package at the outset. Sandwiches and drinks can also be arranged at lunchtime or in the evening for groups who wish to combine a tour with a meal
The Carpenters’ Company
(c) The Carpenters’ Company
The third Hall, which still stands today, was built following an air raid in 1941. At least 18 different kinds of wood were used throughout the building, which was intended to act as a showcase for the craft of carpentry.
Minimum number: 15 people per tour
Cost: £6 per person
Dates: By enquiry.
Additional notes: Each tour lasts approximately 1 hour 30 minutes and includes refreshments.
The Clothworkers’ Company
(c) The Clothworkers’ Company
Minimum number: 10 to 40 (smaller groups may be asked to combine)
Cost: Suggested donation of £100 per group.
Dates: Check website.
Additional notes: Each tour lasts approximately one hour and fifteen minutes and usually takes place on a Friday.
The Worshipful Company of Cutlers
(c) The Worshipful Company of Cutlers
Minimum number: 6 people – max is 25 people.
Cost: £18 per person
Dates: September & February 2022
Additional notes: All tours are led by The Beadle, the Ceremonial Officer of the Company. Photographs may be taken but for personal use only. The Company retains all copyrights and wider publication is not permitted.
The Drapers’ Company
(c) The Drapers’ Company
One of the grandest of the Livery Halls, Drapers’ Hall was rebuilt in 1772 after a fire which did considerable damage and, in the 1860s, the frontage was changed and the interior altered by Herbert Williams.
Minimum number: None, but small groups will be combined into a larger one.
Cost: There is no formal charge for tours, but visitors are asked to make a donation to the Company’s charitable work.
Dates: By enquiry.
Additional notes: There are no tours between the end of July and mid-September when the Hall undergoes maintenance work.
The Fishmongers’ Company
(c) The Fishmongers’ Company
A Grade I listed Hall on the north bank of the Thames at London Bridge, devastated in WW2 but restored to its former glory.
Minimum number: None, but groups can be combined to make up numbers
Cost: £15 per person
Dates: By enquiry.
Additional notes: The Hall is closed to visitors annually between the end of July and mid September for maintenance work.
The Goldsmiths’ Company
Goldsmiths’ Hall (c) ianVisits
A large grand hall near St Paul’s Cathedral, its small doorway hides a richly decorated building.
Minimum number: None.
Cost: £5 per person
Dates: Announced on their website
Additional notes: Tours need to be booked a long time in advance as they sell out very quickly when announced. At time of writing, fully booked until 2021.
The Salters’ Company
(c) The Salters’ Company
A Grade II listed but very modern building with a magnificent ash paneled main hall.
Minimum number: 10 people with a max of 30 people.
Cost: Free (£5 per person if refreshments wanted)
Dates: Tues-Thur at 11am or 2pm – send them 3 suggetsed dates or months and they will confirm.
Additional notes: They do not take provisional bookings so once you have confirmed they will send you a confirmation letter.
The Skinners’ Company
(c) The Skinners’ Company
A scheduled Ancient Monument, with an unrivalled collection of art, artefacts and historic furniture.
Minimum number: None.
Cost: £7.50
Dates: On their website, but just three tours per year – so booking now for 2020.
Additional notes: Book via their website, payment by bank transfer or cheque.
The Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers
(c) The Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers
Tours start in the neighbouring church to include the private garden, then the main livery hall rooms – including the post Great Fire of London main hall.
Minimum number: None, small numbers usually grouped into a larger tour.
Cost: £10
Dates: Check their website
Additional notes: Usually finishes with tea in the Stock Room.
The Tallow Chandlers Company
(c) The Tallow Chandlers Company
One of the early grand livery halls, the main hall dates from 1868, while some of the side rooms are even older. They don’t offer many tours, and usually only to organised groups.
Minimum number: Not specified, up to 25 per tour.
Cost: £6 per person (extra if refreshments are requested)
Dates: Mondays at 2pm — enquire for availability.
Additional notes: Individuals can go in, by joining a walking tour from Secret London Walking Tours
Mansion House
(c) Mansion House
It’s not a Livery Hall in the conventional sense, but it’s built along the same lines, and offers weekly tours of the impressive grand halls where the Lord Mayor reigns supreme.
Minimum number: None.
Cost: £9.50 per person
Dates: Tuesdays at 2pm
Additional notes: Book tickets via their website directly.
Trinity House
(c) Trinity House
Also not a Livery Hall in the conventional sense, but similar in design and worth a visit. Never used to offer tours, but now they take groups around typically twice per month.
Minimum number: None.
Cost: £10 per person
Dates: 3pm, on dates selected via their website.
Additional notes: Book tickets via their website directly.
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Also, a number of Livery Halls are open to the public on special days. Most are open during Open House Weekend, and some during the London Festival of Architecture.
Open House Weekend
The details will vary each year, but typically the following Halls will be open over the weekend. You should either buy the guide in advance, or check their website in early August.
Apothecaries’ Hall
A courtyard building with some of the best-preserved 17C livery hall interiors, on the site of the Blackfriars Priory on which the original hall burnt down in 1666.
Carpenters’ Hall
Livery Hall first built in 1429, much altered then demolished and rebuilt in 1880, destroyed in 1941 except for external walls. Designed as a showpiece for the craft of carpentry, the third Hall on the site.
Chartered Accountants’ Hall
Late Victorian neo-Baroque building with modern-style 1970 extensions supporting 5 stories of offices over the Great Hall.
Drapers’ Hall
Livery hall first built in the 1530s, twice destroyed by fire and rebuilt (1666 & 1772). Late 19C façade and opulent Victorian interior.
Fishmongers’ Hall
Fishmongers’ Hall is a rare example of a Greek Revival town building featuring an arcaded granite base and a riverside terrace. Designed by the architect Henry Roberts (1831-5), a student of Sir Robert Smirke, the Hall’s classical simplicity is
contrasted by the magnificence of its interior rooms.
Haberdashers’ Hall
Opened by the Queen in 2002 as one of the first new livery halls in the Square Mile for nearly 40 years, this is a brick building with traditional lime mortar and handsome lead roof, standing around a peaceful courtyard. American oak panelling
and old artefacts and pictures provide internal finishes.
Stationers’ Hall
C17 livery hall with courtroom and garden. Oak panelling and stained glass windows. Only lightly damaged in WW2.
Trinity House
Fine late Georgian exterior with interior painstakingly reconstructed after destruction by incendiary bomb in 1940. Good fittings, statues and works of art from original building.
Watermen’s Hall
Only remaining Georgian Hall in the City of London, and example of domestic architecture of the period.
Wax Chandlers’ Hall
The sixth livery hall to be built on a site owned by the Company since 1501. 1958 building stands on part of 1854 hall largely destroyed in WWII. East wall recently refaced. Completely refurbished and remodelled internally 2006/7.
London Festival of Architecture 2019
Drapers- Hall – 12th June 2019 – Entry is free, book here.
Salters’ Hall – 25th June 2019 – Entry is free, seems to be just turn up.
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If I missed any, add them in the comments below:
Updated 4th Oct 2022: Added in details for Cutlers’ Hall.
Thanks for researching this – super useful article. I pass a lot of these halls on my way to work and wondered if they open to the public