The ianVisits guide to July's unusual events, tours, lectures and exhibitions happening around London.
Tuesday 1st July
Free
10:30am to 10:30pm
St James
Free
A walk around Holborn referenced in Samuel Pepys diary.
5:30pm to 7pm
Bloomsbury
What would a socially useful financial sector look like? Is it desirable?
Starts at 6pm
City of London
The Museum is lit by candlelight on the first Tuesday of each month, from 6 until 9pm.
6pm to 9pm
Robert Winston will ponder the question 'Shall we be human in the next century?’ in The Physiological Society’s 2014 summer lecture
6:15pm to 7:15pm
Pimlico
More London events on Tuesday 1st July
Wednesday 2nd July
What are the benefits to Scotland voting ‘Yes’? What are the costs if it does?
Starts at 6pm
City of London
More London events on Wednesday 2nd July
Thursday 3rd July
Free
City Beerfest brings beer, music, food and activities to the beautiful surroundings of Guildhall Yard.
3:30pm to 9pm
This lecture will discuss how changes brought about during periods of conflict created a lasting legacy long after peace had been declared.
5:30pm to 7:30pm
Southwark
Imagine a world without antibiotics, where basic operations and common infections become a major threat to humanity.
5:30pm to 7pm
Tooting
An factual romp through sexual desire, practises and deviance in the Victorian era with cultural historian Fern Riddell.
6pm to 8pm
Professor Jerry White, author of Zeppelin Nights: London in the First World War (Bodley Head), will give a talk.
Starts at 6:30pm
Hackney
More London events on Thursday 3rd July
Friday 4th July
Displays from Clowns International's Archive are on show in and around the Grimaldi corner of Holy Trinity Church.
12pm to 5pm
Hackney
Hour long tour of the legal Inns of Court includes visits to the Old Hall, Great Hall and Chapel,
2pm to 9pm
Holborn
More London events on Friday 4th July
Saturday 5th July
Free
Cultural festival and fete -- but also featuring a big Sci-Fi/Cult Film display this year.
tba
St Mary Cray
A deep bunker built underneath RAF Uxbridge, where the Battle of Britain was controlled from is now a museum of the events.
10am to 3pm
Hillingdon
The Bank of England will once again open its doors to the history and art in parts of the building usually inaccessible to the public.
10am to 4pm
City of London
This now almost annual event will again host vehicle displays, transport sales stands and a number of heritage vehicles running.
10:30am to 4pm
Potters Bar
A guided walking tour of the route of the lower reaches of one of London's major subterranean rivers.
11am to 2:30pm
Paddington
Free
A modern local fair based on an 18th century original.
11am to 6pm
Barkingside
This local amenity and conservation society welcomes visitors to view an exhibition on Lutyens designed buildings within the area,
11am to 4pm
Pimlico
Twice a year, the island opens up to the public and the studios open their doors to interested visitors.
11am to 6pm
Twickenham
A traditional local church summer fair to raise funds -- on the 150th anniversary of the building of the church.
12pm to 4pm
Pimlico South
Explore Bloomsbury’s Art Deco heritage, including Charles Holden’s Senate House, the former Daimler Car Hire garage and a reconverted petrol station.
2pm to 4pm
Russell Square
Monthly open day at one of London's more unusual, and delightful museums.
2pm to 5pm
A slightly secular recreation of the religious beating the bounds ceremony, around Nunhead.
2pm to 4:30pm
Peckham
36 Brockley Artists invite you to view their recent work during this 22nd Annual Open Studios Weekend.
2pm to 8pm
From dinosaurs to the tea maze, explore the legacy of a fine park with an intriguing history.
Starts at 2:30pm
More London events on Saturday 5th July
Sunday 6th July
Monthly opening of the museum inside the remains of Croydon Airport control tower
tba
Think gourmet food, community ping pong tables, a selection of children’s fairground rides - plus - a kids music and dance stage and a visiting Fair
All Day
Battersea
Open day at the hospital to show off what goes on within.
11am to 3:30pm
Orpington
Twice a year, the island opens up to the public and the studios open their doors to interested visitors.
11am to 6pm
Twickenham
From a secret passage, to a hidden garden, there is much the public doesn't usually see.
Starts at 12:16pm
Islington
36 Brockley Artists invite you to view their recent work during this 22nd Annual Open Studios Weekend.
2pm to 8pm
More London events on Sunday 6th July
Monday 7th July
Have you ever pulled a sicky or pretended to be ill? A medical actor does this on a daily basis.
5:30pm to 7pm
Tooting
A conversation between science writer and broadcaster Philip Ball, and Sian Ede, pioneer of the Gulbenkian Foundation's Art and Science programme.
Starts at 7:30pm
Whitechapel
More London events on Monday 7th July
Tuesday 8th July
No events are listed for today. Sorry.
More London events on Tuesday 8th July
Wednesday 9th July
A short procession in full ceremonial garb by the Worshipful Company of Vintners from their Livery Hall to the local church.
Starts at 11:30am
City of London
This talk will be given by Revds Rod Green and Giles Fouhy, and hosted by Revd Andy Rider.
1:05pm to 2:05pm
Whitechapel
Talk by Revds Rod Green and Giles Fouhy, hosted by Revd Andy Rider
1:05pm to 2pm
£5.00
Poems on the Underground launch their summer set of tube poems, celebrating the Dylan Thomas centenary with guest poets and musicians.
7pm to 8:30pm
More London events on Wednesday 9th July
Thursday 10th July
Guided tours all day, explaining the uses of the plants, their histories and stories about them.
10:30am to 4pm
Camden
Religion and immigration in Spitalfields, from the Huguenots to today.
1:05pm to 2pm
Whitechapel
Talk by Peter Guillery highlighting the forgotten housing of Spitalfields - the journeymen weavers' houses.
6:30pm to 7:30pm
Probably some sort of publicity stunt, but a 'waterscreen' will be sprayed into the air, and usually a video/image projected onto it.
Starts at 10:30pm
Southwark
More London events on Thursday 10th July
Friday 11th July
An occasional tour of Lambeth Palace in the company of an expert guide.
tba
Southwark
Visit Hawksmoor's masterpiece and find out if you're a Huguenots - the Huguenots Society will be on hand to talk to you.
10am to 4pm
Whitechapel
More London events on Friday 11th July
Saturday 12th July
TBA
This event will commemorate the 60th anniversary of the unveiling of the first Routemaster, RM1, at the Commercial Motor Show in September 1954.
All Day
Finsbury Park
An exhibition looking at changes to the city and the lives of Londoners as the country went to war.
9:30am to 4:45pm
20 scenic working railways from the UK, Russia, Germany, Japan and the USA.
10am to 5pm
New Cross
Free
An opportunity to visit a fine 18C Spitalfields interior with exhibits of hand- painted French Rouen silk velour pattern designs from the 1850s and 60
10am to 4pm
Whitechapel
Visit a Roman bath house and Anglo-Saxon cemetery for a weekend of archaeological activities for all the family.
11am to 4pm
£20.00
Annual games to celebrate British pastimes of brolly fights, gin drinking and general debauchery.
12pm to 9pm
Russell Square
A 75 minute guided walk around the area looking at the history of Brixton market.
Starts at 2:30pm
Stockwell
A special one and a half hour walk exploring the area’s more gruesome past with tales of murder, ghost stories and Count Dracul
6:30pm to 8pm
Covent Garden
Guided walk along the Greenwich riverside foreshore lead by volunteers from the Greenwich Foreshore and Observation Group.
7:30pm to 9pm
Greenwich
£5.00
An evening of Edwardian pleasure and entertainment in the museum and gardens.
8pm to 9pm
More London events on Saturday 12th July
Sunday 13th July
Bankside and Borough Market are hosting London’s largest free Bastille Day Festival
All Day
Southwark
TBA
This event will commemorate the 60th anniversary of the unveiling of the first Routemaster, RM1, at the Commercial Motor Show in September 1954.
All Day
Finsbury Park
Occasional open day at the Great Barn, once described as the Cathedral of Middlesex.
10am to 5pm
West Drayton
Rare opening of the roman baths underneath a City of London office block.
11am to 4pm
City of London
Visit a Roman bath house and Anglo-Saxon cemetery for a weekend of archaeological activities for all the family.
11am to 4pm
Food, art, crafts and community sports from across the Commonwealth nations.
12pm to 6pm
Kentish Town
£12.50
Whispers of advertising past are the focus of this walking tour through Stoke Newington, taking in some of London’s best ghostsigns
1:20pm to 3:30pm
Stoke Newington
More London events on Sunday 13th July
Monday 14th July
A personal tour around this famous Hawksmore Church
4pm to 6pm
More London events on Monday 14th July
Tuesday 15th July
No events are listed for today. Sorry.
More London events on Tuesday 15th July
Wednesday 16th July
The architects show off proposals for a redeveloped Heathrow following the opening of a replacement airport elsewhere.
8:30am to 9:30am
A traditional City ceremony which harks back to the 17th century when all licensed ‘carrs’ and carts had to be marked with the City’s arms.
10:30am to 12pm
£5.95
Charlie de Wet, chair of the Huguenots of Spitalfields, explains the impact of these industrious, thrifty, hard-working foreigners and their legacy.
6pm to 8pm
Jim will be taking Ran through milestones in his amazing career with the use of some very carefully selected video clips and stills!
6:30pm to 11pm
South Kensington
Join writer and broadcaster Jonathan Meades in the first Bookshop Barnie to take place in our new flagship store.
Starts at 6:30pm
Comedian Helen Arney and science writer and broadcaster Kat Arney dissect the dark underbelly of this 'golden' era.
Starts at 7:30pm
Islington
A talk about Dr Who and 'fortean themes'.
7:45pm to 10:30pm
Whitechapel
More London events on Wednesday 16th July
Thursday 17th July
£8.07
A guided walk along the Thames foreshore right in front of the Tower of London
11am to 3pm
£8.40
Highlights include behind-the-scenes tours and performances, an evening bar and a chance to see artefacts too delicate for regular display.
Starts at 6:30pm
Military historian, Sanjoy Mukherjee-Richardson will give a talk about life in WW1 trenches.
6:30pm to 8pm
St John's Wood
A guided walk around the area.
7pm to 9pm
Islington
£45.00
A screening of a key dystopian movie that inspired many of its 1980s successors.
Starts at 8pm
Islington
More London events on Thursday 17th July
Friday 18th July
A community dig to help uncover the possible remains of a chapel next to Crossrail.
4pm to 5pm
More London events on Friday 18th July
Saturday 19th July
£10.00
London’s Lost Rivers author Tom Bolton will be leading a new series of walking tours above ground along the routes of the hidden rivers.
tba
Free
The 40th annual 'country fair' that comes to the centre of London.
All Day
Herne Hill
Consumed by war: physicians and the First World War A new display exploring the experiences of doctors and the British Red Cross, 1914–18.
9am to 5pm
The Museum tells the story of the mansion house, as it was used as the Headquarters for Fighter Command during WW2.
10am to 5pm
Stanmore
£5.00
Guided walk around the area, ending at the murals of St Andrew's Church
Starts at 11am
Stoke Newington
Get down on to the Tower's river foreshore and see what you can find.
11am to 4pm
The one off street food & craft beer festival at Ally Pally. Free entry to foods, live music and the best views of London.
11am to 10pm
£20.00
A night with one of Doctor Who’s most memorable characters Jamie McCrimmon aka Frazer Hines.
Starts at 7:30pm
Catford
A film screening by an artist about a trip to the world's largest rubbish dump in Brazil.
7:30pm to 11pm
Herne Hill
More London events on Saturday 19th July
Sunday 20th July
Free
The 40th annual 'country fair' that comes to the centre of London.
All Day
Herne Hill
Once one of the nine Huguenot chapels in Spitalfields Sandy's Row Synagogue is London's oldest Ashkenazi Synagogue.
10am to 4pm
Whitechapel
£4.00
A chance to descend into the ice wells and learn about this unique part of London's heritage.
10am to 4:30pm
Visitors can see some of the finds from the site, go on a site tour and experience medieval re-enactments.
11am to 4pm
Rayners Lane
Get down on to the Tower's river foreshore and see what you can find.
11am to 4pm
Activities will centre on an excavation by Enfield Archaeology Society on the site of Elsyng Palace and will include a display of recent finds,
11am to 4pm
Enfield Town
Tours of the catacombs and other parts of the high-victorian cemetery.
11am to 5pm
West Brompton
Closed for several decades, the gothic folly in a Sth London wood reopens following restoration.
12:30pm to 4:30pm
Woolwich
Annual parade through the local streets with the religious icon and then festival by the local Italian population.
Starts at 3:30pm
Clerkenwell
More London events on Sunday 20th July
Monday 21st July
Consumed by war: physicians and the First World War A new display exploring the experiences of doctors and the British Red Cross, 1914–18.
9am to 5pm
More London events on Monday 21st July
Tuesday 22nd July
Consumed by war: physicians and the First World War A new display exploring the experiences of doctors and the British Red Cross, 1914–18.
9am to 5pm
More London events on Tuesday 22nd July
Wednesday 23rd July
Consumed by war: physicians and the First World War A new display exploring the experiences of doctors and the British Red Cross, 1914–18.
9am to 5pm
A talk about how handling historical objects can help treating patients with memory problems.
12:30pm to 1:30pm
Harley Street
A community dig to help uncover the possible remains of a chapel next to Crossrail.
4pm to 5pm
Book launch event of a reprint of a psychogeographical novel -- The London Adventure.
7pm to 8pm
Islington
Vigils have been held on the 23rd of every month since June 2004. They are inclusive, secular events, open 'to all faiths and none'.
Starts at 7pm
Southwark
More London events on Wednesday 23rd July
Thursday 24th July
Consumed by war: physicians and the First World War A new display exploring the experiences of doctors and the British Red Cross, 1914–18.
9am to 5pm
In 2014, the museum’s annual Open Day will celebrate the launch of the new Anna Freud room.
12pm to 5pm
£9.00
Sean Conway gives a talk about his 4-month swim from Lands End to John O’Groats
Starts at 6:30pm
More London events on Thursday 24th July
Friday 25th July
Consumed by war: physicians and the First World War A new display exploring the experiences of doctors and the British Red Cross, 1914–18.
9am to 5pm
A marathon and parade by the Royal Marines to mark their 350th anniversary.
11am to 2pm
An Evening of 18th-Century junketing, in aid of Dr Johnson’s House: featuring guest speakers Dr. Jonathan Foyle and Mr. Lars Tharp.
Starts at 6:30pm
More London events on Friday 25th July
Saturday 26th July
Come and meet actors from the first six Star Wars movies.
10am to 4pm
Harold Wood
Over 30 real ales and ciders, mainly locally produced, live music all weekend, food, games.
12pm to 10pm
Welling
£10.00
A walking tour around the Green Park and Hyde Park Corner war memorials, especial the commonwealth monuments,
2pm to 3:30pm
Picadilly
£10.00
London’s secret occult history comes alive as you traipse the cobblestone streets of the West End,
Starts at 5pm
More London events on Saturday 26th July
Sunday 27th July
Over 30 real ales and ciders, mainly locally produced, live music all weekend, food, games.
12pm to 10pm
Welling
A nature reserve along a railway cutting open for a few hours a month.
1pm to 4pm
Forest Hill
More London events on Sunday 27th July
Monday 28th July
Consumed by war: physicians and the First World War A new display exploring the experiences of doctors and the British Red Cross, 1914–18.
9am to 5pm
More London events on Monday 28th July
Tuesday 29th July
Mike Rendell discusses the 18th-century entrepreneur Philip Astley, called the founder of the modern circus.
6pm to 8pm
More London events on Tuesday 29th July
Wednesday 30th July
£12.50
Whispers of advertising past are the focus of this walking tour through Stoke Newington, taking in some of London’s best ghostsigns
6:20pm to 8:30pm
Stoke Newington
Free
Monthly late night adults only opening at the Science Museum.
6:45pm to 10pm
A talk by the author of a book studying the literature of the Irish in London.
7pm to 8pm
Islington
More London events on Wednesday 30th July
Thursday 31st July
A walk around the streets of Clerkenwell to look at the many pubs, breweries and distilleries that sprung up
Starts at 6pm
Discover the stylish spaces of 2 Willow Road, home of architect Ernö Goldfinger and his artist wife, Ursula, at this intimate after hours event,
6:30pm to 9pm
Take a trip to Discworld with award-winning author Dr Jacqueline Simpson.
7:45pm to 10pm
City of London
