Motoring Memories: A Journey Through London's Automotive Heritage

It's no coincidence that the first motorcar journey on UK soil took place just a year after London’s Great Horse Manure Crisis of 1894. On this walking tour through the elegant streets of Mayfair and St James, you’ll hear how London evolved from a city whose streets were piled high with horse manure, to the home of numerous motorcar pioneers.

Starting in Grosvenor Square, you’ll hear the back story behind the city’s manure crisis. This motoring-themed tour then steers you into the heart of picturesque Mayfair where Charles Rolls, of Rolls-Royce fame, was born. You’ll then cruise past the oldest Bentley dealership in the world, Jack Barclay Bentley, and the oldest pub in Mayfair, Coach & Horses. The pub is only a stone’s throw from London’s first recorded drunk driving incident. I’ll share the story with you while you make your way to St James, where our tour ends near the Royal Automobile Club.

As a City of Westminster Tour Guide, I know this part of town like the back of my hand, and as well as iconic sights, I’ll be showing you some of the hidden gems that many people miss. Instead of dry facts and figures, you can expect to hear the riveting stories behind the extraordinary, and sometimes eccentric, individuals who contributed to the growing popularity of the motor car in the early part of the 1900s.

On this London tour, you’ll also hear about:

• A group of wealthy playboys known as the Bentley Boys and who were described as great drivers and even better dancers
• The Steering Wheel Club, where famous racing drivers and world champions used to meet to let their hair down
• Jack Barclay, the finest luxury car salesman in the trade
• A race across France between a Bentley and a steam train
• Why David Blakeley, an up-and-coming racing driver, was shot dead by the last woman to be hanged in Britain
• The car that took King Edward VIII to Windsor Castle to announce his abdication

You don’t have to be a car enthusiast to enjoy this 90-minute stroll, which also gives you an opportunity to soak up the atmosphere in some of the most picturesque and sophisticated parts of central London. Whether you’re a visitor to London or one of the locals, this is a perfect way to discover this great city from a different perspective, and be entertained and amused along the way.