Greater London & City of London
Historic and Architectural Properties and Gardens

Castles, Abbeys, Churches, Houses, Estates and Gardens, Industrial Heritage attractions and museums (English Heritage / National Trust / Royal Properties and others), many with details of disabled access

Along with the attractions listed on this page you may also find places of interest on the Greater London & City of London Attractions, Nature and Art Galleries and Museums pages. We suggest that you also visit the pages for the neighbouring counties to see what else there is in the area.

We support 'Accessible Countryside for Everyone' in providing a brief guide as to the access / facilities for the sites listed, where we have them.

Apsley House (EH) - Apsley House, home of the first Duke of Wellington and his descendants, stands right in the heart of London at Hyde Park Corner "The collection of paintings at Apsley House contains about 200 of the finest works of art in London. It is a treasure house of pictures that originally belonged to the king of Spain, and which were removed from the Spanish royal palaces by Napoleon Bonaparte's brother, Joseph", Multi-media touchscreen guides, - "Disabled access is very limited for those with impaired mobility, as there are no ramps and only one lift in the building. Visitors are advised to bring a companion...Five steps to the front door. Eight steps down to the lift. There are three steps down to the basement gallery. ...Induction loops are available and there is also an audio descriptive tour for the hard of hearing"
www.english-heritage.org.uk

Banqueting House - Part of Historic Royal Palaces - Originally the property of the Archbishops of York. The Banqueting House was used to provide entertainment for Charles I, and was later the scene of his execution. "The ceiling of the Banqueting House is a masterpiece and the only surviving in-situ ceiling painting by Sir Peter Paul Rubens...James I's 'great hall', completed in 1622 as a venue for extravagant entertainment..home to some important works of art and sculpture - "The Main Hall of the Banqueting House is accessible via a lift in an adjoining property, Monday - Friday only. The Banqueting House does not manage the adjoining property and therefore cannot always guarantee the use of the lift...There is a Braille guide for the visually impaired and induction loops are available for those who need hearing assistance"
www.hrp.org.uk/BanquetingHouse

Buckingham Palace - Royal Mews - The Royal Mews is an important branch of the Lord Chamberlain's Office and provides road transport for The Queen and members of the Royal Family by both horse-drawn carriage and motor car. It is also one of the finest working stables still in existence, responsible for the training of the Windsor Greys and Cleveland Bays, the horses that pull the royal carriages. 45-minute guided tour, see The Diamond Jubilee State Coach, some of The Queen’s horses that draw the coaches and carriages housed in the Mews, the royal collection of historic carriages and coaches", multimedia tours, gift shop - "All areas of the Royal Mews have level access. As the Royal Mews is an historic site the floors are uneven and cobbled in places and visitors should take care...The ticket sales desks, shop till counters and the multimedia tour collection points are equipped with induction loops", there is a "Changing Places" accessible toilet
www.royalcollection.org.uk/visit/royalmews

Buckingham Palace - State Rooms - The Palace's nineteen State Rooms predominantly reflect the taste George IV (r.1820-30). The Picture Gallery, 47-metre room, among the great artists represented are Titian, Vermeer, Rembrandt, Rubens, Van Dyck and Claude -"The State Rooms of Buckingham Palace are fully accessible ...Wheelchair access and step-free access are available via a separate entrance at the front of the Palace. Both must be pre-booked...Manual wheelchairs are available to borrow...Mobility scooters and powered wheelchairs are welcome and can be used in the Quadrangle and the Garden, and are permitted inside the Palace providing they are compatible with the lifts...The ticket sales desks, shop till counters and the multimedia tour collection and return points are equipped with induction loops...BSL video tours are available to borrow", accessible toilets
www.royalcollection.org.uk/visit/buckinghampalace

Buckingham Palace - The Queen's Gallery the Pennethorne Gallery, the Nash Gallery and the Chambers Gallery - hosts a programme of changing exhibitions from the Royal Collection, audio tours, family activity bags, gift shop "The Queen's Gallery is fully accessible...Manual wheelchairs are available to borrow ...Mobility scooters can be used in the Gallery, providing they are compatible with the lift which measures 145cm in depth by 82cm in width and has a weight limit of 100kg...The ticket sales desks, shop till counters and the audio tour collection and return point are equipped with induction loops...BSL Interpreted and Lipspeaking Guided Tours run on selected dates", accessible toilets
www.royalcollection.org.uk/visit/queensgallerylondon

Chiswick House (EH) - "Chiswick House is among the most glorious examples of 18th-century British architecture and makes a fascinating day out in West London. The Gardens - birthplace of the English Landscape Movement - are open following a major restoration which has revealed the original vistas and repaired the statues and garden buildings", download a free audio tour from their website, cafe - "There is disabled access to the ground floor. The café and conservatory are fully wheelchair accessible. There are two wheelchairs available to hire for use in the house and garden", accessible toilets, baby changing facilities
www.english-heritage.org.uk

Clarence House (the official London residence of The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Harry) - All visits to Clarence House are guided, and is of "the five ground-floor rooms – The Lancaster Room, The Morning Room, The Library, The Dining Room and The Garden Room – where The Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall undertake official engagements and receive guests from around the world...Clarence House displays much of Queen Elizabeth's famous art collection, including outstanding 20th-century paintings such as important works by John Piper, Graham Sutherland, WS Sickert and Augustus John. Superb examples of English porcelain and silver, particularly pieces relating to the Bowes-Lyon family, are also on display"- "Clarence House is fully accessible ...Manual wheelchairs are available to borrow ...The ticket desk and shop counters are equipped with induction loops...Guides can wear portable induction loops on request", No accessible toilets on site
www.royalcollection.org.uk/visit/clarencehouse

Dr Johnson's House - "Dr Johnson's House is a charming 300-year-old townhouse, nestled amongst a maze of courts and alleys in the historic City of London. Samuel Johnson, the writer and wit, lived and worked here in the middle of the eighteenth century, compiling his great Dictionary of the English Language in the Garret...a collection relating to Johnson, a research library, restored interiors and a wealth of original features", audio-visual tour, Georgian costumes, seventeenth- and eighteenth-century architecture - "There is regrettably no wheelchair access to Dr Johnson's House"
www.drjohnsonshouse.org

Eltham Palace and Gardens (EH) - "Saved from decline by the Courtaulds', their lavish home is one of the finest examples of Art Deco architecture and design surviving in Britain today...Take just a few steps and travel back in time from Art Deco modernity to a medieval masterpiece...19 acres of gardens feature both 20th century and medieval elements. These include a rock garden sloping down to the moat, a medieval bridge and a stunning herbaceous border. Garden highlights include spring bulbs and the wisteria cascading over the classical pergola in summer", interactive tour, outdoor play area, visitor centre, cafe, shop - "Most areas of the house are accessible by wheelchair as there is a lift to the first floor. However the basement, the Great Hall dias and the Minstrel’s Gallery are accessed by stairs only", BSL and audio-described versions of interactive tour available, accessible toilets
www.english-heritage.org.uk

Hampton Court Palace - Henry VIII's Great Hall spanned by a large and sumptuously decorated hammer-beam roof and its walls are hung with Henry VIII’s most splendid tapestries, Cumberland Art Gallery with works from the Royal Collection, including paintings by Rembrandt, Holbein, van Dyck and Canaletto. Explore the Tudor Kitchens designed to feed at least 600 people twice a day, formal gardens of 60 acres (26 hectares) include the world’s oldest puzzle maze - "Most of the routes within the palace are accessible to visitors unable to climb stairs as there is a lift to take visitors to the State Apartments on the first floor...A limited number of manual wheelchairs are available...Three single-person scooters are available for use in the gardens only...Three of the four shops are accessible to wheelchair users: the Palace Shop and the Garden Shop, and the Tudor Kitchens Shop when visited via the Information Centre."
www.hrp.org.uk/HamptonCourtPalace

Jewel Tower (EH) - "The Jewel Tower dates back almost 650 years and is an intriguing visitor attraction in the heart of Westminster. It was built around 1365 to house Edward III’s treasures and was known as the ‘King’s Privy Wardrobe’", exhibition covering all three floors - "There is a bonded gravel slope for wheelchair access at the side gate, and a portable ramp available for the front door due to a small step (although this is rarely required). The coffee shop and gift shop are both fully accessible, however the second floor exhibition can only be reached by climbing a narrow spiral staircase", No accessible toilets on site
www.english-heritage.org.uk

Kensington Palace - the King's Staircase depicts a lively 18th-century court full of intriguing and unexpected characters, The King's State Apartments contain many sculptures and works of art , The Queen’s State Apartments - private rooms created for Queen Mary II, who ruled jointly with her husband, King William III, in the 17th century. Explore the life and reign of Queen Victoria, Formal gardens include a Sunken Garden, cafes, shops - "There is level access from Kensington Gardens to the palace, a lift to all floors and wheelchairs and portable seating to borrow during your visit. We also offer Describer Tours for blind and partially sighted visitors as well as facilitating British Sign Language tours...Electric buggies capable of seating up to five people and one wheelchair glide around the parks providing half hour rides", accessible toilets
www.hrp.org.uk/KensingtonPalace

Kenwood House (EH) - "a masterpiece created by the famous 18th-century Scottish architect Robert Adam. He extended the house and designed many of the rooms – with the star attraction being the Great Library" contains vast array of art masterpieces, has 112 acres of glorious parkland, cafes, shops - "Level access throughout ground floor for Painting Collection. Easy staircase with continuous handrail to upper floor for ambulant disabled visitors. Seating provided...There is a platform lift in the house providing access to the upper floors and lecture theatre...From the South Terrace, which has wide, level gravel paths, there are good views across the estate. Hoggin paths, which extend away from the house, may be uncomfortable to walk on and may be difficult for wheelchair visitors given dips and gradients...There is an accessible toilet in the service wing next to the Brew House Café and at the Dairy Volunteer Hub", baby changing facilities
www.english-heritage.org.uk

Kew Palace (seasonal) - Admission tickets to Kew Gardens must be purchased to gain access to Kew Palace - Explore the Royal Kitchens at Kew, left untouched since Queen Charlotte's death in 1818, Queen Charlotte’s cottage is an early example of a cottage orné, a rustic cottage built as a country retreat, but not as a residence, George III's daughter Princess Elizabeth had her bedroom on the first floor. It has been fully restored, and includes her flamboyant Grecian couch bed. On the second floor you can see the partially restored bedrooms of Princess Augusta and Princess Amelia. also Madame Tussaud bust of George III - "Manual wheelchairs are available for use within the palace..."
www.hrp.org.uk/KewPalace

Kew Gardens - "Kew Gardens is world-famous for its historic glasshouses, magnificent vistas and precious specimen trees...Kew's varied gardens, each specially planted and themed to give a different impression and a unique experience not to mention royal buildings, the Pagoda, beautiful woods and great places for children to have fun...Kew's varied gardens, each specially planted and themed to give a different impression and a unique experience." includes Marianne North Gallery "The walls of this recently-restored gallery are lined with hundreds of her paintings", the Pagoda a ten-storey octagonal structure is 163ft high, Shirley Sherwood Gallery of Botanical Art, "The Treetop Walkway stands in the Arboretum and offers spectacular views of the treetops and the gardens below" - see also the Kew Palace listing above. - "Kew Gardens is largely accessible to wheelchair users...Wheelchairs are available for free at all the gates on a first come, first served basis...Most of the buildings in the Gardens have level or ramped ground floor access for wheelchairs", there is a "Changing Places" accessible toilet
www.kew.org/visit-kew-gardens

Marble Hill House - Twickenham - "Palladian villa is set in 66 acres of outstanding riverside parkland near Richmond. The house and gardens were intended as an Arcadian retreat from crowded 18th-century London. Its grand interiors have been exquisitely restored and recreated and include a fine collection of early Georgian paintings" - "Wheelchairs access in the house is restricted to the ground floor. North front door with ramp opened for wheelchair users (please ask at ticket office entrance). Two steps at ticket office. Large print transcript of inaccessible floors is available. Introductory film with subtitles available on ground floor", accessible toilets, baby changing facilities
www.english-heritage.org.uk

Parliament - Palace of Westminster - One of most iconic buildings in the world, the Palace of Westminster and its fascinating collection of national treasures, take a tour, or watch debates and committee hearings taking place in the House of Commons and House of Lords. - "The public galleries of both Houses and committee rooms have step free access and space set aside for wheelchair users and assistance dogs...The public galleries for the House of Commons and House of Lords Chambers are fitted with an induction loop system...wheelchairs may be borrowed...All tours are accessible for wheelchair users. Alternative routes and viewing points exist for visitors with large motorised wheelchairs...The Jubilee Shop and Cafe are located just off Westminster Hall and have step free access via a small self-operated lift. Within this area are the public toilet facilities which can be reached by the same lift if required. There is a Changing Places facility close to Central Lobby off Lower Waiting Hall".
www.parliament.uk/visiting/visiting-and-tours

Queen Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge - Chingford, Epping Forest - "Visitors to the Lodge, built on the orders of Henry VIII in 1543, can enjoy exhibitions on Tudor food and fashion, and soak up the atmosphere of an incredible building nearly 500 years after it was first built" 3 floors each with a themed display, "Discover the sights and sounds of a Tudor kitchen on the ground floor, Explore the world of Tudor fashion on the first floor", and on the second floor "marvel at the beautiful puzzle of Tudor timber roof construction" - "The ground floor is fully accessible. Shallow wooden stairs lead to the upper two floors, and we keep a photographic guide to the upstairs exhibitions for those with further access difficulties", Public toilets and baby changing facilities (located next door), hearing loop
www.cityoflondon.gov.uk

Queen’s House - Part of Royal Museums Greenwich - The 17th-century Queen’s House represents a turning point in English architecture. It was originally the home of Charles I's queen, Henrietta Maria, "with 22 spectacular rooms filled with great art representing 400 years. An ambitious new work in gold leaf by Turner Prize-winner Richard Wright is revealed on the Great Hall ceiling, and the iconic Armada Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I is on permanent display for the first time" - "All floors of the Queen's House have lift access...A number of our Visitor Assistants are trained to British Sign Language Level 1 standard. British Sign Language supported and subtitled film and touchscreens are available at selected points within the permanent galleries across all our sites...All the toilet and baby change facilities at our museums are wheelchair accessible"
www.rmg.co.uk/queens-house

Strawberry Hill House - Horace Walpole created this Georgian Gothic revival House and 9 acre garden in the 18th century (1747). "Strawberry Hill is internationally famous as Britain’s finest example of Georgian Gothic revival architecture...Walpole intended a tour of Strawberry Hill to be a theatrical experience. You enter a gloomy hall and pass up a staircase of grey stony appearance before finally entering the sumptuous state apartment – a burst of crimson and gold...The garden is as far as possible being restored to its original appearance" - "A lift provides access to the first floor. There are six rooms inaccessible to wheelchair users. Compliant toilets and hearing loops are available."
strawberryhillhouse.org.uk

The Monument - "The Monument stands at the junction of Monument Street and Fish Street Hill in the City of London. It was built between 1671 and 1677 to commemorate the Great Fire of London and to celebrate the rebuilding of the City", 311 steps, 160 feet to the public gallery. - no disabled access
www.themonument.info

Tower of London an icon of London. " A Yeoman Warder tour is one of the most popular attractions for visitors to the Tower..They are a detachment of the ‘Yeomen of the Guard’, and they’ve formed the Royal Bodyguard since at least 1509...The bottom of the Wakefield Tower holds an exhibition about prisoners and torture at the Tower...Visit Coins and Kings: The Royal Mint at the Tower, an exhibition exploring the story of the Mint...Discover the Crown Jewels, the awe-inspiring symbols of monarchy that are still in use today" - "Whilst the Tower welcomes all visitors, this historic building has places with difficult stairs and passageways and wheelchair access is limited. There are also a large number of steps throughout the Tower with cobbles laid in some of the roads. However, the Jewel House and the Crown Jewels are fully accessible to all visitors...A limited number of wheelchairs are available from the Welcome Centre...General visitor information available in Braille and Large print...tour written especially for blind and partially sighted visitors", there is a "Changing Places" accessible toilet
www.hrp.org.uk/TowerOfLondon

Windsor Castle - "is the oldest and largest inhabited castle in the world. It has been the family home of British kings and queens for almost 1,000 years. It is an official residence of Her Majesty The Queen, whose standard flies from the Round Tower when she is in residence....St George’s Chapel within the Castle Precincts is the spiritual home of the Order of the Garter, the oldest order of chivalry in the world. Founded at Windsor by Edward III in 1348...As the perfect start to your visit, you can join a free 30-minute tour of the Castle Precincts...Changing the Guard at Windsor Castle encompasses colourful spectacle and British pageantry. ...Windsor Castle has been the home of 39 monarchs, and the appearance of the State Apartments today reflects the changing tastes of the Castle’s royal occupants, particularly Charles II (r.1660-85) and George IV (r.1820-30)...Semi-State Rooms are among the most richly decorated interiors in the Castle and are used by The Queen for official entertaining...Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House, the largest, most beautiful and most famous dolls’ house in the world", free multimedia tours available, shops - "Windsor Castle is fully accessible and we welcome visitors with different access requirements...Manual wheelchairs are available to borrow ...Alternative ramped access is available by entering the building via the Access Entrance in Engine Court, and lift access is available for access to the State Apartments and Semi-State Rooms. Mobility scooters may be used in the precincts only," there is a "Changing Places" accessible toilet
www.royalcollection.org.uk/visit/windsorcastle

Churches

(A selection of the churches of London)

We recommend that you check with any church 24hr prior to a visit as short notice closures are common

All Hallows by the Tower - the oldest church in the City of London, regular guided tours, download an audio tour to take on your visit - Unfortunately we have no accessibility information for this site
www.allhallowsbythetower.org.uk

Christ Church - Spitalfields - offer guided tours for groups of 10 people or more by prior arrangement, see the result of major restoration - Unfortunately we have no accessibility information for this site
www.ccspitalfields.org/visitus

St Bride's Church - Roman mosaic pavement in the south east corner of the Crypt, Medieval Chapel in the north east corner, The trompe l'oeil behind the Altar, The Journalists' Altar serves as a memorial table to the many journalists and support staff who have who have died in the conflicts of the 21st Century while bringing us the news. Tours are held on Tuesday afternoons - Fleet Street - Step free access to the ground level via Salisbury Court entrance. Access to the Crypt is by steps only.
www.stbrides.com

St Martin-in-the-Fields - is a church, café, concert venue and shop on the north-west corner of London’s Trafalgar Square, audio guides available in English and Spanish, art and exhibitions on display across the site - Trafalgar Square - "St Martin-in-the-Fields Church can be entered using the steps in the front of the church or via a ramp on the north side of church. The Crypt can be accessed through a lift in Church and the glass entrance pavilion using the stairs or a lift.The Crypt is the location for the Café in the Crypt, Gallery in the Crypt and Shop."
http://www.stmartin-in-the-fields.org/

St Mary le Strand The present church is one of those built following the 1711 Act for building new churches in London and its suburbs. These are generally known as the Queen Anne churches - Unfortunately we have no accessibility information for this site
www.stmarylestrand.org

St Mary-le-Bow (Bow Bells) - built c.1080 by Lanfranc, William the Conqueror’s Archbishop of Canterbury who accompanied him from Bec in Normandy. The sound of Bow bell is that which distinguishes an area in which ‘Cockneys’ are said to be born - Unfortunately we have no accessibility information for this site
www.stmarylebow.co.uk

St Olave's - St Olave’s survives as a rare example of the mediaeval churches that existed before the Great Fire of London in 1666 - Unfortunately we have no accessibility information for this site
www.sanctuaryinthecity.net

St Paul's Cathedral - St Paul's, with its world-famous dome, is an iconic feature of the London skyline. Climb up the dome to the Whispering Gallery and try out its unique acoustics, touchscreen multimedia tour - "The south churchyard entrance is step-free, and is the recommended access for entry for wheelchair users and people who cannot negotiate the steps. The south churchyard entrance leads to a modern lift serving the crypts and Cathedral floor...Audio Description Guides are included in the cost of admission. A guided touch tour is available if booked in advance...The Cathedral is equipped with a hearing loop system that covers the Cathedral floor. This is used at all services for spoken word elements...Access to the Whispering Gallery (257 steps), Stone Gallery (additional 119 steps) and Golden Gallery (additional 152 steps from Stone) is via stair only"
www.stpauls.co.uk

St Stephen Walbrook - One of Wrens fine churches, well worth a visit - Unfortunately we have no accessibility information for this site
ststephenwalbrook.net

St. Sepulchre-without-Newgate (Old Bailey) - St. Sepulchre is the largest parish church in the City of London. The church has an important history dating back to 1137 Unfortunately we have no accessibility information for this site
stsepulchres.org

Saint Bartholomew the Great - one of London's oldest churches. Founded in 1123 as an Augustinian Priory, it has been in continuous use since 1143, cafe - "The only way with step-free access is along the path from the West Smithfield square underneath the Elizabethan Gatehouse. There are only very minor changes in level on the way into the church this way."
www.greatstbarts.com

The Temple Church - This is the church of Inner and Middle Temple, two of England’s four ancient societies of lawyers, the Inns of Court, one of the most historic and beautiful churches in London - Unfortunately we have no accessibility information for this site
www.templechurch.com

Westminster Abbey - Westminster Abbey is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Westminster Abbey welcomes over one million visitors who want to explore this wonderful 700-year-old building, audio guides are available in eight languages, Verger-led tours of the Abbey are available - Disabled friendly but restricted wheelchair access via the North Door, "For a detailed disabled access guide to Westminster Abbey, please visit the DisabledGo website...A Touch Tour is available for visually impaired visitors in large-print or Braille. We also provide large-print and Braille versions of the Welcome Leaflet for visitors to the Abbey, a Braille booklet covering St Margaret's Church and tactile maps in Braille of the Abbey.The Abbey is equipped with a hearing loop system that covers the whole of the Abbey main building. This system is used at all Services"
www.westminster-abbey.org

Westminster Cathedral - home to many distinguished works of artistic merit. The foundation stone was laid in 1895 and the fabric of the building was completed eight years later, The Tower Viewing Gallery gives spectacular views over London from 64 metres (210 feet) above street level. See a display of rare ecclesiastical objects, vestments, chalices and sacred relics - "There is level access to the Cathedral through the main entrance, the side entrance from Morpeth Terrace and the passageway from the piazza between the Cathedral and St Paul's Multimedia book shop...An induction loop system is installed for those who are deaf or hard of hearing. British Sign Language (BSL) interpreted Mass on the first Sunday of the month takes place at 4.30pm in Cathedral Hall. Many of the major liturgies are interpreted in BSL.
www.westminstercathedral.org.uk