historicity is a new series of audio walking tours, which explores how cities got to be the way they are – starting with London.

The podcast is designed for two audiences: local residents, especially younger listeners, who may know fragments of their hometown’s story, but not how it forms a whole or connects to the world beyond; and visitors, who are looking for an introduction to the city, which can help them understand how it all fits together. As a podcast, the series will also appeal to listeners beyond the location itself, who will also be able to access other resources such as maps and transcripts.

Above all, we are committed to delivering the podcast as a public resource, which improves access to the city and its stories. We will develop the series through public funding and in partnership with local institutions – community organisations, schools, museums, et al. We are committed to representing the city accurately and eager to encourage listeners to use the podcast as a springboard for learning more – in local museums, archives, and online.

Our first series focuses on London. We are planning three walks, each broken down into three one-hour episodes.

The first walk, A Tale of Two Cities, links London and Westminster:

a. The power of finance: Monument-St Paul’s Cathedral
b. Connecting wealth and power: St Paul’s Cathedral-Somerset House
c. The pull of power: Embankment Gardens-Parliament Square

Writer and Presenter: Angus Lockyer. Producer: Jelena Sofronijevic