THE FREE HARRY POTTER
OUTSIDE EXIT THREE OF BANK
LONDON TRAIL
A MAGICAL TOUR OF LONDON
Brought To You By Richard Jones
WWW.londonwalking.co.uk
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STARTING POINT
DURATION
The tour can either be done as a full day tour, or
UNDERGROUND STATION else it can be divided into shorter sections of a
To begin the Harry Potter London Trail, make
your way to Exit Three of Bank Underground
few hours each, and then done over a few days
or weeks.
Station and stand on the steps of the Royal Ex- It’s your tour, so you choose how and when you
change.
do it!
HOW IT WORKS
You can either print this off as a booklet, or you can download it onto your mobile phone, iPad or
tablet. I have tested it in all formats and it certainly worked for me, albeit, you will need to be aware
of how much charge you have left on your phone throughout the day, and you may wish to take a
back-up printed version with you.
To begin the free Harry Potter tour, just make your way to the start point. For the full tour, this is
outside Exit Three of Bank Underground Station. This is situated directly in front of the Royal Ex-
change. If you have difficulty locating this exit, just go down into Bank Underground Station and
follow the signs for Exit Three.
If you are travelling to Bank on the Northern Line, be sure to follow the signs on the Platform for the
Bank of England Exit.
Once you are outside Exit Three, just follow the detailed step by step directions and enjoy a magical
day exploring the many treasures that London has to offer.
BREAKS SAFETY
There are lots of cafes, sandwich bars, Please take care as you make your way around the
pubs and gardens on the route. You can route. Whenever you have to cross a main road
take a break whenever you like. please use the pedestrian crossings to do so. Also
please ensure that your personal belongings are
under your full supervision at all times.
PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL END POINT
Please be sure to be respectful of people’s privacy The Harry Potter Trail will end at Platform
and property. Please also ensure that you leave
each location as you found it and to avoid damaging
nine-and-three-quarters at King’s Cross Station
or interfering with any items on the Trail.
 THE FREE HARRY POTTER TOUR
SECTION ONE DIRECTIONS
Bank Station To The Leaky Cauldron
Continue through the passage, and go left into St Michael’s Alley, passing
DIRECTIONS on the left the main entrance to the George and Vulture. Keep ahead,
passing the Jamaica Wine House, notice the plaque on its wall marking
Turn right out of Exit Three of Bank Underground Station, and walk to- the site of London’s first coffee house, and turn right along Cornhill.
wards the statue of the man in the hat in the centre of Cornhill. He is:-
Keep walking until, on the right, you come to the door of the church of:-
LEADENHALL MARKET - CHARING CROSS ROAD
In Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s (Sorcerer's) Stone, Leadenhall
Market was used as Charing Cross Road along which Harry and Hagrid
make their way en route to the Leaky Cauldron, to purchase the items
Harry requires for Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
The market, which dates from 1881, is London's most beautiful Victorian
market.

JAMES HENRY GREATHEAD (1844 - 1896)

ST PETER UPON CORNHILL
Although you might not instantly know his name, you most certainly are
familiar with his most famous invention, as there's a good chance you
have just benefited from it. He was the inventor of the "Greathead Shield"
- also known as the "Travelling Shield" - a one piece, circular tunnelling
device that made possible the excavation of the deep level underground
tunnels which enable use to be whisked, deep beneath the streets, from
one end of London to another in the blink of an eye.

DIRECTIONS

As you face the statue, go left along Cornhill, pass under the clock, and
walk until, at the side of the road on your right, you reach the traffic light
pedestrian crossing. Use it to cross Cornhill and turn left on the other side.
Turn next right along Birchin Lane, and second left into the very narrow,
easily missed Bengal Court. This could, so easily, be an entrance to
Diagon Alley or some other magical location, but, if you keep ahead and
squeeze into the covered passage, on your left you will find-
THE GEORGE AND VULTURE - A DICKENSIAN LOCATION
The alleyway you arrive in is extremely atmospheric; even the London
traffic and everyday bustle are strangely muffled. It was in this part of the
City that Charles Dickens placed the office of Ebenezer Scrooge in A
Christmas Carol, and it has to be said that the alleyways hereabouts still
have a very Dickensian feel.
The neighbourhood has changed much since, but here in this backwater
of grimy alleyways time stands still, and you can picture its Victorian
residents going ‘wheezing up and down, beating their hands on their
breasts, and stamping their feet upon the pavement stones to warm
them’.
If you look into the window of the George and Vulture on the left, just
before the white brick arch, you will even see a white marble bust of
Charles Dickens, looking inwards on a restaurant that can have changed
little since his living self used to dine here.
The red-brick building to the right of the church is surmounted by three
ferocious looking demons. Indeed, why not see if the children can spot DIRECTIONS
them? The devils crouch as though poised to leap from their perches and
Keep ahead to the centre of the market, and turn right, just before the
wreak demonic mayhem around the church.
Lamb Pub on the left. Take the second turning on the right and pause
They are said to remember a bitter feud between a long ago vicar of St outside the blue door of the opticians shop on the right:-
Peter’s and the architect who designed this building, Ernest Augustus
Runtz. When Runtz drew up his original plans for the building he did it in
THE ENTRANCE TO THE LEAKY CAUDLRON
such a way that his new building would have encroached on land owned
by the church. In Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s (Sorcerer's) Stone, the door you
are looking at was the entrance that Harry and Hagird used to enter the
As it happened, the then vicar of St Peter's was very territorial and he Leaky Cauldron.
created such a furore that the architect was forced to redesign the build-
ing, which cost him a great deal of both time and money.
When the building was finally completed, Runtz added the grotesques in
commemoration of the feud and, it is said, modelled the face of the fierc-
est demon on that of his arch enemy, the then vicar of St Peter’s.
DIRECTIONS
Keep ahead along Cornhill and cross straight over the traffic light. Turn
right on the other side, and then go left into Leadenhall Market, just before
the New Moon Pub.

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 THE FREE HARRY POTTER TOUR
SECTION TWO
The Leaky Cauldron To The Leaky Cauldron
DIRECTIONS
Backtrack to the end of this passage, turn right, and then veer left. Go
right and then keep ahead to cross over Fenchurch Street via the traffic
light crossing. Go right on the other side, and turn immediately right into
Philpot Lane. The building to your left is “20 Fenchurch Street “, better
known as the “Walkie Talkie Building.” Keep ahead to the end of Fen-
church Street, and pause outside the Joe and the Juice shop, which is
the last building on the left. Look up on the wall and see if you can spot:-
THE PHILPOT LANE MICE
These two brown mice are each engaged in a perpetual struggle to
wrest a large chunk of
cheese from the jaws of the
other. The story goes that
they were craved by the
workmen who built this
building between 1861 and
1862. During the construc-
tion of the building, they
workmen were plagued by
mice who kept helping them-
selves to the their lunches.
So, when the building was
finished, they added the two mice to remember their ordeal!
DIRECTIONS
Turn left along East cheap, and cautiously cross to its other side. A little
way along, go right along Lovatt Lane., and descend it.
MEDIEVAL LONDON
Lovatt Lane follows , more or less, the same layout as it did in medieval
times and is typical of the type of London streets that were destroyed in
the Great Fire of September, 1666. Notice how the cobbles slope in-
wards towards a central drain, that would have carried the slops and
human waste down into the River Thames. Ewwwwww!
DIRECTIONS
At the end of Lovatt Lane, turn right along Monument Street and walk to-
wards the tall column, which is the Monument to the Great Fire of London.
THE GREAT FIRE OF LONDON
The Great Fire broke out in the early hours of the morning on Sunday, 2nd
September, 1666, in the shop of Thomas Faryner, a baker, whose premis-
es were located on Pudding Lane, over which you will cross as you ap-
proach the Monument.
In fact, if you look down on the cobbles, you will see a small plaque em-
bedded in the road, which marks the exact spot where the Great Fire broke
out. The Great Fire raged for three days and nights and destroyed the
historic City of London.
DIRECTIONS
Continue past the Monument, passing to the left of it, and keep ahead
over Fish Street Hill,. Keep straight, then turn left and walk onto:-
LONDON BRIDGE
The first London Bridge was built by the Romans, probably
in about AD100 a little further down river from the present
bridge. There was
certainly a bridge
here in the ninth
century as
the Anglo Saxon
Chronicle tells of a
woman accused of
witchcraft being
thrown off it.
During the first
thousand years the
bridges here were
made of wood and would frequently collapse or be
destroyed in war. The first stone bridge was built by Peter
of Colechurch in 1176 and by 1201 there were references to
houses on the bridge.
The houses were removed from the bridge between 1758
and 1762 and between 1823 and 1831 a new bridge, de-
signed by Sir John Rennie, was erected a little way up-
stream from where the old bridge had stood.
By the 1960's increased traffic flow had caused some sub-
sidence of the bridge and it was decided to build a new and
wider one. The present bridge was constructed around the
old bridge in order not to interrupt the flow of traffic. Ren-
nie's Bridge was sold to the McCullough Oil Corporation for
£1,000,000 and transported to Lake Havasu, Arizona, USA.
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DIRECTIONS
Look over the River Thames past the grey ship, which is HMS Belfast, at
the spherical or egg-shaped-shaped dark building, which is City Hall.
WATCH OUT FOR THE DEATH EATERS
City Hall is the headquarters of the Greater London Authority (GLA),
which comprises the Mayor of London and the London Assembly.
At the beginning of Harry Potter And The Half Blood prince, when the
Death Eaters launch
their attack on London,
this is the building in
which the Muggles are
sitting around the table
as the sky darkens
when the assault be-
gins.
They move towards the
windows to look across
the River, as thunder
rolls in the background
and the Dark Mark appears in the sky.
This, of course, is the symbol of Lord Voldemort (sorry, I didn't mean to
say his name) and his Death Eaters, and is conjured up with the
spell morsmordre, the incantation that is used to conjure up an enor-
mous hologram of Voldemort's skull and serpent sign.
This is the "calling card" of the Death Eaters, which is cast over the
homes of anyone they have killed, or are about to kill. So, from a Muggle
perspective, looking out of the window of City Hall, as the Dark Mark
appears in the clouds above, is, perhaps, not the most sensible of reac-
tions!
DIRECTIONS
Make your way to the centre of London Bridge, pause and look left
towards Tower Bridge.
THE FLIGHT OF THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX
This is one of the sections of the River Thames along which the mem-
bers of the Order of the Phoenix fly on their broomsticks as they escort
Harry Potter to 12 Grimmauld Place, in the early stages of Harry Potter
and the Order of the Phoenix.
Having flown along the Thames through Docklands, which you can see
beyond Tower Bridge, they fly past HMS Belfast, the grey battleship that
you can see to the right, they continue under London Bridge, on which
you are now standing, and on up the Thames.
 THE FREE HARRY POTTER TOUR
DIRECTIONS
Continue over London Bridge, and, on its other side, keep ahead to the
traffic lights, and, on arrival, go right, and cross the road via the traffic
light crossing towards the Barrow Boy and Banker Pub on the other side
of the road. Veer left in front of the Barrow Boy and Banker, and keep
ahead towards the grey bridge. A little way along, if you look to your
right, you will see:-
SOUTHWARK CATHEDRAL
Southwark Cathedral, or to be precise, the Cathedral and Collegiate
Church of St Saviour and St Mary Overie, Southwark, is London's
oldest Gothic church, although it has only been a Cathedral since the
creation of the diocese of Southwark in 1905.
Although there was certainly a "monasterium" here at the time of the
Domesday survey, the origins of the current foundation date back to
1106, when a new church was founded as the Augustinian Priory of St
Mary Overie (Overie means "over the river"), fragments of this church
still remain. At the Reformation and Dissolution of the Monasteries
(1537 - 1539) the surrounding Monastic buildings were demolished
and the church became the parish church of St. Saviour at Southwark,
the name by which it was known before achieving its Cathedral status
in the early 20th century.
DIRECTIONS
Continue to the grey bridge and, when you arrive at the pedestrian cross-
ing located underneath it, turn right past the black posts into Green Drag-
on Court, which has a decidedly Knockturn Alley ambience about it!
At the end of the tunnel, go left and, having past the Globe pub on your
right, keep ahead over the road, pass beneath the silver "Borough Mar-
ket" sign, veer right just after the drinking fountain, go first left, and then
keep ahead towards the Chez Michele shop you can see in the distance.
On arrival opposite it, turn right along Stoney Street and pause just be-
neath the bridge to look over at the opposite side of Stoney Street.
THE LEAKY CAULDRON
In Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of
Azkaban, this is where the Knight Bus
screeches to a halt causing the alarm of
a parked car to go off.
Harry then climbs off and the bus
speeds away leaving Harry to be shown
in to the Leaky Cauldron.
Although this is where the exterior shot
was filmed, the interior was a film set.
DIRECTIONS KNOCKTURN ALLEY?
Facing The Wheatsheaf, turn right, pass under the bridge, and pause out-
side number 8, on the left between the bridge and the Market Porter pub. Some guides claim that Clink Street was the inspiration for Knockturn
Alley, although, if I am to be perfectly honest, I have to say that I think this
This was:-
is just a bit of wishful thinking.
THE THIRD HAND BOOK EMPORIUM DIRECTIONS
Continue to the end of Clink Street, go right and, on arrival at the Anchor
For Harry Potter And The
Tavern, go left along Bankside, and keep ahead, with the River Thames to
Prisoner Of Azkaban, the
your right. Ahead of you is:-
exterior of this shop was trans-
formed into "The Third Hand
THE FLIGHT OF THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX
Book Emporium."
In the broomstick flight scene in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoe-
It was a used books shop,
nix, Harry and the members of the order are shown flying towards South-
which was located next door to
wark Bridge albeit the bridge is out of sequence for the direction they are
the Leaky Cauldron on Charing
flying from. Having flown through docklands, they are shown flying to-
Cross Road, and which specialised in old and rare books, as well as
wards Southwark Bridge ahead of you. But the next scene shows them
maps and first editions.
heading away from Tower Bridge and passing HMS Belfast which are in
fact located beyond London Bridge behind you. Perhaps a magic spell
DIRECTIONS
Continue past the Market Porter Pub and keep ahead to reach the end of
Stoney Street and go left along Clink Street.
SECTION THREE
The Leaky Cauldron To St Paul’s Cathedral
CLINK STREET AND THE CLINK PRISON
In the Middle Ages the area hereabouts was known as the Liberty of the
Clink and was owned by the Bishops of Winchester. Medieval law was
very uneven and was largely a matter for the feudal lord who ruled a DIRECTIONS
particular district. It was in their capacity as secular lords that the Bishops On arrival at Southwark Bridge, veer left and go right to pass through the
ruled Bankside and turned it into London's chief pleasure district. Being tunnel that goes under the bridge. Keep ahead along the riverside and
the landlords of such a colourful but dangerous area the Bishops found it pause on the left, just after the Real Greek restaurant at the junction with
necessary to operate a prison for offenders against such law and order as Bear Gardens. On the wall of the Real Greek, on the left of Bear Gardens,
they chose to impose and thus the Clink Prison came in to being. you can see:-
Although a prison was probably established within the palace in the 12th
century, the first mention of the Clink was in 1509. Later, in his Survey of
THE OLD FERRYMAN'S SEAT
London, published in 1598, John Stow (1525 -1605) states that the prison
was kept for those that broke the peace in the Bankside brothels. In 1761 A RELIC OF BYGONE LONDON
it was described as, "a very dismal hole where debtors are sometimes As it says on the plaque, this seat (or to be
confined, but little used." Nineteen years later it was burned down in the more precise granite seat built into the wall)
Gordon Riots of 1780 after which it was not rebuilt. is of uncertain age, but is generally thought
Its name, however, has survived in the word "clink" which immediately to be of "ancient origin." In the days when
conjures up images of prison or of incarceration. just one bridge, London Bridge, spanned the
River Thames, a ferryman used to sit here
An exhibition of the gaol's history is located on the left towards the end of and wait to ferry people back over the River
Clink Street. Thames to the City of London.
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 THE FREE HARRY POTTER TOUR
DIRECTIONS
Keep ahead, keeping close to the wall by the Riverside - you have some
stunning views of St Paul's Cathedral on the other side of the River -
passing on the left the entrance to Shakespeare’s Glob, which if time
permits is well worth a visit. A blue plaque on it wall remembers:-
SAM WANAMAKER
Sam Wanamaker (1919 - 1993) was an American actor and director
whose determined, and admiral, perseverance against some pretty large
odds, brought the Globe to the south side of the River Thames and trans-
formed what, until the late 1980's had been an uninspiring and derelict
London enclave into the thriving district that it is today.
He was the father of the actress Zoe Wanamaker, who played the role of
games mistress, Miss Hooch, in Harry Potter And the Philosopher's
Stone.
DIRECTIONS
Keep ahead, still keeping close to the wall by the Riverside.
Just after the Globe, look left at the line of older houses, the first of
which, the one with the cream exterior, is:-
CARDINALS WHARF HOUSE
As you gaze upon this old Bankside building you really are not only
looking upon a genuine piece of local history but you are also looking
upon a structure that, in some
ways, has even had its own
history invented for it! The
present building, which proba-
bly dates from the 1700's, is
the sole survivor of a line of
houses that once stood here.
There is a plaque on the front
of the house which commemo-
rates this as the house in
which Sir Christopher Wren
lived during the rebuilding of
St. Paul's Cathedral on the
opposite bank of the river.
It makes for a delightful flight of fancy to picture Wren gazing from these
time-worn windows watching his masterpiece take shape across the
river.
But it must remain just a flight of fancy since St. Paul's was almost
complete when this house was built around 1710 and anyway Wren's
addresses are well known and this most certainly wasn't amongst them!
The plaque also makes the even more implausible claim that Catherine
of Aragon spent a night here in 1502 on her first arrival in England.
DIRECTIONS DIRECTIONS
Make your way to the Millennium Bridge ahead of you, and use it to cross Once across the bridge, keep ahead, crossing the two sets of traffic light to
the River Thames. arrive at St Paul's Cathedral. Go left alongside the Cathedral and make
your way to its main entrance.
HOLD ON TIGHT HERE COME THE DEATH EATERS - AGAIN
At this point, if time allows, you may wish to visit St Paul's, albeit the visit
In the opening sequence will add at least an hour, probably more, to your itinerary.
of Harry Potter and the
Half Blood Prince, the However, if you do decide to go inside, once you have paid at the admis-
Death Eaters continue sion desk, on the other side of the right door, in the right tower of the Ca-
their attack on London thedral, you will find a doorway. Step through it and look up at:-
by coming up from be-
hind and then round
each side of the dome of THE DEAN’S STAIR
St. Paul's Cathedral The Dean's Stair, which is commonly known as the Geometric Stair, was
ahead. constructed in the Cathedral's southwest tower in 1705.
They then swoop down It is a spectacular stone spiral, consisting of eighty-eight Portland Stone
onto the bridge causing treads which rise 50 feet around the perimeter of a cylindrical space.
the silver supports on either side to buckle and then snap. They were not built into the masonry, but, rather, each step is individually
shaped to bear on the edge of the one below.
THE CHEWING GUM ART
The stair was featured in Harry Potter And The Prisoner of Azkaban as the
As you walk (or run) over the Millennium Bridge you might notice little art staircase up which the Hogwarts students had to climb in order to reach
works, hundreds of which cover the floor surface of the bridge. Professor Trelawney's Divination classroom.
These miniature masterpieces were created by artist Ben Wilson, better Please be sure to respect the "No Photography" sign.
known as "the Chewing-
Gum Man. SECTION FOUR
To Gringotts Bank
If there is one thing that
people discard an awful
lot of all over the streets DIRECTIONS
of London, it is chewing- With your back to St Paul's Cathedral, pass to the right of the white statue
gum; and so, over a of Queen Anne. Veer left, and cross Ludgate Hill via the traffic light pedes-
decade ago, Ben Wilson trian crossing. Go right on the other side and descend Ludgate Hill until
decided to turn other you come to the bus stop with the white "F" on it. From here, you can take
folks' unsightly detritus a 4, 11, 15 or 76 bus to your next Harry Potter locations.
into something a little
You will need to get off at the fourth stop - The Royal Courts of Justice
more pleasant to look at.
Stop.
Using a blowtorch and layers of acrylic paint and lacquer, Ben Wilson
Turn right off the bus, walk past the black phone box, keep ahead over
created thousands of these miniscule, brightly coloured artworks all over
Milford Lane, and, at the traffic lights, cross to the cobbled island in front of
the streets of London, with over a hundred of them adorning the footway
the church on which you will see three statues. Behind the statues is St
of the Millennium Bridge.
Clement Danes church.
There are London scenes, bizarre creatures, and abstract patterns, all of
them painted onto blackened pieces of discarded chewing-gum, and all
of which, subversive as they are, fitting perfectly with the close proximity ORANGES AND LEMONS
to nearby Tate Modern. St Clement Danes is widely regarded as the "Oranges and Lem-
ons" church, as in the children’s rhyme , “Oranges and Lemons Say The
They certainly make for an intriguing crossing of the Millennium Bridge, Bells od St. Clements. If you time your arrival to arrive at the church at
so see how many you can spot as you make your way towards St Paul's
9am, Noon, 3pm, 6pm, and 9pm, you can listen to the church bells chime
Cathedral on the opposite side of the River. "Oranges and Lemons say the bells of St Clement's."
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 THE FREE HARRY POTTER TOUR
DIRECTIONS
With your back to the church's main door, pass to the left of the middle
statue, and go straight ahead to cross over the smaller road and keep
ahead to pause outside:-
AUSTRALIA HOUSE GRINGOTTS BANK
Please note, the doors of Australia House are only open Monday to
Friday, so, if you are doing this on a weekend, or a public holiday, you
will not be able to get a view of the interior of the building.
The glorious marble interior of Australia House became the interior for
Gringotts, the wizards bank run by goblins in the Harry Potter films.
The filming was done inside the building, which is not normally open to
the public, although a glimpse of the sumptuous interior can be ob-
tained with a discreet peep through the doors!
What are clearly visible, by looking through the glass doors, are the
magnificent crystal chandeliers that are a prominent feature of Gringotts
banking hall in the films.
THE PHILOSOPHER’S STONE
In Harry Potter and the Philosopher's (Sorcerer's) Stone Hagrid brings
Harry to Gringotts prior to Harry shopping for his supplies for Hogwarts.
The scene begins with them walking through Diagon Alley and Harry
wondering "How am I to pay for all this, I haven't any money."
"Well, there's your money, Harry,", replies Hagrid, pointing to the exteri-
or of Gringotts Bank, "Gringotts, the wizard bank. Aint no safer place,
not one, 'xcept, perhaps, Hogwarts."
The two of them are then shown walking through the hall that you can
glimpse through the doors of Australia House, where goblins work at
desks on either side.
DEATHLY HALLOWS
In Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two, Harry, Ron, Hermi-
one and the goblin, come to the bank to remove the horcrux from Bella
Lestrange's vault.
Having done so, Harry, Ron and Hermione make their escape on a
back of the dragon which flies up from the vaults. The first the Goblins -
who are working at their desks on both sides of the hall - are aware that
things aren't quite right is when the chandelier begins to shake.
Suddenly the dragon smashes through the floor and hits the chandelier
which then crashes to the floor.
Fortunately, it appears that a wizard was on hand to repair and re-hang
the chandelier!
Actually, in case you haven't guessed, they didn't actually destroy the
interior of Australia House for this memorable scene, but, rather, they
rebuilt the interior of Gringotts at the Leavesden Studio, and it was that
that was destroyed.
DIRECTIONS
Backtrack over the crossing, turn right and go over the crossing ahead of
you towards the tall office block you can see in the distance. Once over the
road, descend the left side of the street directly opposite (which is Arundel
Street). At the end of this street go left along Temple Place, and, just be-
fore the red phone box, pause on the left outside:-
TWO TEMPLE PLACE
Although this flamboyant building boasts an exquisite exterior, and most
certainly would not look out of place in Tudor London, it is in fact relatively
modern.
It dates from 1895 when it was built for the immensely wealthy American
William Waldorf Astor.
It was constructed to his own detailed specifications and when completed
he used it as his residence and estate office.
Although it has never been used as a Harry Potter film Location, one can't
help feeling that it would probably make an ideal setting for a school of
wizardry, or even a setting for a Magical Ministry.
6
DIRECTIONS
Continue ahead, following the walkway as it swings right to pass the
phone box. Go left at the traffic lights onto the Victoria Embankment, and
pause alongside the silver City dragon.
HERE BE DRAGONS
The silver Dragons here on Victoria Embankment (there's also one on the
opposite side of the road) mark the boundary between the City of West-
minster and the City of London.
Greater London, under which most of London comes, covers an area of
1579 KM sq. (609 square miles). It is made up of 31 boroughs plus the
Cities of London and Westminster.
The City of London itself is a geographically small area consisting of one
square mile (2.90KM sq.). The boundaries of the City of London have
remained more or less constant since the Middle Ages and those bounda-
ries are, quite literally, guarded by dragons. Indeed dragons are to be
found encircling the entire City of London.
Of course, to the Muggle mind, these amazingly magical fire-breathing
lizards are nothing more than creatures of mythology that don't actually
exist. This widely held Muggle belief is a testimony to the efforts of the
Ministry of Magic which has worked tirelessly to foster this belief amongst
Muggles the world over and to keep these huge creatures hidden from the
prying Muggle eyes. In the world of Wizards however, dragons are con-
sidered to be the most amazing magical creatures in the world, and Grin-
gotts Bank, of course, uses them to guard its high security vaults.
DIRECTIONS
Backtrack and then cross straight over the traffic lights to walk along the
Victoria Embankment, keeping the railings of the garden to your right.
At the end of the railings, go right, and then left to enter Temple Under-
ground Station. Go through the ticket barrier, and descend to the West-
bound platform, which is the one to the left. Take any westbound train two
stops to Westminster underground Station.
 THE FREE HARRY POTTER TOUR
SECTION FIVE
FOLLOW THE KNIGHT BUS
DIRECTIONS
On arrival at Westminster Underground Station make your way to the
ticket hall and exit through the barriers.
MR WEASLEY’S DIFFICULT EXIT
You have arrived at the station that Mr Weasley and Harry arrive at en
route to Harry's hearing at the Ministry of Magic.
It was one of these barriers that so confounded Mr Weasley as he tried
to exit through it.
Let's hope you have better luck!
DIRECTIONS
Having, hopefully, got through the barriers, go up the stairs directly in
front of you. Turn right, keep ahead over Derby Gate, and, on arrival at
the corner, go left over the traffic lights, walking towards the Houses of
Parliament on the other side of the road.
Turn left on the other side, and keep ahead, with the Houses of Parlia-
ment to your right, and walk straight onto Westminster Bridge.
THE FLIGHT OF THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX
In Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, the order fly past the river-
side Terrace of the Houses of Parliament (to your right) and under West-
minster Bridge, over which you are walking. Having past the Houses of
Parliament, they ascend into the clouds and make a sharp right turn for
the last leg of their journey to 12 Grimmauld Place.
DIRECTIONS
On arrival on the opposite side of the bridge, turn right to descend the
steps and keep ahead along the riverside walk way, with a wonderful
view of the Houses of Parliament on the other side of the river.
Be sure to note the dolphins that are coiled around the lamps that line the
riverside wall to your right. As the riverside walk way opens out, to your
left is red-brick gatehouse of:-
LAMBETH PALACE
Lambeth Palace has been the residence of the Archbishops of Canter-
bury since 1207. The red brick gatehouse that you can see to your left
dates from 1495.
To its right is the church of St Mary-at-Lambeth, which houses the Muse-
um of Garden History. Those buried here include Captain William Bligh
(1754 - 1817) of Mutiny on the Bounty fame.
DIRECTIONS DIRECTIONS
Just past the Thames Cruises Pier, go up the steps and turn right to cross Go left and pass the fountain and exit the gardens on to the main road.
Lambeth Bridge. Turn right, and keep going past the Houses of Parliament to cross Bridge
Street via the traffic lights.
THE KNIGHT BUS
Go left on the other side, cross over Parliament Street, and head right
In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, this is the bridge on which along it. Puase by the line of red phone boxes.
the Knight Bus was filmed squeezing between two buses as it drives over
the bridge.
SECTION SIX
THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC
YOUR VISITORS ENTRANCE?
Since the phone box featured in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoe-
nix - the location of which you will encounter shortly - was a prop specially
brought in for the filming, you might like to use one of these phone boxes
to get a photograph of yourselves preparing to descend into the Ministry
of Magic. Be careful though, just in case the phone box you are in actually
does begin to descend!
DIRECTIONS
Keep ahead along Parliament Street, go over King Charles Street, and,
very shortly, Parliament Street becomes Whitehall.
DIRECTIONS A little way along, on the left, pause alongside the gated entrance to:-
On arrival on the other side of Lambeth Bridge, go right through the
DOWNING STREET
gates in to Victoria Tower Gardens. Keep ahead until you arrive at the
very colourful:- 10 Downing Street, the home of the Muggle Prime Minister, is located to
the right as you look through the gates. It's be the building with the police-
BUXTON MEMORIAL FOUNTAIN man standing outside the door.
The fountain was built to commemorate the emancipation of slaves that When a newly elected Muggle Prime Minister takes up residence behind
resulted from the passing of the Abolition of Slavery Act in 1833. It was the walls of 10 Downing Street, he or she will be visited by the Minister of
donated by Charles Buxton, MP, in memory of his father Sir Thomas Magic who will notify them of the existence of the wizarding world.
Fowell Buxton and those who shared his struggle to abolish slavery in The Minister will inform the Prime Minister that, from that point on, he, or
the British colonies. she, will only make contact on those occasions when activity within the
IS THIS A DEMENTOR I SEE BEFORE ME? wizarding community is likely to impact on the everyday lives of Muggles,
such as when magical objects or animals are due to be brought into the
This might be my imagination playing country.
tricks on me, and I honestly hope that
it is, but don't you think that the lion's The Ministry of Magic informs 10 Downing Street of an impending visit
head above the drinking bowl that from the Minister of magic by way of a wizard's portrait, which is kept
looks towards the main road bears a permanently attached to the wall in the Prime Minister's Office by a Per-
chilling resemblance to a Dementor? manent Sticking Charm. Once the Prime Minster has been notified that
Of course this could be a little bit of the Minister of Magic will be dropping by, the Minster will make his, or her,
wishful thinking on my part, but, then entrance via the fireplace, which has been connected to the Floo network
again, are you feeling cold, as though for this specific purpose.
the life force is draining out of you? Thus, the Minister of Magic can arrive inside 10 Downing Street without
Yes? RUN! having to go through the rigorous security checks that you will, no doubt,
witness as you stand looking through the gates into Downing Street itself!
7
 THE FREE HARRY POTTER TOUR
DIRECTIONS
Continue along Whitehall and, very soon, you will arrive outside the
gates of Horse Guards.
MR WEASLEY’S DIFFICULT EXIT
If you arrive here between 10am and 4pm there will normally be two
soldiers on horseback here.
They belong to the Queen's Household Division. Two regiments of the
Household Cavalry alternate the guard here.
If the guards are dressed in scarlet they belong to the Life Guards. If
they are wearing blue they belong to the Blues and Royals.
Both Prince William and Prince Harry were members of the Blues and
Royals, whilst the singer James Blunt was a member of the Life Guards
(I bet people told him he was beautiful!).
DIRECTIONS
Just past Horse Guards, cross Whitehall via the traffic light crossing, go
right on the other side, cross to the centre of Horse Guards Avenue, and
stand directly behind the statue of Spencer Compton, to look along
Horse Guards Avenue.
MINSITRY OF MAGIC STAFF ENTRANCE
It was in the centre road just in front of you that the film makers erected
the staff entrance to the Ministry of Magic for the filming of Harry Potter
and the Deathly Hallows Part One. This entrance was, in fact, a Gentle-
men's toilet.
The scene only shows a close up of the "Gentlemen" sign, as this was
actually a prop specially brought in for the scene, and then taken away
once filming had been completed.
Having used Polyjuice potion to transform themselves into Hopkirk, Run-
corn and Cattermole, in order to infiltrate the Ministry of Magic so that
they can retrieve the locket from Dolores Umbridge, we see Harry, Ron
and Hermione walking over the diagonal white lines on the road directly in
front of you. The next scene, shows them in the toilet where they enter
the Ministry by the ingenious (or disgusting!) method of flushing them-
selves down the toilet!
DIRECTIONS HARRY, RON AND HERMIONE GO TO WORK
Make your way along the left side of Horse Guards Avenue, and go left The scene begins with Ron peeking round the corner of the wall opposite
along Whitehall Court. the grey shutter and looking along Great Scotland Yard towards the rail-
At its end, go left along Whitehall Place, and immediately cross it, using ings on the left side of Great Scotland Yard.
extreme caution, to go right along Scotland Place.
MINISTRY OF MAGIC STAFF ENTRANCE
It is along Scotland Place that Harry and Mr Weasley walk as they make
their way to the Ministry of Magic for Harry's hearing on charges of using
magic in front of Muggles in Harry Potter and the The Order of the Phoe-
nix.
The arch ahead of you is clearly visible in the scene.
The phone box which descends into the Ministry, and of which Mr Wea-
sley comments, "I've never used the visitors entrance before. Should be
fun," was located on Great Scotland Yard, which is reached by passing
underneath the arch, turning left and pausing on the corner..
The phone box itself was a prop specially brought in for the scene and
removed once filming was complete. A second arch was constructed here Mafalda Hopkirk crosses Great Scotland Yard from the corner of the
(at least a portion of an arch was!) and this too was removed once filming brown brick wall on the opposite side of Great Scotland Yard.
was complete.
As she passes the shutter, Hermione, wearing the cloak of invisibility, hits
her with a stunning spell and she falls to the ground. They then drag her
inside the loading bay behind the shutter, where Albert Runcorn and Reg
Cattermole are already laid out unconscious. Hermione proceeds to pluck
a few hairs from Mafalda's head, and she, Ron and Harry then take the
Polyjuice Potion and are transformed into the three ministry employees.
We then see them step out of the little brown wooden door and line up
against the shutter - Harry to the right, Ron to his left and Hermione to the
left of Ron.
They then set out to infiltrate the Ministry of Magic, via the staff entrance
that you saw at the previous stop.
THE DEATHLY HALLOWS
This corner was also used in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part
One, for the scene in which Harry, Ron and Hermione need to infiltrate the
Ministry of Magic to retrieve Dolores Umbridge's locket.
They do so by taking Polyjuice Potion and assuming the appearances of
three Ministry employees - Mafalda Hopkirk, Albert Runcorn and Reg
Cattermole.
For the film the grey shutter on the left at the end Scotland Place sign was
replaced with a brown wooden shutter with a small brown door on its left
side.
8
 THE FREE HARRY POTTER TOUR
DIRECTIONS
From Scotland Place, turn right along Great Scotland Yard, and cross to
its left side. Walk to its end and go right along Northumberland Avenue.
Immediately cross Northumberland Avenue to the Sherlock Holmes pub,
which you can see on the other side.
TAKE A BREAK WITH SHERLOCK
Dependent on what time of day you have arrived here, you might like to
stop off and enjoy a lunch or a coffee here.
The pub's walls are adorned with numerous bits of Sherlock Holmes
memorabilia; old Sherlock Holmes movies play on a TV in the main bar,
whilst upstairs there is an exact replica of Sherlock Holmes's sitting
room at 221B Baker Street.
SECTION SEVEN
MAGIC AND DIAGON ALLEY
DIRECTIONS
Head along Craven Passage, situated to the right of the Sherlock
Holmes pub and go left along Craven Street.
THE STAGE FOR THE DEATHLY HALLOWS PREMIERE
It was directly in front of Nelson's Column, that the stage was erected on
which the stars of the film assembled and addressed the thousands of
fans who had assembled in the square for the Premiere of Harry Potter
and the Deathly Hallows Part Two.
The Premiere took place on 7th July 2011 at the Odeon, and two other
cinemas in nearby Leicester Square. However, space in Leicester Square
itself was a little tight, owing to the building work that was going on in
preparation for the 2012 Olympics. In addition, it being the last ever Harry
Potter film, Warner Bros was determined to pull out all the stops with a
premiere that would exceed all others. So the stars arrived, not in Leices-
ter Square, but here in Trafalgar Square, where thousands of fans - suita-
bly attired in Hogwarts robes, or else dressed as their favourite Harry
Potter characters - braved the typical London summer weather, and
camped out for several days in the pouring rain to greet the stars and to
watch and cheer the speeches. Then, via the longest Red Carpet in cine-
ma history, the stars made their way to Leicester Square, where the film
was shown simultaneously at THREE cinemas.
DIRECTIONS
Keep ahead over Adelaide Street, and go down the stairs of Charing
Cross Station. Go left at their foot, and a little way along, on the left, is
the entrance to:-
DAVENPORTS MAGIC SHOP
Davenports is the oldest family-run magic business in the world.
From the moment the dull thud of a loud bell announces your arrival,
you find yourself confronted by a veritable cornucopia of all things magi-
cal and mysterious.
Ferocious-looking arm choppers, complete with severed arms, glimmer
behind glass display cases. There are ESP and Tarot cards for initiation
into the secretive world of divination, mediums and psychics.
You can even purchase a copy of the first book ever published on the
subject of magic, The Discoverie of Witchcraft, written in 1584, at a time
when the shop's assistants would probably have been burnt at the
stake for the demonstrations of sleight-of-hand that they perform for
visitors.

A DOORKNOCKER IN CRAVEN STREET

Tradition holds that Dickens got the idea for the doorknocker's trans-
forming into Marley's face in A Christmas Carol from a particularly
grotesque old doorknocker he spotted one night while walking along
Craven Street.
Apparently, the owner of the house on whose door it hung became
somewhat alarmed when an enthusiastic photographer approached her
and asked for permission to photograph it. She immediately had it
taken down and placed in a bank vault since when its whereabouts are
unknown.
However, Craven Street can, at times, have a decidedly sinister feel to
OH, OH - MORE DEATH EATERS!
it, lined as it is with sturdy 18th century buildings, some of which still
In the dramatic opening sequence of Harry Potter and the Half Blood FLOURISH AND BLOTTS
possess doorknockers.
Prince, as the Death Eaters launch their destructive attack on London from Davenports location, tucked away as it is in this twilight, underground,
So, why not set yourselves the task of deciding which house here
the air, they swoop down onto Trafalgar Square before shooting off along almost secret part of London, is just a stone's throw from Charing Cross
looks the most haunted, and see if your can agree on which door-
Charing Cross Road ahead of you. Road, indeed its location could easily be described as being "just off
knocker would inspire Charles Dickens today?
Charing Cross Road".
DIRECTIONS
DIRECTIONS Diagon Alley, "London's finest source for a wizard's every need," is
With your back to Nelson's Column head towards the steps that lead described as being "just off Charing Cross Road."
At the top of Craven Street, go left along Strand and walk to the traffic towards the National Galley, ascend them, and turn right at the top,
lights. keeping the National Gallery to your left. keep ahead to the traffic light The shop bears an uncanny resemblance to Flourish & Blotts, selling as
pedestrian crossing and cross over to the Church of St Martin-In-The- it does a huge variety of magic books and other books of general magi-
Veer right, and cross at the lights. Turn immediately left on the other side
Fields. Walk past the steps and go next right along St Martin-In-The cal interest.
and keep ahead over the next crossing to arrive in Trafalgar Square.
Keep ahead and pause just to the right of Nelson's Column. Fields Church Path, passing to the right of the entrance to the Crypt You can even purchase a few magic tricks which you can then perfect
Cafe. on your way around London!

9
 THE FREE HARRY POTTER TOUR
DIRECTIONS
Exit left out of Davenports and go up the stairs, turning left at the top.
Go over Adelaide Street, and then veer right to cross over William IV
Street towards the Institute of Chinese Medicine. Keep ahead and, im-
mediately after The Marquis Pub, go left along Bedfordbury and keep
ahead past the Lemon Tree Pub and the Colosseum Stage Door.
Keep going until, just after 20, Bedfordbury, you will see two bow win-
dows on the left. Between them, turn left into the very narrow passage
with pink brick walls, which is:-
GOODWIN’S COURT - DIAGON ALLEY
This tucked away little alley, with its glorious Georgian facades, has a
genuine aura of magical secrecy about it.
Indeed, this magical little passage is so easily missed that it could be
said to be completely hidden from the Muggle world, just like Diagon
Alley.
At night the alleyway is even lit by the flickering glow of gas lamps, it is
a truly enchanting place.
DIRECTIONS
Pass through Goodwin's Court, and, at its other end, cross diagonally left
over St Martin's Lane to reach Cecil Court on the other side.
CECIL COURT - ANOTHER DIAGON ALLEY
The difference between Goodwin's Court and Diagon Alley is the fact that
Goodwin's Court doesn't have the assortment of restaurants, shops, and
other sights that Diagon Alley is meant to have.
Cecil Court, on the other hand, most certainly does.
It is also "just off Charing Cross Road"; and, with its curious mix of
bookshops and antique shops, it is a serious contender for the real
Diagon Alley, or at least the thoroughfare on which Diagon Alley was
based. There is certainly a mysterious air about this delightful little thor-
oughfare, and the first shop on your right is even called The Witch Ball!
WATKINS BOOKS. 19 CECIL COURT.
Watkins books, on the left, has the distinction of being the oldest occultist
and mystical bookshop in the world, was founded in March 1893, by John
M. Watkins on nearby Charing Cross Road.
In 1901, the business moved into Cecil Court and has been located here
ever since.
The shop certainly has a unique character, and you could easily imagine
pupil witches and wizards browsing its shelves for the text books they will
need for their next term at Hogwarts.
They even sell dried dragon's blood powder!
HARRY POTTER MONEY
Colin Narbeth and Son Ltd, situated at number 20 on the right side of Cecil
Court, has even decided to, quite literally, cash in on the huge number of
Harry Potter fans who make pilgrimages here and has a window display of
Gringotts Bank Notes featuring Harry Potter and his friends and enemies!
10
SECTION EIGHT
HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD
DIRECTIONS
Continue to the end of Cecil Court and turn right along:-
CHARING CROSS ROAD - THE LEAKY CAULDRON
The Leaky Cauldron is a small shabby-looking inn on Charing Cross
Road that is sandwiched between a record store and a large book shop.
There are several pubs along Charing Cross Road, none of which exact-
ly fit the description, so why not play a little game and decide for your-
selves which one you think could be the Leaky Cauldron?
However, don’t be surprised if your attempts fail, after all Muggles can-
not actually see it!
In Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone, a passage about the
Leaky Cauldron states that, "...The people hurrying by didn't glance at it.
Their eyes slid from the big book shop on one side to the record shop on
the other as if they couldn't see the Leaky Cauldron at all..."
In Chapter 13 of Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince, Dumbledore
tells Tom Riddle how to get from the orphanage to the Leaky Cauldron
and explains that, "...You will be able to see it, although Muggles around
you - non-magical people, that is - will not."
DIRECTIONS
Keep ahead along Charing Cross Road, passing an exit from Leicester
Square Underground Station), go over Cranbourn Street, and keep
ahead to pause by the next exit from Leicester Square Underground
Station.
IT’S THE DEATH EATERS AGAIN
In the opening scene of Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince, the
Death Eaters, having swooped down on Trafalgar Square, race along
Charing Cross Road, passing this entrance to Leicester Square Under-
ground Station.
So, be sure to keep a keen eye peeled for their approach as you make
you way along this section of your walk!
DIRECTIONS
Keep ahead along Charing Cross Road, and, having walked past the
Porcupine pub, cross over Great Newport Street, and turn right along its
opposite side.
A little way along, just past the black phone box, pause by the black gate
on the left, which is situated next to number 12 Great Newport Street.
 THE FREE HARRY POTTER TOUR
THE DEATH EATERS ENTER DIAGON ALLEY
As the Death Eaters continue their flight of destruction in The Half
Blood Prince, they head along the alleyway which you can see on the
other side of these gates, and, via it, they enter Diagon Alley, where
they continue their murderous rampage, leaving dead and dying witch-
es and wizards sprawled across the road, and shops either on fire, or
else gutted and destroyed.
Having succeeded in their mission to kidnap Garrick Ollivander, they
head off to destroy the Millennium Bridge.
DIRECTIONS
Backtrack to the corner of Great Newport Street and go right along
Charing Cross Road. A little way along, on the right, you will find:-
HARDYS SWEET SHOP
Okay, so it's not Honeydukes, but Hardys sweet shop makes for a deli-
cious substitute, and a worthwhile place at which to take a well-earned
break,.
Stepping inside Hardy's you are surrounded by shelves stacked with jars
filled with all manner of confectionary, and every sugary treat that a
young witch, wizard or muggles could wish for.
They sell a number of Harry Potter themed sweets, and, for £10, you can
purchase a specially made up bag of sweets, containing chocolate frogs
and wizards, every flavour of beans (including bogie and vomit flavours!),
liquorice wands, jelly basilisks and Sherbet Lemons.
And, don't worry, you'll be passing several dental practices later!
DIRECTIONS
Stagger out of Hardys and head right along Charing Cross Road.
This section is lined with an eclectic mix of book shops and other quirky
establishments, many of which would be right at home in Diagon Alley.
Keep walking until you arrive at the traffic lights at Cambridge Circus, at
which point, cross over to the Palace Theatre where the current produc-
tion just happens to be:-
HARRY POTTER AND THE CURSED CHILD
Harry Potter and the cursed Child is one play presented in two parts which
you can either see in order on the same day (matinee and evening), or
which you can attend on two consecutive evenings.
Here is how the official website describes the treat that awaits Potter fans
attending this lavish production:-
"Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John
Tiffany, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a new play by Jack Thorne. It
is the eighth story in the Harry Potter series and the first official Harry
Potter story to be presented on stage.
It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn't much easier now that
he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband and
father of three school-age children.
While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his
youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he
never wanted.
As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncom-
fortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places."
11
SECTION NINE
HOUSE OF MINALIMA
DIRECTIONS
Pass to the right of the Palace Theatre, and keep ahead along Romilly
Street. On arrival at the Coach and Horses ,on the right, turn right along
Greek Street where, a little way along on the right, you will find:-
HOUSE OF MINALIMA
In 2002 graphic designers Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima were set
the unique challenge of imagining and creating the graphic props for the
Harry Potter films.
Rising to the challenge, the duo began a collaboration that resulted in
such fabulous creations as the renowned Marauder's Map; The Daily
Prophet newspapers; wanted posters, Hogwart's Proclamations, enve-
lopes addressed to Harry Potter, Cupboard Under The Stairs, and so on
and so forth. In fact, if you think of any graphic prop that was used in any
of the seven Harry Potter films, the chances are that it originated in the
creative universe of Miraphora Mina and Eduardo Lima.
In 2016, they came up with the idea of creating a dedicated gallery and
store in which to display their entire treasury of graphic works, and
House of MinaLima was born.
The founding ethos behind their venture was, quite simply, a desire:-
"...to create an experiential space, celebrating the idiosyncrasies of their
work for the Harry Potter franchise as well as their own creations."
And that is exactly what this quirky venue at 26 Greek Street does. It is
an absolute delight to visit; and it is just about the closest thing London
has to one of the shops in Diagon Alley.
Visitors can pick their way through four floors of magic and enchant-
ment. As the House of MinaLima wesbite explains it:-
"Visitors to House of MinaLima will discover much more than a gallery
and shop; this enchanting building offers a truly immersive experience.”
 THE FREE HARRY POTTER TOUR
SECTION TEN
SHAFTESBURY AVENUE TO LEICESTER SQUARE
DIRECTIONS
Exit left out of House of MinaLima, cross cautiously to the other side of
Greek Street, and go right along Romilly Street.
Cross to its left side, keep ahead over Frith Street, go left along Dean
Street and then turn right onto Shaftesbury Avenue.
Keep ahead over Wardour Street, Rupert Street, Great Windmill Street
and Denman Street, and, having passed the line of concrete columns
just past the bus stop, keep ahead to reach the traffic lights at the junc-
tion of Shaftesbury Avenue and Piccadilly Circus.
Directly in front of the GAP shop, cross with caution to stand on the small
island in the middle of the road.
Turn so that you are facing the Statue of Eros (the winged figure on the
island opposite) and then look down at the crisscrossed yellow line on
the road to your right, immediately in front of you.
IT’S THOSE DEATH EATERS AGAIN!
When the Death Eaters launch the attack on Bill and Fleur's wedding
in Deathly Hallows Part One, Harry, Hermione and Ron escape by appa-
rating out of there.
They re-appear on this section of road, and find themselves directly in
front of an approaching number 19 bus.
Moving quickly out of its path they press up against the railings that used
to be on the edge of the pavement opposite in front of GAP. The semi-
circular windows above Gap are clearly visible in the scene.
DIRECTIONS
Cross back to GAP, again please use extreme caution as this is a busy
section of road, veer right in front of it, and retrace your footsteps along
Shaftesbury Avenue, passing the line of concrete columns.
DIRECTIONS
Go back over Denman Street and, alongside McDonalds, veer right to
cross Shaftesbury Avenue via the traffic light pedestrian crossing, and
pass under the "PICTUREHOUSE CENTRAL" sign on the other side.
THEY FORGOT HARRY’S BIRTHDAY
Having encountered and battled the two Death Eaters in the café
in Deathly Hallows part One, Harry Ron and Hermione are walking
through this arcade when Hermione suddenly exclaims that they didn't
celebrate Harry's birthday. Harry responds that he appreciates the
thought but, "...given that they were almost killed by a couple of Death
Eaters a few minutes ago..." that is the last thing on his mind.
Ron then interrupts, telling them that, "we need to go somewhere safe,"
and so they head for 12 Grimmauld Place.
DIRECTIONS
Keep ahead to the end of the arcade and, just after Five Guys, turn left
along Coventry Street. Keep ahead over Rupert Street and Wardour
Street, and head straight into Leicester Square, passing M & M's World
on your left. Keep straight ahead through Leicester Square, and, as you
pass the garden at its centre, look right at:-
ODEON LEICESTER SQUARE
This is the cinema at which the Harry Potter films had their London prem-
ieres. Watched by thousands of screaming fans, the stars would arrive,
sign autographs and then walk along the red carpet into the cinema.
At the moment, the Odeon is little more than a building site, as, on 10th
January, 2018, it closed for a major refurbishment.
SECTION ELEVEN
KING’S CROSS STATION PLATFORM 93/4
IMPORTANT
There are several exits from the Piccadilly Line at King's Cross,
so you will need to follow the directions carefully to ensure that
you go out of the correct one for the tour.
DIRECTIONS
On arrival at the Piccadilly Line platform at King's Cross Station, turn
right off the train, following the platform signs for "Euston Road British
Library. Walk to the end of the platform, go left through the exit, then turn
right go up the escalator.
At the top, keep straight, and exit through the ticket barrier.
Once through the barrier, keep straight ahead and go up the steps, at
the top of which turn left, and then go right through the tunnel, following
the signs for St Pancras International. Be sure to keep to the left side of
this tunnel.
You will come to a flight of stairs on the left, signed "Stairs to street
level." Go up them and, at the top, turn left, and walk past the Boots
shop, after which go left, following the "Way Out, Euston Road" sign.
Go right along Euston Road, and, just before the red phone box, turn
right, pause by the black lamppost, and look across at the large arch of
the red-brick building on the other side of the roadway.
ST PANCRAS KING’S CROSS EXTERIOR
Although Harry Potter and his schoolmates board the Hogwarts Express
at King's Cross Station, the exterior used in the films was, in fact, the
one that now looms over you, St Pancras Station.

HERMIONE AT THE THEATRE

Having narrowly missed being hit by the bus, Hermione, Harry and Ron
walk along the section of pavement that you are now walking along
pushing their way through the crowds, as you are, no doubt, now doing.
As they reach the line of grey, round columns, which will be on your left,
Ron asks, "Where are we?" "Shaftesbury Avenue," replies Hermione, DIRECTIONS
"I used to come to the theatre here with Mum and Dad." They then pass
the silver tables of the café that you pass on your left, after which they Keep ahead through Leicester Square, passing to the left of the Burger
bear left and continue along the other side of the round, grey columns King, and, on arrival at Charing Cross Road, cross the traffic lights and
passing the display stands outside the last shop. go into Exit One of Leicester Square Underground Station.

This scene differs from the book in that, in the book, they apparate to From here, you will need to take the Piccadilly Line four stops to King's
Tottenham Court Road. Cross Station for the final section of your Harry Potter in London tour.

12
 THE FREE HARRY POTTER TOUR
THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS
It was on the corner of the courtyard to the right of the arch that the
Weasley’s parked the Ford Anglia in Harry Potter and the Chamber of
Secrets.
DIRECTIONS
Walk towards the St Pancras Renaissance Hotel, but do not cross to it,
instead, follow the pavement as it swings right. Keep ahead (the red-
brick hotel should be to your left) and, on arrival at the cobbled roadway,
look up at the clock tower.
THE FLYING FORD ANGLIA
In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, when Harry and Ron find
themselves unable to pass through the wall on to Platform nine-and-
three-quarters, because Dobbie has sealed it, they return to the Ford
Anglia and fly off over the station.
The clock that towers over you to your right is shown in this flight scene.
DIRECTIONS
Cross the cobbled road and head down the flight of stairs behind the
three brown bollards.
Keep ahead over the traffic light crossing, and, on the other side, veer
left and head for the two large arched-windows, with the clock tower over
them, all of which are clearly visible.
As you approach, you will see the sign for Platform 5.
Although you cannot actually enter through this door, you can position
yourself to be able to see Platforms 4 and 5, and, in particular, the walls
between them.
THE ENTRANCE TO PLATFORM 9 3/4
King's Cross Station has appeared in every Harry Potter film because
the journey to Hogwarts, aboard the Hogwarts Express, starts from
King's Cross Platform 9¾, which is invisible to the eyes of Muggles, and
which is reached by walking through the wall between platforms 9 and
10.
However, King's Cross Station posed a slight problem for the film mak-
ers in that Platforms 9 and 10 weren't actually adjacent to one another.
The problem was overcome by re-numbering Platforms 4 and 5. Thus
Platform 9¾ is in fact situated between these two platforms ahead of
you, which are separated by brick arches.
In the Harry Potter films the Hogwarts Express pulls into the far end of
the platform.
HARRY CAN’T GET THROUGH
In Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Mr and Mrs Weasley pass
through the portal but when Harry and Ron try to do so they just hit the
wall and fall to the ground. A nearby porter eyes them suspiciously and
asks what they think they're doing, to which Harry replies, "sorry lost
control of trolley."
Realising that they can't get on to the platform they hurry back to the
forecourt (St Pancras which you visited earlier) and take off in the Ford
Anglia.
OUR FINAL GLIMPSE OF HARRY, RON AND HERMIONE
It is on the platforms ahead that we catch our last glimpse of Harry, Ron
and Hermione in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two when
they bring their children here to pass through the wall and onto Platform
9¾ to begin their first journey to Hogwarts.
King's Cross Station was a special place for Joanne Rowling, since her
parents actually met on a train from King's Cross to Arbroath, so the
station always had a special significance for her.
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DIRECTIONS
As you face the doors, turn left and walk towards the entrance to King's
Cross St Pancras Underground Station, passing to the left of it.
Turn right, and enter King's Cross Station.
Keep ahead, passing the ticket office on your right, and pass to the right
of the sign that reads "Toilets and Baby care", and ahead of you, under
the footbridge, you will see an unsightly scrum of people. This is the line
waiting to be photographed pushing the trolley through the wall at the
designated Platform 9¾.
WELCOME TO PLATFORM 9¾
Although not an actual film location, the brown brick wall to your right
has become a magnet to Harry Potter fans from all over the world.
They come to photograph the sign, which the station authorities have
obligingly put up in honour of the station's most famous passenger.
Even more obliging is the fact that they have also taken the trouble of
placing a luggage cart against the wall, which looks as though it is half
way in to the wall, as though some young witch or wizard is proceeding
on their way to board the Hogwarts Express!
Sadly, if you wish to have your photograph taken here, you have no
choice but to join the line, where the wait can be upwards of 30 to 40
minutes. Don't be tempted to try and push in as, believe you me, the
combined effects of both the Cruciatus Curse and the killing curse will
pale into insignificance when compared to the cursing that will come
your way should you attempt to jump the queue!
The trolley is under the control of the enthusiastic staff from the nearby
Harry Potter Shop At Platform 9¾ Shop, and they watch over the line
with Dolores Umbridge-like officiousness.
There is also an official photographer on hand, who will snap your en-
deavours at getting through the wall, and you can then purchase your
photograph at the shop, should you so desire. However, you can also
take your own photos.
 THE FREE HARRY POTTER TOUR
DIRECTIONS
Continue past Platform 9¾ and, a little further along on the right, is the
Harry Potter Shop.
THE HARRY POTTER SHOP AT PLATFORM 9¾
Styled to resemble Ollivander's wand shop, complete with wooden pan-
elling and lots of draws, the Harry Potter Shop has something for every-
one.
You can, if you wish, splash out and purchase exact replicas of the
wands used in the films by Harry, Ron or Hermione; there is a selection
of jumpers in the various House colours; or you can marvel at a display
of Horcruxes.
If your tastes incline more towards the discreet and understated, then
you can choose from a selection of hoodies in a variety of colours, all
with Platform 9¾ emblazoned on them.
And, if you're seeking a more modestly priced souvenir, you can plum
for a selection of board games, Key rings, mugs, soft toys or action
THE END OF THE HARRY POTTER TOUR
As you enjoy this last treat on what I hope has been an eventful and
enjoyable day, your tour of the Harry Potter London locations tour draws
to a close.
You can now, apparate back to any location of your choosing, or simply
walk back to the entrance to King's Cross St Pancras underground Sta-
tion that you passed earlier.
The choice is yours, for I must leave you now.
Farewell my Muggle friends!
The Magician
www.the-magician.co.uk
JOIN ME FOR A WALK
In addition to my free Harry Potter Tour, I also operate
a series of regular guided walks around London.
These include my Friday and Saturday night Ghost
Walks, which explore the hidden and haunted alley-
ways and graveyards at the historic centre of the City
of London.
I also do a nightly Jack the Ripper tour that explore the
creepy East End alleyways where the Whitechapel
murders occurred.
I regularly do my Dickens London, Secret London,
Inns of Court and Hampstead walks.
In addition, I do special walks for Christmas and Hal-
loween, as well as anniversary walks, for anniversaries
such as the Great Fire of London, and for Shake-
speare’ s birthday.
FULL DETAILS OF MY WALKS
londonwalking.co.uk
MY LIST OF FREE THINGS TO DO IN LONDON
In addition to this free Harry Potter tour, I also compile
a monthly list of free things to do in London. These are
always unusual things, that you might not otherwise
get to hear of.
GET THE LIST
You can sign up to receive my free list via the following
URL.
bit.ly/richardslist
14
FREE WALKS AND QUIZZES
The Harry Potter tour is just one of a series of print-
off and go walks that I offer.
I also offer a series of Quiz Trails that enable you to
explore various neighbourhoods of London whilst
looking for the answers to questions about the
streets through which you will be walking and the
locations that you will be passing.
FULL DETAILS OF MY QUIZ TRAILS
bit.ly/quiztrails
I HOPE YOU ENJOY IT
Finally, I hope you have enjoyed my free Harry Pot-
ter tour of London.
Creating it and updating it is, I have to say, an abso-
lute delight and I honestly hope that you derive as
much fun from doing it as I have, over the years,
had from compiling and updating it.
I’d love to hear from you as to how you got on on
the tour.
JOIN ME ON FACEBOOK
Feel free to join me on my face book page
https://www.facebook.com/LondonDiscoveryTours
FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME
I’d also be delighted to answer any questions you might
have, so please feel free to email me via the contact
page on the Harry Potter Tour website.
the-magician.co.uk