Open House Festival 2026 at St Olave Hart Street
Saturday 12th September 12.30pm-5.30pm
Sunday 13th September 12.30pm-5.30pm
Saturday 19th September 12.30pm-5.30pm
Sunday 20th September 12.30pm-5.30pm
Step inside one of the City of London’s most remarkable historic churches during Open House Festival 2026. Discover a building with nearly a thousand years of history: the “own church” of Samuel Pepys, a rare survivor of the Great Fire of London, later devastated in the Blitz and restored after the Second World War. This year we mark 75 years since the beginning of that remarkable restoration.
Across two weekends, explore St Olave’s through free guided and self-guided tours, special talks, historic monuments and bellringing demonstrations.
Find out more on the Open House website.
Saturday 12 September – 12.30pm–5.30pm
Self-Guided Visits & Monumental Brass Society Lectures
Explore the church at your own pace before joining the Monumental Brass Society Open Meeting from 2pm.
The afternoon includes three talks, with speakers including Rear Admiral Mike Harris; Penny Ritchie Calder of St Olave Hart Street, speaking about recent conservation work connected with the Capponi memorial; and Nicholas Rogers on ‘But the plates of memory are gone’: visualising the church of St Olave Hart Street on the eve of the Reformation.
Refreshments available. All welcome.
Sunday 13 September – 12.30pm–5.30pm
Guided Church Tours
Discover nearly a thousand years of faith, history and life in the heart of the City. Hear some of the stories of those who have called St Olave’s their “own church” since its foundation in 1050, and discover how the building was rescued and restored after wartime destruction.
Guided tours: 12.30pm, 1.30pm, 2.30pm, 3.30pm, 4.30pm and 5.30pm.
Self-guided visits are welcome at other times. Refreshments available. All welcome.
Saturday 19 September – 12.30pm–5.30pm
Church Tours & Bellringing Demonstrations
Explore the church and hear St Olave’s bells brought to life by our bellringers, with demonstrations during the afternoon.
Timed tours of the historic belltower are also taking place. **Belltower tours are now fully booked**, but the church remains open to everyone and no booking is required for general visits.
Sunday 20 September – 12.30pm–5.30pm
Guided Church Tours
A final opportunity during Open House Festival to discover one of the City’s hidden historic treasures.
Explore St Olave’s extraordinary story, from its medieval origins and association with Samuel Pepys to wartime destruction and post-war restoration, and discover the people whose lives are remembered within its walls.
Guided tours: 12.30pm, 1.30pm, 2.30pm, 3.30pm, 4.30pm and 5.30pm.
Self-guided visits are welcome at other times. Refreshments available. All welcome.
