Welcome to See Southampton Heritage Guides
See Southampton Heritage Guides – Sightseeing tours, tour guides and accessible tours
Guided Tours
See some of Southampton’s wonderful architectural, historical and cultural heritage with our tour guides.
Private Group Walks
Book a walk for a group or private party, tailored for your interests, with a qualified local history expert.
Accessible Guided Tours
Guided tours are for everyone! We offer a sign language interpreter, voice amplifiers, ramps, lifts, and accessible toilet facilities.
More history in Southampton than you ever imagined!
See Southampton Heritage Guides is a team of qualified local heritage experts and tour guides, delivering an entertaining programme of walks and talks for local residents, visitors and cruise ship passengers.
Events & Tours
Discover Southampton's Amazing, Hidden - and Surprising - History
90-minute walking tours on Saturday and Sunday starting from February 2026
Meet at the Southampton Bargate, beside the statues of the lions
Saturday and Sunday in February, April, June, August, October, December 2026: 13:30-15:00
Saturday and Sunday in May, July, September 2026: 10:30-12:00
Explore the hidden history of Southampton – from the Romans to the Normans, to the city’s years as an elegant spa town, and on to the amazing part the city played in the Second World War as a military port and home to wartime industry. Visit the medieval walls and wine vaults, and hear the stories of Southampton’s most famous ships, including the Mayflower and the Titanic, along with tales of Southampton’s famous residents, such as novelist Jane Austen.
Tickets: £10 – book online or pay on the day (cash or card)
The Westgate - open on Sundays
Visit the historic 14th Century Westgate, one of the main gates leading into medieval Southampton. Henry V with his band of brothers on their way to the Battle of Agincourt in 1415 passed through West Gate, as did the Pilgrim Fathers in 1620, ready to board the Mayflower at the busy, bustling medieval West Quay.
Exhibitions explore the fascinating stories of the Mayflower and Southampton’s heritage steamship SS Shieldhall, Southampton’s wartime history, and look at the lives of some of the famous people connected to Southampton – such as the novelist Jane Austen.
Opening times: Sundays 10:00-12:00, 13:00-15:00 – free entry
Upcoming Public Themed and Group and Private Tours
Upcoming Public Themed Tours:
2026 programme to be announced shortly.
Group and Private Tours: We offer private tours for individuals and groups, on subjects ranging from Titanic themed, to the Second World War, to the story of the Mayflower, covering the city’s churches, Christmas in Southampton, or Medieval or Georgian Southampton – whatever your interest, we can find a guide to tailor a tour for you. To find out more about our Group and Private Walks, contact us for more details.
2026 Talks at Portswood and Woolston Libraries - FREE!
A series of monthly Wednesday evening talks covering the history of Southampton will be given by See Southampton guides and Bevois Mount History at Portswood Library, starting in March 2026. The talks begin at 19:00 and admission is free.
11 March: Rebuilding the town Southampton after the Blitz Godfrey Collyer
8 April: Gatti’s Restaurant – the Titanic’s ‘Ritz’ Ally Hayes and Wendy Stokes
13 May: Rigging Block Maker (1734-1893) Mark Newland and Walter Taylor
10 June: Southampton’s American Connections Nigel Philpott
8 July: The First Public Libraries in Southampton Ally Hayes and Wendy Stokes
12 August: Bevois – Prince of Southampton Jack Wilson
9 September: Early Development of Southampton Docks David Hornsby
14 October: The French Raid of 1338 Ally Hayes and Wendy Stokes
If you would like to book a talk, our team is always happy to provide guest speakers on a range of subjects. Contact us for details.
Southampton's 'American' story
2026 is the 250th anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence in 1776, and America and Americans feature throughout many parts of Southampton’s history – from 1620 and the departure from Southampton’s West Quay of the Pilgrim Fathers on board the Mayflower and the Speedwell, to the major role America played in Southampton’s Second World War story,
Weekend See Southampton walks throughout 2026 will recount many of the fascinating stories of Americans in Southampton, with details of special America-themed walks to be announced shortly.
See Events for more details.
See Southampton's Accessible Guided Tours
We ensure that our Accessible Guided Tours are accessible to those with (visible or non-visible) physical and learning difficulties, and are wheelchair and mobility scooter friendly.
"From Parks to Port" - See Southampton's map with Accessible Trail
See Southampton have produced a map that details accessible places of interest, and includes lifts, toilets, ramps and facilities that can be easily accessed by wheelchair and mobility scooter users.
Award
Beautiful South Award
See Southampton has won a prestigious accolade at the Beautiful South Awards for Excellence 2023.