Events
See Southampton – Upcoming events and tours
See Southampton Heritage Guides
Welcome to See Southampton Heritage Guides Welcome to See Southampton Guided Tours See some of Southampton’s wonderful architectural, historical and cultural heritage with our tour guides. Tours & Events Private Group Walks Book a walk for a group or private party, tailored for your interests, with a qualified local history expert. Contact us Accessible Guided Tours Guided tours are for everyone! We offer a sign language interpreter, voice amplifiers, ramps, lifts, and accessible toilet facilities. More information 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 visitors, cruise ship passengers and local residents. Events & Tours Walking Tours of Southampton’s Medieval Walls, Towers & Wine Vaults Walking Tours of Southampton’s Medieval Walls, Towers & wine vaults with our qualified guides every Saturday & Sunday Starting at 1:30pm in April, June, August & Oct 2025, and at 10:30am in May, July & Sept 2025. Meet at the Bargate (by the lions) in Southampton. 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. Hear tales of Southampton’s famous residents, including Jane Austen, as the city celebrates the 250th anniversary of Jane’s birth. Tickets: £10 each Book Events Southampton Pubs – Now & Then – Evening Talk in Woolston Speaker: Phil Woodward Date: 6th May Start time: 5:30pm Venue: Woolston Library in Southampton Free entry The Westgate 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. Explore the fascinating story of the Mayflower as told in the Westgate, along with exhibitions commemorating the 80th Second World War anniversaries of VE-Day (8 May 1945) and VJ-Day (15 August 1945), the 70th anniversary of the launch of Southampton’s heritage steamship, SS Shieldhall, and the 250th anniversary of the birth of Jane Austen in 1775, a famous resident of Southampton. Free entry, open Sundays 10:00-12:00 & 13:00-15:00. See Southampton Sunday walks from April – September will conclude at the Westgate, allowing a short time to visit. Southampton’s Hidden History Let us reveal the hidden history of your city! Southampton history walks depart the Lions by the Bargate at 10.30am and 1.30pm on weekends between April – end September, and then at 1.30pm during the autumn and winter. Hidden History walks are being staged by See Southampton and Southampton Tourist Guides Association, supported by Go! Southampton. Book Events Click poster for dates & details Talks at Portswood and Woolston Libraries – FREE! Library talk dates & times A series of Wednesday evening talks covering the history of Southampton is being given by See Southampton guides and Bevois Mount History at Portswood Library during 2025. There is free admission to the talks, which commence at 7.30pm. Dates for Woolston Library talks will be announced shortly. Portswood Library (SO17 2NG) talks programme, arranged by The Friends of Portswood Library: 12 March – Southampton’s Parks, Ally Hayes & Wendy Stokes 9 April – Victorian Cruising, David Hornsby 14 May – Southampton’s Nationally Renowned Carriage Makers, Godfrey Collyer 11 June – The Shieldhall – 70 Years Alive and Still Steaming! Nigel Philpott 9 July – Significant Southampton Mayors and the First Lord Mayor, Ally Hayes & Wendy Stokes 13 August – Jane Austen’s Southampton Connection, Jack Wilson 10 September – Isaac Watts’ Statue, Ally Hayes & Wendy Stokes 8 October – More Stories from the Stonemason’s Yard, Godfrey Collyer and Peter Shawyer 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. Jane Austen 250 and VE/VJ Day 80th 2025 sees many events taking place to mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of Jane Austen. Our rota walks will reference Jane’s connections with Southampton, and visit a number of the locations she would have known well – and we’re also running special, dedicated Sunday morning Jane Austen in Georgian Southampton tours, starting at 11am from the Westgate, Westgate Street, on 9 March, 6 April, 4 May and 8 June 2025. In addition, evening walks are being staged at 6pm from the Westgate on 23 May and 20 June. Weekend See Southampton walks will also mention the role that Southampton played during the 2nd World War, and will stop at the famous American Wall / D-Day Wall throughout 2025, close to the Westgate Exhibition. There remains an opportunity to view our free-to enter 80th anniversary D-Day exhibition at the Westgate, and to learn of the 80th anniversary of VE/VJ Day in 2025. Map and Tour – “From Parks to Port” 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. Accessibility Information “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. Information & Map Award Beautiful South Award See Southampton has won a prestigious accolade at the Beautiful South Awards for Excellence 2023. Read the full article in the Southern Daily Echo Reviews Click here to leave us a review!