Explore Hampstead as D.H. Lawrence knew it. See it afresh through his friendships with local refugees, psychoanalysts, artists and revolutionaries. This two-mile, two-hour walking tour concentrates on the locations that the much-censored author visited and lived in, on-and-off, between 1908 and 1926. Here his career took off, his future wife abandoned her children in order to elope with him, he learned of 'The Rainbow''s banning, he witnessed Zeppelin raids on London, and he spent his last ever night in England.
Attenders will meet the lecturer at the entrance of Hampstead Tube Station (on the Northern Line). There a short introduction to the tour will be given, before the group moves off together, and covers just over two miles over the following two hours. There will be frequent stops for the lecturer to give explanations, read out extracts from letters and literature, and take questions. The tour will finish at Hampstead Heath overground station (on the Mildmay Line). One section of the walk crosses Hampstead Heath, therefore this walk is unfortunately not suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs.
This walking tour is part of the Being Human Festival 2025. Being Human Festival is a free, nationwide festival showcasing the humanities research happening across the UK. We believe that ideas revealed by the study of the humanities – from archaeology to languages, literature to history – help us understand what it means to be human.
This event is part of Being Human Festival, the UK’s national festival of the humanities, taking place 6 - 15 November 2025. Led by the School of Advanced Study, University of London, with generous support from Research England, in partnership with the Arts and Humanities Research Council and the British Academy. For further information please see beinghumanfestival.org.
