American Civil War tours in London
Thursday, 14 October 2010 12:00 AM
The American Civil War was fought from 1861 to 1865
History buffs looking for things to do in London can take part in new walking tours visiting sites around the city that are associated with the American Civil War.
The series of excursions was launched following research by Tom Sebrell, a part-time history lecturer at Queen Mary, University of London, who spent four years looking into propaganda movements that thrived in Britain during the 19th-century conflict.
During his studies, Mr Sebrell came across a total of 50 locations in London that look the same today as they did in the 1860s and provide a fresh insight into the American Civil War story.
The new tours take in buildings that were used by Union and Confederate diplomats, propagandists and spies.
Mr Sebrell predicted that they will prove popular among American tourists and history enthusiasts, pointing out that the Civil War is "like a second religion in the US".
"Huge numbers of Civil War re-enactors make the pilgrimage to Gettysburg in Virginia and other major battlefields, but as so many downtown locations in the US have been destroyed by urban renewal they are always looking for new ground, and Britain has that in spades," he commented.
The tours are currently available in Marylebone and the Piccadilly and Mayfair area of London and start at 15:00 and 19:00 from Tuesday to Sunday.
People interested in taking part should gather outside the Marble Arch or Green Park Underground stations.
A third tour based in the City will begin on October 26th 2010.
Travelbite.co.uk staff
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