Walking Tour

A Walking Tour of Homes & History

Download the PDF & take a stroll through Woodfield!

Woodfield is part of the historic heart of London and it flourished in the latter part of the 19th century. The upper and middle classes built their homes along Queens Avenue, Dufferin Avenue, and Princess Avenue. Although Woodfield has suffered from the growth of the business district, much of it has remained unchanged and it is still possible to feel the charm and beauty of the area.

Woodfield is very close to downtown. Much time and effort, mainly by the Woodfield Community Association, has been spent fighting inappropriate rezoning applications. Although it is of course impossible to keep all office conversion away, Woodfield remains a largely residential neighbourhood. During the 1950s and 60s, it became fashionable for families to leave the downtown and move into subdivisions. But recently there has been a turn-around and people are now moving back into the large homes, and bringing them back to the single-family dwellings they once were.

Most of the houses on the tour were built during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901) and reflect a wide variety of architectural styles. You’ll see buildings built in the Romanesque style, the Queen Anne style, the Ontario Cottage style, the Italianate style and so on.

At a very leisurely pace the Woodfield Walking Tour will take approximately 1½ to 2 hours to complete. The Short Tour will take approximately ½ to 1 hour.