Take a walk through the sinister past of the Dark Side of London, hearing ghost stories, tragic tails, and creepy facts and figures, all the more unsettling because it is true! You will learn the salacious history of the Barber Surgeons, see the site of the execution of a legendary hero, and stand before an old Victorian hospital famous for grave-robbery.
On this tour you'll find out why Londoners used to drink blood and eat bones, learn who is said to haunt London's Underground network, and hear the story of England's most prolific serial killer (and if you think you know who it is - think again!). You'll walk over plague pits, through haunted graveyards and along the very same paths the condemned would have once taken on their final journeys.
This tour, guided by a professional storyteller and scholar, is a must for anyone who wants to get off the beaten track and learn about the macabre tales that this ancient city has to offer. You’ll never look at London the same way!
Inclusions & Exclusions
✔ An entertaining tour with a local guide.
✖ Gratuities
Departure & Return
Departure:
,
Meet your guide in front of the main station entrance/exit directly in between the new and old stations - near Timpson and Pret.
Itinerary
1
Farringdon
Your local guide will meet you just outside the station and will ensure you "mind the gap" as you learn about the ghost of a girl that is said to haunt the station.
It's busy and colourful, but try to listen through the noise or - if you are not afraid - come after midnight... It's a tragic story of a young girl badly treated when she was alive and even worse after death. Is she still here? Some say you can spot her if you know what to look for.
We will tell you what happened to her in the 18th century and then you can decide if you are brave enough to look for her remains or just listen to her scream.
Duration: 10 minutes
2
Smithfield Market
It's a great place to buy some meat, but that's not why we will bring you here.
We will ask you to close your eyes and try to imagine how it looked back then... This market was a place for public executions for centuries. Heroes, martyrs and innocent folk were tortured and killed in many different ways.
But, you have hand it to the executioners - they were very inventive when it came to drawing the last bit of life from exhausted human flesh...
Duration: 15 minutes
3
Charterhouse Square
This is a lovely and peaceful park in the middle of a busy city. But before you sit on a bench, be careful, as they are made of snakes!
And that's just the beginning. Layer after layer, century after century and one horrendous disease after another...Deeper and deeper we will unravel how plagues changed London, how deadly they were, how doctors tried to stop them and just what happened to those who survived.
Keep an eye out under your feet, as you're never far from a skull as you stand on top of London's plague pits.
Duration: 15 minutes
4
Cloth Fair
Here your guide will show you where to pick up a drink before attending a public London execution.
Duration: 10 minutes
5
Church of St. Bartholomew the Great
Here we will make our way through some narrow passages and old streets until we discover one of the oldest churches in London - St. Bartholomew the Great.
For nine hundred years it served the people, both alive and dead. Among other famous burial stories we'll tell you one about the founder of this church: How his eternal rest was disturbed, what's missing from him now, and how he tried to get his revenge.
You'll take in these stories while standing in tranquil settings surrounded by centuries-old tombstones as you find yourself standing in one of London's most haunted graveyards.
Duration: 15 minutes
6
WIlliam Wallace Memorial
Here we will take you into the past as we go way back to when England and Scotland were at war. One Scottish freedom fighter has a special place in the memory of his people - and also on this spot.
Hear the true story of William Wallace from the gory details of his triple execution, the later consequences for the UK as a result, and also the inaccuracies of the film loosely based on his life.
Duration: 10 minutes
7
Saint Bartholomew's Hospital Museum
Here we will wander past another church before we end up in the middle of the hospital yard.
Both the church and hospital have the same patron and the same long history. You will be grateful for your current medical service when you find out what methods, tools and means the doctors here used in the past!
You wouldn't believe what you had to drink, eat or smear on yourself in the hope to get better! Imagine a doctor not washing their hands; sharing a hospital bed with another patient; having an audience watch your surgery or amputation. Oh, and be careful because even just watching can be deadly on its' own...
Duration: 15 minutes
8
Holy Sepulchre London
Visit yet another historic church and graveyard, but this one seems to be missing something. Where are the graves?
These empty pits are a reminder of the times, over two hundred years ago, when some people made a living by taking dead bodies out from their graves and selling them.
Taking or stealing? That's debatable and, as you will find out, sometimes the distinction could make a very important difference. But most importantly, who would buy a dead body? Well, we've just been to the hospital and on the way we passed the pub ... just connect the dots.
Was it legal? Was it profitable? And how did it end? The answer is a book with a very disturbing cover.
Duration: 15 minutes
9
Old Bailey
We always keep the worst for the end! At this legendary courthouse, your guide will introduce you to the "worst serial killer" England ever saw. And if you think it's Jack the Ripper - think again!
Here you will stand outside an imposing court building which stands on the site of a former prison. In that prison, among many murderers, thieves and degenerates one stands out.
An ordinarily looking woman, but with a piercing, chilling look and a deadly touch. To make matters worse she specialised in killing the innocent. Even worse, she was making money out of it. Even worse than that, she was actually twice caught and allowed to carry on! And worse still, she had a daughter herself. And even all of that is not the worst part of this story...
Duration: 15 minutes
Additional info
• Wheelchair accessible
• Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
• Service animals allowed
• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
• All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels
