Burke & Hare: The West Port Murders
The true story of Scotland's first serial killers who murdered for cash and sold the bodies to private anatomist, Dr Robert Knox.
Location
Bow Well
94/1 West Bow Edinburgh EH1 2HH United KingdomRefund Policy
About this event
Edinburgh, 200 hundred years ago, was Britain's centre of medical excellence. Students flocked from far and wide to gain their medical degrees of which anatomy was an essential part. However, to study anatomy you need bodies, and the only bodies which could be legally used for medical research were those of executed criminals. But, with such a high demand there needs to be a constant supply. Meet William Burke and William Hare, two Irish immigrant labourers and Scotland's first serial killers who murdered people for profit and sold their bodies to the flamboyant and ambitious anatomist, Robert Knox.
Burke & Hare: The West Port Murders Tour takes place in the historic Grassmarket area of Edinburgh. Our knowledgeable guide will take you on a journey through the murky Old Town of 1828 to the exact locations where the murders took place and will explain in detail about the brutal conditions which led to these heinous crimes.
Our tour has been based on facts surrounding the case from credible sources and a wealth of research; as such, it is a must for anyone interested in true crime history and the seedy underworld of Edinburgh's Old Town at the close of the Georgian era.
Please note, due to its dark nature, this tour is only suitable for people who are 18 years of age and over.
Frequently asked questions
Good question. The Thistle Street Bar plays host to thousands of visitors each year. Many of them would like to know more about Edinburgh. As the landlord was born here and is passionate about Scottish history the logical step was to start running our own historical tours.
Please meet us 10 minutes before the start time of your tour at the West Bow Well which is in the Grassmarket at the bottom of Victoria Street. This is our starting point. The tour will end around two hours later at Surgeons' Square near Infirmary Street.
Unfortunately not. Due to its dark nature, our tour is only suitable for people who are 18 years of age and over.
The total distance of the tour will be approximately two miles.
We would love to say yes, but the reality is that as we will be exploring narrow alleyways and cobbled streets which are not particularly stable in parts, we wouldn't recommend it to people who use a wheelchair.
Yes. We'll just take our time so that people with mobility issues can enjoy the tour as much as everyone else. Also, if we know in advance, we can bring hiking poles to make getting around a little easier. If you would like to request this just drop us an email to welcome@thistlestreetbar.com.
Our tours take place in all weathers so please choose appropriate clothing to match the conditions on the day of the tour. Your footwear should also be sturdy and comfortable enough to handle the cobbled and hilly streets of Edinburgh's Old Town - and waterproof it it's a wet day!
Edinburgh is a busy city and we want everyone who attends our tour to receive excellent value for money. For this reason, we keep our group numbers small with a maximum of 12 people at any one time.
Edinburgh is a major Scottish tourist attraction and as such can be very noisy. This is why we have invested in a TourTalk communication system. Each attendee is supplied with headphones so you will hear what your guide is saying quite clearly above the hustle and bustle.
Unfortunately not all the sites we visit on our walking tour are dog friendly so we admit assistance dogs only on our tours.
Yes, you can email us on welcome@thistlestreetbar.com and we will reply the same day.