Dark Side of the City

Murder, Mystery and Mayhem

THE DARK SIDE OF THE CITY

Murder, Mystery and Mayhem

Join this tour to learn about a gruesome and horrific history that is written in the stones of some of todays well known buildings.

Our tour starts south of St Paul's Cathedral and you will soon learn of book burnings, fiery sermons and the hanging, drawing and quartering of political and religious adversaries.

Learn how the fearsome Queen Isabella - the "she - wolf of France" - dealt with her enemies. Learn about the appalling conditions of one of Britain's worst gaols and how you could use an Underground train to go to a public execution.

You will discover how body-snatchers would dig up fresh graves to sell corpses for money and what processes were put in place to stop them.

We will talk about martyrs who were executed at Smithfield, the raucous Bartholomew Fair that got so out of hand the Victorians banned it and even in seemingly peaceful Charterhouse Square, death and murder are not far away.

Are you ready to be surprised and shocked? Join our expert guide on Friday mornings to find out more.

The tour takes around 2 hours including stopping to look at things along the way. Limited spaces which MUST be booked in advance. Reserve your place now. We try to make our tours as inclusive and accessible as possible.

Safety:

The safety of our guests and guides is paramount and we have limited group numbers to help manage this.

All our guides are accredited by the Institute of Tourist Guiding (ITG) and follow ITG guidance for Tour Guiding.

Enjoy your walk!