Spooky and unusual places to visit in London this Halloween
Written by Barbara Oliveira (Astor Museum)
If you are a fan of the macabre or are just tired from the regular corners of every-day London, you might enjoy taking a walk on the dark side and explore London’s deepest darkest secrets. I have gathered a list with five of the creepiest places to visit in London, but be careful, for these are not for the faint of heart. Do you think you have the stomach for it? Find out below.
(Free Entry)
John Hunter was a Scottish surgeon, born in Calderwood in the 1800s, who made significant contributions to the world of medicine. He also left behind a unique collection of medical curiosities, which are now available to all for free at the Royal College of Surgeons. It contains a diverse number of oddities, such as strange skeletons, brains and other organs, preserved creatures with deformities, old medical procedures and much, much more. They also hold events about the past, present and future of medicine, for the more scientifically inclined.
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VIKTOR WYND’S MUSEUM OF CURIOSITIES
(Tickets £5)
Also known as the Viktor Wynd’s Little Shop of Horrors, it is run by The Last Tuesday Society and it allows everyone to experience a myriad of uniquely weird Victorian oddities. Its dusty shelves and tables are filled with skulls, fairies, hairballs, stuffed animals, mermaids, shrunken heads, and an extensive collection of other dark and mysterious items, which make this museum one of the quirkiest places to visit in London.
ST.BRIDE’S CHURCH & CHARNEL HOUSE
(Tickets £6)
It is thought to be one of the oldest churches in London, with spiritual ceremonies and worship dating as far back has the Saxon period. The modern church was designed during the 17th century and was built on top of a long line of previous churches and crypts. Not much happened there until 1940, when it was almost completely destroyed by bombs during the London Blitz. During reconstruction, crypts overflowing with corpses were uncovered, from individually marked graves to mass graves of more 7000 human remains. The crypts are now open to the public but only if you take the guided tour.
(Tickets £10)
Jack the Ripper is one of the most infamous serial killers of the 19th century, and this tour will take you through East London to discover all the details of the gruesome deaths in each of their original locations. And, if that isn’t enough to entice you to come along, you will also be able to get a feel for that time period, since most of the region still preserves a lot of its old Victorian look.
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SEBASTIAN HORSLEY’S SOHO HOME
(Tickets £35)
Sebastian Horsley was an eccentric artist, a bohemian man and a self-described dandy. His house, converted from an old Soho brothel, has been opened to the public after his death and is now a taxidermy museum of sorts that allows guests to experience this craft first hand. All the materials are provided, including the dead animals (yes, real dead animals, both small and large), which are humanely acquired for the occasion. And, who knows, you might just run into Horsley’s ghost while you’re there!