About Me

Hi, I’m Jen. I’m not a tourist; I live in London, and its my favorite city in the world.

I grew up in Seattle, Washington, USA and first moved to London in 2014. Since then I’ve been lucky enough to live in both places, but London is where my heart lives.

I have undergraduate and graduate degrees in English, creative writing, history, and education, and a penchant for the weird and macabre. All of my studies and passions collide in telling the gristly historical past of London. 

I want visitors here to avoid the tourist traps and find unique places that aren’t in the guidebooks. I want locals to easily discover the incredible stories behind every brick and tunnel.

From ancient prisons to ghastly murder houses to spooky haunts, these are my favorite places and my favorite stories to share.

Open up my handy map, get out, explore, and become a dark tourist with me!

Read my recent interview with Bored Panda here! 

What is Dark Tourism?

“Dark tourism” has become the catch-all phrase for visiting places with dark, morbid, or gruesome pasts.

Visiting Tyburn in Marble Arch, where thousands were hanged from the gallows? Marveling at the history of so many tortured souls that came to an end there? That’s dark tourism.

Visiting a scary haunted house attraction during Halloween? That’s not dark tourism. 

Walking the Thames and photographing the Tower of London, Traitor’s Gate, and finding that little-known spot called Dead Man’s Hole? That’s dark tourism.

Speeding to a site of a recent horrible accident to make a TikTok? That’s not dark tourism; that’s just being a voyeuristic jerk, taking advantage of pain and suffering for your own popularity. 

How to be a Respectful Dark Tourist

Something to keep in mind when visiting historical sites with very dark histories is that we’re talking about real people, who lived real lives and had horrible deaths, or at the very least went through horrific ordeals in their time.

Let’s not glorify the killers or the atrocities.

Instead, remember the victims. Say their names.

Take into account all the historical customs and social constructs that led to these events. As the old Churchill saying goes, “those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”

Why Dark Tourism?

Dark tourism is for the lovely weirdos. If you’re like me and don’t want to go to the tourist traps, the crowded spots full of shops selling tchotchkes, or eat at the overpriced crappy restaurants with picture menus on the high street, dark tourism is for you.

It’s a guide to take you to places off the beaten path that are less well-known but very much worth seeing.

You’ll experience the most unique places and find hidden gems along the way. You’ll wander the real streets of the intricate city you’re in, and maybe get a glimpse of what it used to be like in centuries gone by. 

Enjoy your wanderings, be respectful of the past, and embrace the odd, the curious, and the fascinating. 

Affiliate Disclosure

In some of my posts I include links to books or other media that I have used to research the post.

If you purchase through these links, I receive a small commission at no cost to you. It’s not much, but it helps me to keep writing and researching the history of this amazing (but crazy expensive) city.

Thank you for your support!