Your Ultimate Guide To Dark Tourism In London: 100+ Spookiest Spots

The long and dark history of London means this city is the ultimate creepy attraction. Dark tourism in London is everywhere, and there’s so much to see. 

Here are my favourite London dark tourism spots where you can see the gruesome, gristly and dark history of London come to life. 

What is Dark Tourism? 

Dark tourism is a way of looking at travel through a spooky lens.

Dark tourists enjoy history – particularly the gruesome and mysterious kind – and seeing historic spots today. 

Whereas most tourists would enjoy seeing Instagrammable streets, dark tourists want to know all the dark deeds that happened on that street.  

Why? Because we’re built differently, and the macabre fascinates us. 

Does Dark Tourism Glorify Crime and Death? 

Disrespectful dark tourism can certainly do those things. It entirely depends on the traveller. 

Recently with the spate of Fred and Rose West documentaries and dramas, visitors have been drawn to their “house of horrors” to pose for selfies. This is absolutely disrespectful and glorifies the deaths of their innocent victims.  

Many dark tourists would want to see this place, but do it to remember the victims.

Many dark tourists (like myself) believe that the energy of events and people live on in those locations, and want to visit to feel that energy. We would absolutely not take silly selfies in these locations. 

Respectful dark tourists always, always remember the victims of atrocities and never glorify the perpetrators. 

There is a fine line between respectful and disrespectful dark tourism, and unfortunately, some travellers and media reports give us all a bad name. 

Is There a Lot of Dark Tourism in London? 

London is a city that’s about 2,000 years old, and has survived through wars, plagues, fires, bombs, and so much more.

Every inch of this city has an incredible history, and a lot of that history is very dark. 

This makes London dark tourism prolific and immeasurable – it’s everywhere. You only need to know where to look. 

Use my London Dark History map to see every location on this list and more.

Where are the Best London Dark Tourism Spots? 

It depends on what you’re interested in! London has history in every genre and in every location. 

Let’s go through my favourite dark tourism spots in London. If you’re visiting London and have limited time, these are the spots I would check out first.

Most Iconic Spots for London Dark Tourism: Top 10

Here are the most well-known dark tourism locations in London, where the history is prolific and darkly fascinating. 

If you see one location while visiting London, make it #1 on this list:

1. The Tower of London

The most iconic dark tourism spot in all of London. Explore centuries of murders, executions, and imprisonment, all in one historic place. 

You’ll need a good 3 hours to explore it fully, or more if you want to see every little detail.

2. Whitechapel & Spitalfields 

Jack the Ripper haunted this historic area in 1888, and you can take a guided tour, or explore on your own with my complete Jack the Ripper guide.

Don’t miss Smithfield Market, and hit up the area’s haunted pubs explored further down this list.

3. Charterhouse Square 

A notorious plague pit is now a lovely London garden, with 50,000+ bodies buried beneath. The Charterhouse itself saw centuries of torment and executions, especially during the Reformation. 

4. The British Museum 

The ghost of the Unlucky Mummy isn’t the only piece of dark history inside this iconic museum. It’s filled with centuries of pillaged artefacts from cultures around the world, some of which are said to haunt its halls. 

5. The Clink Prison Museum 

The most notorious prison in all of history is now a museum with original artefacts from the prison. This place saw more death and despair than many other places in London, and if you touch the original wall you might feel that dark energy. 

6. The Old Operating Theatre 

Enter the very chamber where doctors learned how to amputate limbs. Before hand-washing was a thing, this place saw a whole lot of death at the hands of “doctors.” 

7. Tyburn 

If you head towards Marble Arch, you’ll see a plaque in the sidewalk marking the place where Tyburn Tree used to sit. This was the original execution spot of London, and saw many, many people hanged over the centuries. 

8. The Viaduct Tavern 

Famous for its appearance on ghost hunting shows, this tavern sits across from the Old Bailey, which used to be Newgate Prison. The only surviving cells of the notorious prison are in the basement of the tavern. If you ask nicely (and buy a pint or three), they might let you take a peek. 

9. Hampton Court Palace

The notorious home of Henry VIII and his divorced/beheaded/dead wives. The ghosts of its former inhabitants haunt the halls! 

10. Highgate Cemetery 

The most iconic of the “Magnificent Seven” Cemeteries, Highgate is not only extremely creepy and atmospheric, but it has its own vampire legends attached. Alexander Litvinenko, who was famously poisoned, is buried here, among many other infamous figures. 

Cemeteries 

London has over 150 cemeteries. These are just a small sample of the creepiness you can find browsing any of London’s burial grounds. 

The Magnificent Seven Cemeteries 🪦

Highgate might be the most iconic cemetery in London for dark tourists, but don’t forget about the other 6 of the “Magnificent Seven”.

11. Brompton Cemetery 🪦 (Magnificent 7)

Beneath the regal Brompton Cemetery in Kensington lie a vast network of catacombs, where a young girl in white is said to float through the tunnels, searching for her long lost parents. 

12. Kensal Green Cemetery 🪦 (Magnificent 7)

Beneath the ornate tombs of this prestigious graveyard lie a catacomb network containing many, many lead-sealed coffins.

Their bombing in WWII was said to release spirits long-buried, and they don’t always have the best intentions for the living. 

13. Abney Park 🪦 (Magnificent 7)

An arboretum combined with a cemetery makes Abney Park a totally unique spot for dark tourists in London. Its ornate structures combined with lush foliage, plus a haunting and dark past, make it well worth the trip to Stoke Newington. 

14. Nunhead Cemetery 🪦 (Magnificent 7)

This grand and large cemetery was overrun by woodland, which makes it a supremely creepy spot to visit. 

15. Tower Hamlets Cemetery 🪦 (Magnificent 7)

The most popular burial site for the East End in the Victorian period, victims of the Princess Alice disaster, Bethnal Green tube crush, and Carthusian monks from the Charterhouse were buried here. 

16. West Norwood Cemetery 🪦 (Magnificent 7)

Another extremely atmospheric cemetery contains 3,500 graves buried beneath two chapels. In the 1840s, some 12,000 bodies were taken from beneath the grossly overcrowded Enon Chapel and reburied here. 

17. City of London Cemetery 

Over 150,000 people are buried in this grand cemetery, which is not actually in the City of London – check your map before you set out. Jack the Ripper victims Catherine Eddows and Mary Anne Nichols are buried here, as well as murder victim Percy Thompson. 

18. Bunhill Fields 

“Bunhill” likely stemmed from “Bone Hill,” when in 1549 over 1,000 cart loads of human remains were brought here from St Paul’s Charnel House. In 1665, the city decided to officially make it a burial ground. Famous poets Daniel Defoe and William Blake are buried here.  

19. Hyde Park Pet Cemetery 

Over 1,000 animals are buried in this creepy hidden corner of Hyde Park. It’s only open for guided tours. 

20. Crossbones Graveyard 

A post-medieval burial ground used for the internment of “single women” (aka sex workers). Most died young of disease. The space is now beautifully maintained by volunteers, and you can go pay your respects to women who were just trying to survive. 

21. Chingford Mount Cemetery 

The grand final resting place of the notorious Kray Twins, and it’s also said to be haunted by a headless horseman! 

22. Barnes Cemetery 

This historic site has seen everything from vandalism to grave robbing, but it’s also the place where murder victim Julia Martha Thomas of the “Barnes Mystery” was buried. 

Churches & Churchyards 

There are over 2,000 churches in London, each with their own unique and dark histories. And since churches were the traditional place of burial for centuries, they come with a lot of dead bodies. 

23. Westminster Abbey

Sure, it’s a beautiful gothic church (pictured above), where hundreds of historic Royal moments have happened.

But inside there are over 3,500 graves from monarchs to scientists to authors. It’s definitely the most beautiful – and haunted – burial ground in London. 

24. St Olave’s

Dickens coined the phrase ‘Saint Ghastly Grim’, and the name for the churchyard stuck.

You’ll soon see why: the macabre entrance to the churchyard of St Olave’s is adorned with skulls and crossbones from the 1600s. If you walk past the creepy skulls, you can visit the graves inside. 

25. The Execution Bell at St Sepulchre

Inside this historic church you’ll find a grim souvenir: the execution bell that used to ring before prisoners were put to death at Newgate jail. 

26. St Anne’s and St Agnes 

Works beneath this church uncovered a massive plague pit. If you walk into the gardens, you’re standing right on top of it. 

27. St Magnus the Martyr

This church used to be the entrance of the old London Bridge, which has its own grim history. But the church is also said to be haunted by the ghost of Miles Coverdale, a preacher responsible for bringing the bible to England. With that one book, countless lives were lost. 

28. All Hallows by the Tower 

The oldest church in the city of London, this place has seen some serious stuff go down since the 1300s. But the site is much, much older than that, and you can explore its Saxon history in the Crypt Museum beneath the church. 

29. St Dunstan in the East 

Is there a more instagrammable dark tourist spot in London? I don’t think so. 

First built in 1,000 AD, this church was severely damaged by the Great Fire of London. After being rebuilt, it did not survive the Blitz. These spooky remains have been taken over by nature, and the result is a haunting spectacle very much worthy of a visit. 

30. St Giles Cripplegate 

Now nestled in the brutalist Barbican complex, this church is much, much older than first glance. First established in the 11th century in an old city gate (Cripplegate) along the original London wall, the space was used as a prison in the mediaeval period. This site has seen so much history, including the Great Fire and the Blitz. 

31. St Giles in the Fields 

Not only is this an old historic church with centuries of history, but it sits on top of a massive plague pit. It also used to be a leper hospital! 

32. Temple Church 

Temple Church was founded by…you guessed it: The Knights Templar. And combined with their mysterious history, this building has seen some crazy stuff in modern times, too. The Da Vinci Code was partially based in and filmed inside the church. 

33. St Helen’s Bishopsgate 

Dating from at least the 1300s, this old creepy church survived the Great Fire and the Reformation. But stories of the nuns that used to live on the property also survived, and they are said to haunt the halls. 

34. Southwark Cathedral 

This ancient church has possibly the most dark history in all of London. It survived two massive fires, the reformation, and hosted heresy trials during the reign of Queen Mary. Six high-ranking officials were condemned to death on this very premises. It’s an eerie spot with a very spooky vibe inside. 

35. Christ Church Spitalfields 

This church has stood here since 1729, right in the heart of the East End. It’s seen its fair share of gruesome history, and even has an original crypt you can visit in the basement.

36. The Hardy Tree at Old St Pancras Church

The story goes that when the railway was coming through the King’s Cross area, a man named Hardy was tasked with moving the graves, so he piled them around a tree.

The Hardy Tree fell last year, but the graves are still there, and it’s in a very peaceful and quiet corner of this busy area.

37. St Bartholomew the Great 

Next to the ancient St Bart’s hospital is this ornate church, which used to be a priory. It’s said to be haunted by a monk named Rahere, who founded the hospital in 1123.

The church was partially demolished during the reformation, and some parish leaders were executed. The churchyard still holds several tombs, and looks over the oldest house in London on Cloth Fair. 

Dark Historic Pubs

London has over 3,500 pubs. But it also has more than its fair share of pubs with gruesome, dark and intriguing history. Here are my favorites.

38. The Grenadier, Belgravia

It might be in posh Belgravia, but this spot has a sordid history. In the 19th century a soldier named Cedric was beaten to death for an unpaid gambling debt.

Customers often leave an offering for Cedric, who still haunts the pub. 

39. The Bow Bells, Bow

A classic East Ender, and the only pub in London with a haunted ladies loo, a sign inside the stalls actually warns customers to beware of the ghost.

A previous landlord tried to hold a seance to rid the spirit, but only ended up with smashed glass in the toilets.

Ladies, beware when using the services!

40. The Viaduct Tavern, St Paul’s

A lovely example of a gin palace, and very, very haunted, the Viaduct sits across the street from the Old Bailey.

The Old Bailey was formerly Newgate Prison, where brutal public executions took place monthly. In the cellar of the pub are the only remaining cells of the prison, which were so filthy with vermin and insects that there was a “crunch” when you walked. 

41. The Flask, Highgate

Have a pint in the room where the first even autopsy in London was performed! This place has been around since the days of body snatching, and it’s seen some pretty gruesome history.

A barmaid – who still haunts her former place of work – hung herself in the cellar. Lots of paranormal activity happens here. 

42. The Spaniards Inn, Hampstead

Originally a toll gate, this pub has been pulling pints for over 400 years. Infamous Highwayman Dick Turpin was a regular, as well as “Black Dick”, the ghost of a chap run over by a horse and buggy and died outside the door.

Apparitions abound at the Spaniards. 

43. The Volunteer, Marylebone

This pub isn’t very old in the world of London pubs – it’s only been around since the 1700s. But before that, it was a mansion. And in 1654, it burned to the ground, killing everyone inside.

The ghost of its former owner Rupert Neville is said to haunt the premises, especially the cellar, which was original to the mansion. 

44. Hoop and Toy, Kensington

Right next to South Kensington Station is this classic West London pub. But before the tube station even existed, builders constructing South Kensington station unearthed several bodies of priests while digging tunnels beneath the pub.

It’s said that they awoke the spirits that day, and the priests are known to haunt the pub to this day. Maybe they just want a pint? 

45. The Morpeth Arms, Westminster 

This pub used to be a deportation facility for prisoners of Millbank. They were put on ships from a series of tunnels beneath the streets, and the largest holding cell was in the cellar of the pub.

There’s a live feed at the bar, on which you can try to spot their spirits. 

46. The Blind Beggar, Whitechapel 

When Ronnie Kray walked into The Blind Beggar around 8.30pm on March 9th, 1966, his nemesis George Cornell allegedly said, “well look who’s here.”

And those were the last words he ever spoke – Ronnie shot him, killing him right at the bar. 

47. The Ten Bells, Spitalfields

In the heart of Jack the Ripper territory stands this iconic pub where – supposedly – Jack the Ripper victims drank the night of their murders.

Annie Chapman still haunts the bar, as does the apparition of a Victorian landlord who was murdered with an axe. 

48. The Rising Sun, Smithfield

Rumor has it that the London Burkers – body snatchers who went on to just kill their victims instead of digging them up – hunted for victims in this very old and historic pub.

49. The Golden Lion, Soho 

Serial Killer Dennis Nilsen picked up at least four victims in this Soho standard. It was one of the only gay-friendly pubs of the era. 

50. The Pembroke, Earl’s Court 

Formerly the Colherne Arms, several serial killers used it as a hunting ground.

Killers Dennis Nilsen, Colin Ireland and Michael Lupo all picked up victims from this pub. 

51. The World’s End, Camden

This pub was (supposedly) on the site of a cottage of a mediaeval witch who practised dark magic.

Old Mother Red Cap haunts the premises, and there’s also rumors of torture devices and gallows in the basement. 

52. Prospect of Whitby, Wapping

This Thames-side pub was originally coined ‘The Devil’s Tavern,’ due to the sheer number of pirates, cutthroats, thieves and smugglers that congregated there.

Hangings took place out front (there’s a faux noose that commemorates the history on the foreshore), and pirates were regularly tied to the banks to drown at high tide.

This is one spooky pub – they even have a ghost warning sign. 

53. The Magdala, Hampstead 

You wouldn’t suspect a notorious murder to have taken place in the beautiful leafy lanes of Hampstead.

But in 1955, Ruth Ellis shot and killed her abusive boyfriend outside the pub. You can still see the bullet holes in the stone. She was the last woman to be hanged in Britain. 

54. The Black Lion, Chiswick 

In 1804, the “Hammersmith Ghost” was assaulting women in the dark. One neighbor decided to take it upon himself to catch the bastard, and shot a white figure walking down the lane.

But – surprise – it wasn’t a ghost, it was a laborer walking home wearing white. James Millwood was taken to the nearby Black Lion and laid out on a table, where he died from his injuries. 

55. The Champion, Notting Hill 

Dennis Nilsen – prolific pub patron and serial killer – often enjoyed a drink in this unassuming pub. But so did Freddie Mercury and the rest of Queen, so, not all bad. 

56. The Goat, Kensington 

In this lovely little pub something very ugly happened in 1944.

John George Haigh – who would come to be known as the Acid Bath Murderer – lured his first victim in with a pint. From the pub, he took William Donald McSwan back to his workshop and killed him.

You can guess what he did with his body. 

57. The White Hart, Whitechapel 

The White Hart, just like the Ten Bells, is part of Jack the Ripper lore. But what’s most interesting is that Severin Klosowski – ripper suspect – worked in the building as a barber in 1888.

It’s also part of the Muffin Man murderer legend, though we don’t know for sure that actually happened here. 

Parks, Gardens & Squares 

Chances are if you’re walking in green space in London, you’re either walking over graves or a plague pit. 

58. Postman’s Park 

The entire park is a living memorial to victims who have died due to self-sacrifice. It’s a lovely tribute to those who lost their lives trying to aid others. If you’re looking for unusual places to visit in London, this should be toward top of your list.

59. Hyde Park 

Hyde Park is one of the oldest in the city, so it comes as no surprise that it’s seen some tragedy. On the northeast corner near Marble Arch is Tyburn Tree, where hundreds of convicts were hanged. 

In 1915, a woman was found stabbed to death near what is now the Serpentine Galleries. Alice Jarman’s head was nearly severed from her body, echoing earlier Jack the Ripper killings.  The weapon – a bayonet, like that killed Martha Tabrum – was found in a sewer near Westminster. The crime has never been solved. 

In 1982 Hyde Park suffered a mass tragedy when the Hyde Park Bombing occured. A nail bomb exploded in the trunk of a car on South Carriage Drive, just as the King’s Guard was passing. Four servicemen were killed. 

60. Regent’s Park 

The beautiful bandstand was once the site of a horrific tragedy. In 1982, a bomb had just gone off at Hyde Park. Just a few hours later, the bandstand was blown to bits as a band was performing. Seven band members were killed, and many were injured. 

A second tragedy had hit Regents Park much, much earlier. In 1867, 40 people died of hypothermia after the ice they were skating on crumbled beneath them. 

61. St James’s Park 

Before this land was hunting ground for Henry VIII, it was a leper colony in the 1100s. Henry didn’t want that unsightly scene on his land, so he swept it away and stocked the fields with game. 

62. Lincoln’s Inn Fields 

In 1683 – in the middle of this lovely bit of green space – Lord William Russel was publicly beheaded for his participation in the Rye House Plot. The executioner was so terrible that it took a ghastly four blows for Russel to die. 

63. Soho Square 

Lying under this fashionable address is a massive air raid shelter from WWII. 

64. Berkeley Square 

The home of the most famous haunted house in London: 50 Berkeley Square. 

65. Grosvenor Square 

In this beautiful square is a touching memorial to the 67 British victims of 9/11. 

66. Golden Square, Soho 

A massive plague pit sits beneath this delightful little square. 

67. Hampstead Heath

Through Hampstead Heath ran a main road in and out of the London area, and it became notorious for highwaymen, who robbed and sometimes killed any passersby they saw fit. In 1674, one of those highwaymen was hanged on the heath, and his head displayed on gibbet until the 1800s. 

68. Epping Forest 

Notorious dumping ground for murder victims of organised crime. It was a favourite spot of the Krays, who supposedly hid several bodies here. 

69. Charterhouse Square 

The Charterhouse was once a monastery, where several monks were executed during the Reformation. The following century it became a huge burial ground for plague victims, as is noted in the signs in the garden. 

70. Aldgate Station & Square

Right next to Aldgate Station, which had to tunnel through a massive plague pit during renovations, is part of this plague pit you can still walk on top of. 

Attractions 

Think London attractions are all sunshine and rainbows? Think again.

Here’s the attractions that are darkly fascinating.

71. Tower Bridge 

Though the most iconic bridge in London was only built in 1894, it has a lot of gruesome history. Part of the base used to be a morgue, both for bodies that would wash up the Thames and for bodies arriving on boats.

During construction countless men died falling from height, and its said that their spirits are still there, warning visitors not to get too close to the edge. 

72. The London Bridge Experience 

The Old London Bridge was nothing like the bland concrete of today. Tour through a thousand years of history in this interactive walk-through experience, nestled in a very haunted location.

The history they reenact is very, very real, and very, very dark. 

73. The London Dungeons 

This super fun theatrical experience takes you through London’s darkest history with actors and effects. Learn about the Great Fire, Jack the Ripper, Guy Fawkes, and more. 

74. Madame Tussauds 

What used to be the top destination for dark tourists is now a fairly tame attraction. The Chamber of Horrors – made from real death masks of serial killers – began as a morbid 19th century wax museum attraction.

Had they commemorated victims of crimes and not perpetrators, perhaps it would have lasted. 

75. Borough Market 

If you wanted to commit a crime in the earlier days of London, all you had to do was hop across the bridge to Southwark. And what was at the end of that bridge? Borough Market.

Because City bailiffs couldn’t reach you, you got off without penalty, which made this the land of vice and criminals, all within the bounds of Borough. 

In more recent years, Borough Market was the site of the horrific 2017 attacks. 

76. Changing of the Guards 

If you want to go see the decorated horses and soldiers that protect the King, pay respect to the 4 servicemen who were killed during the Hyde Park bombings of 1982.

A nail bomb in the trunk of a car exploded as the regiment was passing on South Carriage Drive, perpetrated by the IRA. 

77. Spitalfields Market 

In the heart of Jack the Ripper territory is this newly-renovated market that’s been trading since the 17th century. All of the Ripper victims, and perpetrators, would have shopped here. 

78. St Paul’s Cathedral 

We only look out over the great dome of St Paul’s today because it was destroyed so many times before. There was a cathedral on this site since 604 AD, but it was shredded to bits over the centuries by fire, raiders, and lightning.

The building you see today has not been without tragedy – a bomb struck the site in the Blitz, and workers had to remove an unexploded bomb before repairs could begin. Talk about tense! 

79. Buckingham Palace 

So many royal births have happened in this iconic palace, and a lot of royal deaths, too. The most notable was King Edward VII, who died in his bed after a bunch of heart attacks.

But his wife wouldn’t let anyone touch his body. So he just lay there, decomposing, until a whopping 8 days later she let his (probably smelly) body be removed and buried. 

80. Kensington Palace 

Surprisingly, way more royals have died at Kensington Palace than Buckingham Palace. The most notable of these is George II, who died sitting on the toilet.

There’s a beautiful memorial to Princess Diana in the sunken gardens, which were her favourite. 

81. St James’s Palace 

Before this land was a palace, it was a leper colony where victims were buried in the garden. 

Two of Henry VIII’s children, Henry and Mary, died in what was his royal residence at the time.

It’s also said to be haunted by Anne Boleyn. Mary Tudor (“bloody Mary”) is also said to haunt the palace. After she died there, her body was embalmed in the Chapel Royal, and it’s claimed her heart was buried under the choir stalls.

X-Rays taken in 2010 revealed a small wooden box beneath the floor.  

82. Lambeth Palace 

It’s not a well-known palace with the larger ones dominating popular imagination, but Lambeth palace is the oldest original palace in the area, and historians are always discovering more secrets here. 

Lollard’s Tower was used as a prison from the 1400s, with deep cells and iron bars hidden beneath the ground. Beneath what is now the Garden Museum was discovered some 30 lead coffins, containing the remains of religious officials. 

Museums 

You can visit any one of London’s museums and there’s bound to be some dark history there, either in the building or in the contents.

Here’s my favorite London museums for dark tourists. Make sure you visit the museums listed in my essential dark tourist locations at #4, #5, and #6 on this list.

83. Natural History Museum 

Not only are the artefacts creepy and haunted here, but the building itself is, too. A long line of men were responsible for this epic museum, and not all of them have left after they died. 

84. Imperial War Museum 

Though the original “Bedlam” mental hospital sat at what is now Liverpool Street Station, for a long stretch of history the hospital was run in what is now the Imperial War Museum. Is it still haunted by former patients? Staff seem to think so. 

85. Sir John Soane Museum 

More of a haunted house than a museum, this mystery maze is full of intriguing artefacts that Sloane collected throughout his life. But not only can you see his (stolen) treasures, you can get lost in the maze of false cabinets, hidden chambers, and moving walls. 

86. Hunterian Museum 

A gristly collection of specimens, skeletons, crude surgical instruments, and crazy animals, this museum is sure to surprise and delight any dark tourist. 

Full of skeletons that may have not been taken with permission or knowledge, the Hunterian Museum is a massive taxidermied treasure trove. Do some of the human and animal spirits want their bodies back? 

87. Ragged School Museum 

A “Ragged school” was the first iteration of free education in London, and this one has some incredible history.

Built to serve the poor east end children of dock workers and labourers, the kids were happy here, and still haunt the halls today. 

Haunted London Underground 

In a tube network that’s over 150 years old, there’s bound to be some dark and tragic happenings underground.

Here’s the stations where you might feel some dark energy, and for good reason.

88. Moorgate Station 

Moorgate Station was the site of a horrific incident in the 70s when a driver failed to brake at a dead-end platform. 56 people died, and the energy is very heavy and dark on platform 9. 

89. King’s Cross Station 

A massive fire broke out at King’s Cross under an escalator in 1987 and killed 31 people, injuring scores more. There is a memorial to the fire alongside a stopped clock inside the station. 

90. Bethnal Green Station

Bethnal Green Station was home to a 1943 wartime disaster, when hundreds of people tried to find their way into the air raid shelter in the dark. 173 people died of asphyxiation. There is a memorial on the southeast staircase at the station. 

91. Liverpool Street Station 

In 2015, workers tunnelling for the Elizabeth Line ran straight into a massive burial ground. Built on top of a massive burial ground.

It was on this site that sat the original Bedlam mental hospital, and archeologists have uncovered 3,000 skeletons that were likely patients at the facility. 

92. Aldgate Station 

The station is so haunted that TFL workers (allegedly) keep a “ghost log book”! Aldgate Station sits on a massive plague pit from the black death era.

Since trains began running, ghost stories have abounded. A popular one is of a rail worker who fell onto the third rail, electrocuting himself unconscious.

But as he fell, his colleagues saw the spectre of a woman in white, cradling his head. 

93. Covent Garden Underground Station

Covent Garden – both the area and the station – are said to be haunted by the ghost of William Terris, a Victorian actor who was murdered by a jealous colleague outside the Adelphi Theatre in 1897. 

94. Bank 

7 to 8,000 skeletons had to be moved for this station to expand, and in the process it seems they stirred up some spectral activity. Part of the Northern Line ticket hall used to be a crypt from a nearby church, and there ‘s lots of activity reported here. 

But Bank has also been the site of a tragedy, when in 1941, 56 people were killed by smoke from a German bomb. 

But the most infamous ghost is of “The Black Nun” – Sarah Whitehead – a Victorian lady whose husband died while working for the Bank of England, and she roams the halls, looking for him in the afterlife. 

95. Farringdon

Farringdon is haunted by the most terrifying ghost on the underground – the “screaming spectre.” She likes to surprise you and scream in your ear as you make your way to the platform.

The girl is supposedly Anne Naylor, a 19th century apprentice who died from neglect and was dumped in nearby sewers.

Spooky Things to Do in London: Ghost Stations 

London has 40 disused tube stations that closed for various reasons. They still exist, it’s just that trains don’t serve them anymore. They just sit there. In the dark. You can tour them, if you dare! 

96. Aldwych Station 

You’ve definitely seen Aldwych Station on screen – it’s been used in many popular films like Luther, V for Vendetta, and 28 Weeks Later. But this “ghost” station actually has some real ghosts, too. The ghost of a Victorian actress in stage costume is said to roam the platforms. 

97. British Museum Station 

This superfluous station closed in 1933, but the spirits of the nearby museum still like to roam the tunnels.

The most famous of these is Amen-Ra, or “The Unlucky Mummy.” She walks the (supposed) tunnel that connects the station and the museum, howling in pain after having her coffin stolen and displayed in the museum. I don’t blame her. 

98. Down Street 

Hidden beneath Mayfair, this station was closed in 1933. Afterwards, it was used exclusively by Churchill and his compatriots to get in and out of his bunker.

The ghost of Churchill is said to roam the tunnels, smoking his pipe, still worried about the war. 

99. Brompton Road Station 

The station closed down before the war, but came back to life during WWII as the headquarters for the anti-aircraft brigade.

It’s still haunted by military men, who pace the platforms, talking strategy and smoking. 

100. The Necropolis Railway Ghost Station

In true macabre London fashion, the Capital used to have a train just for dead bodies. You can see the remains of the terminal, where there used to be an area for mourners and a morgue to hold the bodies.

London Dark Tourism: Final Tips

Don’t limit yourself to this list. Whether you’re looking for scary things to do in London or dark historic locations, London’s macabre history is all around.

Use my London Dark History Map to see everything that’s near you (there’s a lot!).

More on Visiting London’s Dark History

What’s the Oldest Pub in London? 13 Curious Contenders 

Gross Jobs in the 1800s: 10 Dirty and Dangerous Victorian Jobs

Bricks to Burberry: The 7 Worst Areas in London that are Now Super Posh

10 Ghastly Royal Deaths and What Happened to Their Corpses

Titanic Museum Southampton: Tour & 9 Treasures of the Collection 

London Charterhouse Square: Are There 50,000 Bodies Buried in this Lovely Garden?

Temple Bar London: Why did this London City Gate Sport Rotting Heads on Top?