From murder victims and a mediaeval plague burial ground; to phantom prisoners, demonic hounds and notorious frauds - discover the City’s dark history and meet some of the ghosts haunting London’s streets and alleyways.
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The streets of Farringdon, Barbican, and the City more broadly have been shaped by plague, poverty, imprisonment, and public execution. This was a place saturated with suffering - and therefore the restless dead.
On this two-hour walk, we will encounter a murdered apprentice whose screams are said to echo beneath a railway station; a corpse who rose from her grave as thieves prepared to mutilate her body; a malevolent poltergeist; and a monstrous black hound said to have hunted and devoured prisoners. Some hauntings were exposed as ingenious frauds - others remain unnervingly unexplained.
What will we cover?
The Black Death, emergency burial grounds, and London’s memory of epidemic death.
Poverty, crime, imprisonment, and public execution from mediaeval to modern London.
The murders, suffering, and sudden deaths that gave rise to supernatural legends.
Apparitions, poltergeists, spectral animals, ethereal voices, and stories of ghosts.
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
By the end of the session, participants will be able:
Explain how plague, imprisonment, crime and public execution shaped the historical landscape explored during the walk.
Outline the development of London ghost stories from early modern printed accounts to modern eyewitness testimony.
Recognise different forms of reported haunting: including apparitions, poltergeist activity, demonic animals and disembodied voices.
Distinguish between historical events, contemporary testimony, exposed frauds and later folklore.
Assess what supernatural legends reveal about Londoners’ fears, beliefs, and memories of the City’s past.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This course is suitable both for newcomers to the subject and for those who have some background knowledge. You will need a good grasp of English to keep up with the course. Please follow the tutor's health and safety instructions at all times and aim to arrive 5-10 minutes before the walk commences.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Guided walk and talk.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
There are no extra costs for this course, other than travel to the meeting point.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
The tutor will share other relevant courses with you, but natural follow-ons include:
Dr Stephen Goss is a former lecturer in history at Queen’s University Belfast. A published academic, his area of focus is 19th and 20th Century British, Irish and European history, specialising in the Cold War. Previously a Life-long Learning Lecturer at Stranmillis University College, he is now an Expert Tour Guide at the Imperial War Museum and Churchill War Rooms, and has been a popular speaker in museums, historical societies, u3a, Probus, and the Women's Institute for over fifteen years. Stephen has also conducted policy and research for Campaign for Better Transport and writes regularly for a leading independent news and analysis site on Northern Irish current affairs.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
product
https://www.citylit.ac.uk/haunted-london3103885Haunted Londonhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/intro-to-philosophy-1024.jpg3939GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/London history & walks22851177117811841228511771178<p>From murder victims and a mediaeval plague burial ground; to phantom prisoners, demonic hounds and notorious frauds - discover the City’s dark history and meet some of the ghosts haunting London’s streets and alleyways.</p>003103879Haunted London3939https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/intro-to-philosophy-1024.jpgInStockDaytimeSatOff SiteAvailable coursesOne-off onlyWeekend2026-10-31T00:00:00+00:00Beginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allOct 2026Culture, history & humanitiesHLW3453939Haunted London392539Stephen Gosshaunted-london/hlw345-2627<p>From murder victims and a mediaeval plague burial ground; to phantom prisoners, demonic hounds and notorious frauds - discover the City’s dark history and meet some of the ghosts haunting London’s streets and alleyways.</p>0000-Available|2026-10-31 00:00:00<p>The streets of Farringdon, Barbican, and the City more broadly have been shaped by plague, poverty, imprisonment, and public execution. This was a place saturated with suffering - and therefore the restless dead.</p><p>On this two-hour walk, we will encounter a murdered apprentice whose screams are said to echo beneath a railway station; a corpse who rose from her grave as thieves prepared to mutilate her body; a malevolent poltergeist; and a monstrous black hound said to have hunted and devoured prisoners. Some hauntings were exposed as ingenious frauds - others remain unnervingly unexplained. </p><p>From murder victims and a mediaeval plague burial ground; to phantom prisoners, demonic hounds and notorious frauds - discover the City’s dark history and meet some of the ghosts haunting London’s streets and alleyways.</p><ul><li>The Black Death, emergency burial grounds, and London’s memory of epidemic death.</li><li>Poverty, crime, imprisonment, and public execution from mediaeval to modern London.</li><li>The murders, suffering, and sudden deaths that gave rise to supernatural legends.</li><li>Apparitions, poltergeists, spectral animals, ethereal voices, and stories of ghosts.</li></ul><p>By the end of the session, participants will be able:</p><ul><li>Explain how plague, imprisonment, crime and public execution shaped the historical landscape explored during the walk.</li><li>Outline the development of London ghost stories from early modern printed accounts to modern eyewitness testimony.</li><li>Recognise different forms of reported haunting: including apparitions, poltergeist activity, demonic animals and disembodied voices.</li><li>Distinguish between historical events, contemporary testimony, exposed frauds and later folklore.</li><li>Assess what supernatural legends reveal about Londoners’ fears, beliefs, and memories of the City’s past.</li></ul><p>This course is suitable both for newcomers to the subject and for those who have some background knowledge. You will need a good grasp of English to keep up with the course. Please follow the tutor's health and safety instructions at all times and aim to arrive 5-10 minutes before the walk commences. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Guided walk and talk. </p><p>There are no extra costs for this course, other than travel to the meeting point. </p><p> </p><p>The tutor will share other relevant courses with you, but natural follow-ons include:</p><p><a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/sherlock-holmes-christmas-walk-the-blue-carbuncle" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Sherlock Holmes Christmas Walk: the Blue Carbuncle</strong></a></p><p> </p>HistoryLondon history & walksvirtual393925HLW345NONESat31/10/2616:30 - 18:3016:3018:301 session1One-off onlyDaytimeWeekendOSOff SiteStephen GossBeginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allAvailable courses2026-10-31T00:00:00+00:00Oct 2026Culture, history & humanities3939Haunted Londonhaunted-london/hlw345-2627<p>From murder victims and a mediaeval plague burial ground; to phantom prisoners, demonic hounds and notorious frauds - discover the City’s dark history and meet some of the ghosts haunting London’s streets and alleyways.</p>0000-Available|2026-10-31 00:00:00<p>The streets of Farringdon, Barbican, and the City more broadly have been shaped by plague, poverty, imprisonment, and public execution. This was a place saturated with suffering - and therefore the restless dead.</p><p>On this two-hour walk, we will encounter a murdered apprentice whose screams are said to echo beneath a railway station; a corpse who rose from her grave as thieves prepared to mutilate her body; a malevolent poltergeist; and a monstrous black hound said to have hunted and devoured prisoners. Some hauntings were exposed as ingenious frauds - others remain unnervingly unexplained. </p><p>From murder victims and a mediaeval plague burial ground; to phantom prisoners, demonic hounds and notorious frauds - discover the City’s dark history and meet some of the ghosts haunting London’s streets and alleyways.</p><ul><li>The Black Death, emergency burial grounds, and London’s memory of epidemic death.</li><li>Poverty, crime, imprisonment, and public execution from mediaeval to modern London.</li><li>The murders, suffering, and sudden deaths that gave rise to supernatural legends.</li><li>Apparitions, poltergeists, spectral animals, ethereal voices, and stories of ghosts.</li></ul><p>By the end of the session, participants will be able:</p><ul><li>Explain how plague, imprisonment, crime and public execution shaped the historical landscape explored during the walk.</li><li>Outline the development of London ghost stories from early modern printed accounts to modern eyewitness testimony.</li><li>Recognise different forms of reported haunting: including apparitions, poltergeist activity, demonic animals and disembodied voices.</li><li>Distinguish between historical events, contemporary testimony, exposed frauds and later folklore.</li><li>Assess what supernatural legends reveal about Londoners’ fears, beliefs, and memories of the City’s past.</li></ul><p>This course is suitable both for newcomers to the subject and for those who have some background knowledge. You will need a good grasp of English to keep up with the course. Please follow the tutor's health and safety instructions at all times and aim to arrive 5-10 minutes before the walk commences. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Guided walk and talk. </p><p>There are no extra costs for this course, other than travel to the meeting point. </p><p> </p><p>The tutor will share other relevant courses with you, but natural follow-ons include:</p><p><a href="https://www.citylit.ac.uk/sherlock-holmes-christmas-walk-the-blue-carbuncle" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><strong>Sherlock Holmes Christmas Walk: the Blue Carbuncle</strong></a></p><p> </p>HistoryLondon history & walksconfigurable
11841178London history & walkshttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/history/london-history-and-walks1/2/285/1177/1178/11841/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/London history & walks
