The Black Death and the Bodysnatchers: From St Paul's Cathedral to Charterhouse Priory
On this 2-hour walk, we will stop off at several historic locations to consider about two very dark periods of London’s medical history. Separated by hundreds of years, but occupying the same sites, the deadly ‘BlackDeath’ and the London bodysnatching gangs gave the city two legendary terrors with which to contend.
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We will start in the graveyard of St Paul’s Cathedral, considering the arrival of the first bubonic plague epidemic in London in the 1340s, and as the walk continues, we will note its further outbreaks, most notably its final but catastrophic visitation in 1665. We will end our walk standing on top of the plague pit that was dug for thousands of Londoners in that year.
We will also visit a number of locations which, between the 1780s and the 1830s were linked to the bodysnatching, or grave robbing, trade. Surgeons needed bodies to practise techniques and to teach medical students, but very few were legally available: enter the bodysnatchers who pillaged graves to give the surgeons what they wanted - for a high price. We will hear the story, and visit the spots, where one gang brought the whole trade to an end - when they turned to murder.
What will we cover?
As above
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
Evaluate and explain how the plague and bodysnatching affected the City.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
Introductory and all welcome - an ability to participate in a guided tour and a willingness to follow health and safety guidance from the tutor when out on this walk are the only requirements.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Guided tour.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
No other costs. Please consider weather appropriate clothing and comfortable walking shoes.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
You may wish to join Sarah for her Whitechapel walk - please the the London Walks area for further details.
Sarah Wise is an award-winning writer and historian, with an MA in Victorian Studies from Birkbeck, University of London. She teaches social history and literature at the University of California’s London Outreach Center. Her interests are urban history, working-class history, medical history and nineteenth-century literature and reportage. Her most recent book, Inconvenient People: Lunacy, Liberty and the Mad-Doctors in Victorian England, was shortlisted for the Wellcome Book Prize. Her 2004 debut, The Italian Boy: Murder and Grave Robbery in 1830s London, was shortlisted for the 2005 Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction and won the Crime Writers’ Association Golden Dagger. Her follow-up The Blackest Streets: The Life and Death of a Victorian Slum (2008) was shortlisted for the Royal Society of Literature's Ondaatje Prize. She was a contributor to the volume Charles Booth's London Poverty Maps, published by Thames & Hudson/London School of Economics, and appeared on BBC Radio 4's In Our Time to discuss Booth's work https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000wsxf For reviews www.sarahwise.co.uk/reviews.html
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.
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https://www.citylit.ac.uk/the-black-death-and-the-bodysnatchers-from-st-paul-s-cathedral-to-charterhouse-priory3021793The Black Death and the Bodysnatchers: From St Paul's Cathedral to Charterhouse Prioryhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/advanced-history-1024_1.jpg2929GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/London history & walks/Courses/vm/Courses to do around London2285117711781184167812285117711781653<p>On this 2-hour walk, we will stop off at several historic locations to consider about two very dark periods of London’s medical history. Separated by hundreds of years, but occupying the same sites, the deadly ‘BlackDeath’ and the London bodysnatching gangs gave the city two legendary terrors with which to contend.</p>003044677The Black Death and the Bodysnatchers: From St Paul's Cathedral to Charterhouse Priory2929https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/advanced-history-1024_1.jpgInStockDaytimeWedOff SiteAvailable coursesOne-off onlyWeekday2026-05-27T00:00:00+00:00Beginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allMay 2026Culture, history & humanitiesHLW3112929The Black Death and the Bodysnatchers: From St Paul's Cathedral to Charterhouse Priory231929Sarah Wisethe-black-death-and-the-bodysnatchers-from-st-paul-s-cathedral-to-charterhouse-priory/hlw311-2526<p>On this 2-hour walk, we will stop off at several historic locations to consider about two very dark periods of London’s medical history. Separated by hundreds of years, but occupying the same sites, the deadly ‘BlackDeath’ and the London bodysnatching gangs gave the city two legendary terrors with which to contend.</p>0000-Available|2026-05-27 00:00:00<p>We will start in the graveyard of St Paul’s Cathedral, considering the arrival of the first bubonic plague epidemic in London in the 1340s, and as the walk continues, we will note its further outbreaks, most notably its final but catastrophic visitation in 1665. We will end our walk standing on top of the plague pit that was dug for thousands of Londoners in that year.</p><p>We will also visit a number of locations which, between the 1780s and the 1830s were linked to the bodysnatching, or grave robbing, trade. Surgeons needed bodies to practise techniques and to teach medical students, but very few were legally available: enter the bodysnatchers who pillaged graves to give the surgeons what they wanted - for a high price. We will hear the story, and visit the spots, where one gang brought the whole trade to an end - when they turned to murder.</p><p>On this 2-hour walk, we will stop off at several historic locations to consider about two very dark periods of London’s medical history. Separated by hundreds of years, but occupying the same sites, the deadly ‘BlackDeath’ and the London bodysnatching gangs gave the city two legendary terrors with which to contend.</p><p>As above</p><p>Evaluate and explain how the plague and bodysnatching affected the City.</p><p>Introductory and all welcome - an ability to participate in a guided tour and a willingness to follow health and safety guidance from the tutor when out on this walk are the only requirements. </p><p>Guided tour.</p><p>No other costs. Please consider weather appropriate clothing and comfortable walking shoes. </p><p>You may wish to join Sarah for her Whitechapel walk - please the the London Walks area for further details.</p>HistoryLondon history & walksvirtual232919HLW311NONEWed27/05/2611:00 - 13:0011:0013:001 session1One-off onlyDaytimeWeekdayOSOff SiteSarah WiseBeginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allAvailable courses2026-05-27T00:00:00+00:00May 2026Culture, history & humanities2929The Black Death and the Bodysnatchers: From St Paul's Cathedral to Charterhouse Priorythe-black-death-and-the-bodysnatchers-from-st-paul-s-cathedral-to-charterhouse-priory/hlw311-2526<p>On this 2-hour walk, we will stop off at several historic locations to consider about two very dark periods of London’s medical history. Separated by hundreds of years, but occupying the same sites, the deadly ‘BlackDeath’ and the London bodysnatching gangs gave the city two legendary terrors with which to contend.</p>0000-Available|2026-05-27 00:00:00<p>We will start in the graveyard of St Paul’s Cathedral, considering the arrival of the first bubonic plague epidemic in London in the 1340s, and as the walk continues, we will note its further outbreaks, most notably its final but catastrophic visitation in 1665. We will end our walk standing on top of the plague pit that was dug for thousands of Londoners in that year.</p><p>We will also visit a number of locations which, between the 1780s and the 1830s were linked to the bodysnatching, or grave robbing, trade. Surgeons needed bodies to practise techniques and to teach medical students, but very few were legally available: enter the bodysnatchers who pillaged graves to give the surgeons what they wanted - for a high price. We will hear the story, and visit the spots, where one gang brought the whole trade to an end - when they turned to murder.</p><p>On this 2-hour walk, we will stop off at several historic locations to consider about two very dark periods of London’s medical history. Separated by hundreds of years, but occupying the same sites, the deadly ‘BlackDeath’ and the London bodysnatching gangs gave the city two legendary terrors with which to contend.</p><p>As above</p><p>Evaluate and explain how the plague and bodysnatching affected the City.</p><p>Introductory and all welcome - an ability to participate in a guided tour and a willingness to follow health and safety guidance from the tutor when out on this walk are the only requirements. </p><p>Guided tour.</p><p>No other costs. Please consider weather appropriate clothing and comfortable walking shoes. </p><p>You may wish to join Sarah for her Whitechapel walk - please the the London Walks area for further details.</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
