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Private tour in London Jessica O
Macabre Medical History, Graveyards, and Delightful Oddities
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4 hours
1
Tour date
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4 hours
1
Jessica O.
5.0
Guide rating
49
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I'm Jessica the Museum Guide, and I take my guests on magical journeys through the past, discussing controversies, art, and the strangest moments in history. I also love to guide for families and children. Let's face it - I'm a museum and culture nerd! I've been fascinated by museums, oddities, and history from a very young age, and I have worked in both curation and engagement at a number of famous museums. I have advanced degrees in Cultural Heritage Studies and Museum Studies from University College London, and I spend my free time travelling and taking tours myself. I am also a licensed Canterbury Green Badge Guide. After guiding London highlights for a decade (which I still love to do!) I started focusing on museums and other cultural experiences. I guide tours of The British Museum, the National Gallery, the East End, and Canterbury (and so much more) on YouTube and in person. I also guide inside many churches, cemeteries, off-the-beaten-track itineraries, and all kinds of pubs, and cover the strange and dark history of London and Canterbury's oldest corners. I am a beer lover, so ask me to include some pubs on your tour! Booking a private tour with me is more than just a few hours of my time. I will help answer all of your questions about planning a trip to London. I live by the sea and love swimming, surfing, and diving, as well as watching scary movies and petting your dog. Bachelor's Degree (BAHons) in History and Communications Studies - Simon Fraser University Masters Degree (MA) in Cultural Heritage Studies - University College London Official Canterbury Green Badge Guide Member of the International Tourist Guiding Association I do not guide inside the paid temporary exhibitions at any of the museums.
Have a question or want to customize this tour? Message Jessica O.
Explore a millennium of medicine, surgery, and other oddities in London
Overview of your London tour
Do you like to visit old graveyards? Have you ever been interested in the grisly and macabre history of medicine? This is the tour for you. From cholera outbreaks and the Great Plague to ruthless body snatchers and postmortems, we'll explore a millennium of medical history in London.
Your London tour itinerary
We'll start with a visit to Bunhill Fields, a 17th-century dissenters’ burial ground, and view the graves of William Blake, Daniel DeFoe, and an unusual medical case. We'll then make our way over to Charterhouse Square to learn all about its massive plague pit. We'll spend a few minutes inside the Charterhouse to learn even more about the Great Plague, then head to St Bartholomew the Great (NOT ALWAYS OPEN) to see a weeping statue, a haunted monk's tomb, and a flayed man brandishing a scalpel. Next, we'll wander through the grounds of Bart's Hospital, with more than 900 years of history, and learn all about bodysnatchers that marauded through the area in the 18th century. We'll hop on a train to London Bridge, where we'll visit an unusual medieval graveyard used for society's outcasts and rejects. Finally, we’ll finish with a visit to the Old Operating Theatre, Europe's oldest. If we have time at the end, we will retire to a local pub where I can answer any of your remaining questions.
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Transport details
Type: Walking
Most of the tour is on foot, but we will take a train (£2.60, at your own expense). We can also take a cab if you prefer (also at your own expense).
What's included
What's not included
Meeting location
England, England, EC1Y 1BE, United Kingdom
Meet me at Old Street Station
- You can request a specific meeting location (for example, your hotel) during the checkout.
Other details
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EnglishActivity level
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4 hours
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4 hours
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Book with a deposit
If your tour is valued over $200 USD and booked at least 45 days before the tour date, you can book with a 20% deposit!
How it works
- Your credit card will be authorized only for the deposit amount.
- Funds will not be withdrawn until your tour booking is fully processed.
- The remaining balance will automatically be charged to your credit card 30 days before your tour date.