A Morbid Tourist - Page 3 of 3 - Wandering the Stranger Side of the World

A MORBID TOURIST IS ON HIATUS

I really didn’t want to have to make this post, but it’s gotten too silly now. My last post was over a month ago and I’ve all but disappeared since. This post is just a quick one to let you know what’s happening and to reassure you that A Morbid Tourist isn’t dead, just sleeping. Like Cthulhu.

The Living Churchyard at Bridlington Priory

The current churchyard at the Priory is a nice idea. To survey wildlife and conserve the area, the Diocese of York teamed up with the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust to create a ‘living churchyard’. Essentially, they let the local grasses and wildflowers grow all over the place. In turn, this encourages flora and fauna to stay in the habitat. The local plants benefit important pollinators like bats and bees, as well as enticing birds and insects of all kinds to hang out there.
In addition, they’ve made various hides for local critters including a stone pile, wood pile, and compost heap.

Imagining all the little hedgehoggies nestling in the wood makes me so happy!

St. Bride’s Church, London: The Ripper, The Fires, and the Wedding Cake

From this same spot at the rear of the nave, you can see many of the hallmarks of Wren’s original designs. For example: the symmetry and clean lines, the bold black-and-white marbled floor, and the emphasis on natural light are all very Wren-esque features. There are delicate gilded patterns on the ceilings and columns, and the rounded windows give the whole place a very soft, inviting look.

I was momentarily frozen in place by how neat and well-kept St. Bride’s looks. It’s a beautiful church, with a calm aura that feels deeply spiritual (even to me, an agnostic with no religious affiliation).

9 Golden Rules of a Morbid Tourist

When you’re a morbid tourist, all of the usual travel rules apply, of course. However, I think there’s a couple more to add, specifically for the more ghoulish explorers. In this post, I want to outline the rules of morbid/dark tourism. Following these means that you can respect people and places fully, travel smartly without getting into trouble, and feel more encouraged to do prior research into the places and cultures you explore. I promise I’m not particularly a stickler for rules and the last thing I want is to be a drag, but it’s super important to have your ground rules for morbid tourism!

The Haunted Vending Machine Corner

And then there were the packages. These are the main draw for people in the know who visit the haunted vending machine corner. A lot of the vending machine space is taken up by boxes of varying sizes, wrapped in paper with typed writing on them. Some were wrapped in newspaper with an intriguing folded note taped to them.

The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities, Fine Art & UnNatural History

Shuffling into one of the benches at the table, I said hello to the skeleton and notified them that I planned to sit and drink for a while. It was quite pleasant, just perching there with a glassful of absinthe, surrounded by the weird and wonderful collection. Across the table from me sat an enormous lioness, in a regal posture with glaring, wild eyes. She was taxidermy, not live (which would’ve been infinitely better, of course), but she was stunning.

Lost Boys Pizza: The Camden Pizzeria For Vampires

All the pizzas at Lost Boys/Souls are made with their signature black dough. Some even have pesto pentagrams drawn on them, for all you Wiccans and Satanists out there. I personally would call the dough ‘tombstone grey’ in colour, but it’s so cool-looking! Definitely matches the gothic vibes of the place.

Highgate Cemetery: Writers & Revolutionaries in the East Side

I spent some time looking for the original grave of Karl Marx. It was marked (Marxed?) on the map but only approximately, as it’s located in a very crowded and old part of the cemetery. Try as I might, I couldn’t see it among the many headstones and long grasses growing hither and thither. So there’s a challenge if you ever visit Highgate: try to find Marx’s ‘real’ grave site! (If you have managed this, please comment and feel free to gloat)

Highgate Cemetery: The Wild West Side

One of my first observations was just how lush Highgate is (especially the west side). There are tall trees, and lots of what people may call overgrowth. To me, this adds to the beauty and charm, the peace, and the thoughtfulness of Highgate. I don’t know… I sometimes find over manicured graveyards a bit soulless. Here at Highgate, the trees are even trying to reclaim tombstones in some places!

The Charterhouse and its Plague Skeleton

I’ll be honest with you – I originally only went to the Charterhouse for the skeleton.

Let me explain. The Charterhouse as a building began its life in 1371 and was a monastery. However, before any structure stood there, the area was used as a plague pit. During the Black Death, which began in 1348, London was overwhelmed with the dead and churchyards filled up fast. The solution was to dig enormous pits to inter piles of corpses all at once.

One of these pits was established in what is now Charterhouse Square, and it was upon this ghoulish site that The Charterhouse was built.

Komine Pass: A Murderer’s Hunting Ground

We stopped walking at one point and had a discussion about whether we wanted to proceed – the feelings of fear had gotten that bad. Instead, we talked ourselves up and swore at ourselves and said that we were so close now, that we had to see this through. So we continued, shuffling even slower and clutching each other’s hands. I was afraid that, any minute, the torch would illuminate something that shouldn’t be there. I don’t think I’ve ever been that viscerally frightened in my life. Something felt sick there.

Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein

One of the best parts of the story of Frankenstein is the realisation that the doctor himself is more of a monster than the so-called ‘monster’ he created. Frankenstein’s Monster is gentle and curious, as well as highly articulate once he’s learned and practiced human language. I personally believe it’s one of the first examples of the ‘we are the monsters’ trope that is found in a lot of modern media.

There is also the popular question of the morality of playing god, and the theme of science going too far, just because it can (insert Jeff Goldblum in Jurassic Park here). These themes are so relevant even (and with the rise of advanced robotics and AI, maybe especially) today.

A Funeral From the Director’s POV

Naturally, I’ve always had a morbid fascination with funerals. The ceremonies, both secular and religious. The rituals. How funerary practices differ around the world. All aspects of death are interesting to me, but I especially like to learn the cultural ideas behind funeral traditions. I was devastated when I found out I’d probably never get to have a Tibetan Sky Burial, which would be my preferred send-off.

Crossbones Graveyard and its Outcast Dead

What struck me most about Crossbones is how much it’s retained a graveyard’s tranquillity. There are still many remains beneath the ground, but they aren’t marked out or named like a more traditional cemetery. Despite this, the place still has the muted peace that seems to cut off the usual noise and hustle of the city around it. The atmosphere was added to by the soft smell of incense burning nearby. Wandering around Crossbones put my mind in a calm, reflective place that I thoroughly enjoyed.

The Real Mary King’s Close: Subterranean History

Unsanitary conditions and small, densely-populated spaces made the Close a perfect breeding ground for Yersinia Pestis, better known as the Plague. It broke out in Edinburgh in 1645, and Mary King’s Close was struck hard. The council moved away the people who were healthy and able (or willing) to relocate. The remaining sick and poor were instructed to stay in their homes, and the Close itself was sealed to stop the infection from spreading further. For many, their homes became their tombs as they succumbed to the pestilence.

Doryo-do: Hachioji’s Cursed Temple Site

I felt very alone up there, and had a distinct feeling of being watched. I fully acknowledge that knowing some of the history might have influenced the way I felt there, but it was eerie nonetheless. I personally believe that places do hold energy and memories, especially if something particularly bad or violent happened there. Doryo-do felt ominous, but also sad. It was a balmy evening but I felt unusually cold.

Welcome to A Morbid Tourist

Well, hello there! My name is Kayleigh (or Ceilidh, if you want to use the original spelling), and this is my new blog.

The Real Mary King’s Close: Subterranean History

The Real Mary King’s Close: Subterranean History

Posted on 14 March 202411 April 2024 by Kayleigh

Unsanitary conditions and small, densely-populated spaces made the Close a perfect breeding ground for Yersinia Pestis, better known as the Plague. It broke out in Edinburgh in 1645, and Mary King’s Close was struck hard. The council moved away the people who were healthy and able (or willing) to relocate. The remaining sick and poor were instructed to stay in their homes, and the Close itself was sealed to stop the infection from spreading further. For many, their homes became their tombs as they succumbed to the pestilence.

Doryo-do: Hachioji’s Cursed Temple Site

Doryo-do: Hachioji’s Cursed Temple Site

Posted on 7 March 202411 April 2024 by Kayleigh

I felt very alone up there, and had a distinct feeling of being watched. I fully acknowledge that knowing some of the history might have influenced the way I felt there, but it was eerie nonetheless. I personally believe that places do hold energy and memories, especially if something particularly bad or violent happened there. Doryo-do felt ominous, but also sad. It was a balmy evening but I felt unusually cold.

Welcome to A Morbid Tourist

Welcome to A Morbid Tourist

Posted on 28 February 202411 April 2024 by Kayleigh

Well, hello there! My name is Kayleigh (or Ceilidh, if you want to use the original spelling), and this is my new blog.