Ghosts and Gadgets: Exploring the Supernatural on the Paranormal Activity Tour in Old London

The Paranormal Activity Tour in Old London is a fascinating plunge into the eerie and unsettling corners of the city’s past. Beginning at Farringdon Station, the two-hour experience takes you through a chilling sequence of locations that reveal the gruesome and often unbelievable history of London. With each stop, the guide expertly blends historical detail with ghostly lore, creating a vivid picture of the city’s haunted past. Throughout the tour, we had the chance to try our hand at ghost hunting with K2 meters and dowsing rods. The devices occasionally flickered, adding an edge of suspense that kept everyone engaged. It felt more like a collaborative investigation than a traditional tour, making the experience all the more memorable. As the evening unfolded, it became clear that this wasn’t just a ghost tour—it was a journey into the layers of history, legend, and mystery that make London so unique and we learned so much about the practical side of ghost hunting.

Our first steps took us through Hockley-in-the-Hole, a slum area that once epitomized the harshness of life in old London. It was here we heard the tragic tale of Anne Naylor, a young girl who was starved to death by her mistress, Mrs. Metyard, after trying to escape a workhouse. Her body was hidden in a trunk in the attic before being discarded on Chick Lane, a site infamous for being the dumping ground for bodies used in medical experiments. Today, that same lane sits behind Fabric nightclub, where Anne’s ghost is said to linger, making it one of the city’s eeriest spots.

As we continued, we were transported back to Smithfield Meat Market, once the site of a peculiar and grim practice: wife selling. The guide described how husbands would auction off their wives in a tradition that now seems absurdly barbaric. A cartoon by William Hogarth depicting this very act added a touch of grim humour to the tale. Just beyond, at what is now City Gardens, we learned that this tranquil space was once an execution site, where punishments included boiling people alive—a fact hard to reconcile with its serene appearance today.

Next, we paused at the Rising Sun Pub, home to the ghost of a peeping Tom who is said to still haunt the premises. The nearby area also held the remnants of a famous church and plague graveyard, as well as Club Gaston, another site steeped in London’s haunted history. The tale of William Wallace’s brutal end came to life here, making the surrounding streets feel heavy with the weight of past atrocities.

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One particularly chilling moment came when we stopped to learn about the coffin lift at a local hospital. The guide described strange occurrences reported there, leaving everyone on edge as we moved deeper into the tour.

We were soon introduced to the Golden Boy of Pye Corner, a small yet significant statue marking the spot where the Great Fire of London finally ended. From there, we headed to Cock Lane for the infamous story of Scratching Fanny, whose ghostly scratching noises captivated and terrified 18th-century London.

The tour then shifted to Old Newgate Church and its notorious prison ruins, where we heard the legend of the Black Dog of Newgate. The guide painted a vivid picture of the dog as an omen of death, its legend immortalized in period cartoons that added an unsettling sense of authenticity to the tale.

Perhaps the most intriguing story of the night was that of Sweeney Todd, the demon barber of Fleet Street. We stood outside what is now the Bank Hotel, the site of Todd’s infamous barber shop. The guide explained how his gruesome story, once thought to be mere fiction from the Penny Dreadfuls, was rooted in fact. It added a sinister layer to an already haunting location.

Finally, we arrived at the Viaduct Tavern, where we ventured into the prison cells beneath the pub. It was here we learned about Emilia Dyer, the baby farmer who horrifically abused and murdered children. The atmosphere of the cramped, dark cells made it easy to imagine the horrors that once unfolded there.

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The Paranormal Activity Tour  digs deep to explore the city’s darker side. Whether you’re a believer or a skeptic, it’s an unforgettable experience that lingers long after the tour ends.