The website says, “The Museum of Witchcraft in Boscastle, Cornwall, houses the world’s largest collection of witchcraft related artefacts and regalia.” If you need any more coaxing to visit, have a look at the photographs taken by Morbid Anatomy here.
The Pitt Rivers Museum (Oxford, England)
If old-fashioned anthropological morbidity is your cup of tea, then the Pitt Rivers Museum is the place for you! A variety of artifacts from cultures all over the world (think shrunken heads and preserved skulls) in a ridiculously claustrophobic collection of cases (just look at that picture if you don’t believe me). Have a look at the collection of artifacts photographed by Morbid Anatomy here.
The Hunterian Museum (Glasgow, Scotland)
Suggested by Bruce Townley: “Glasgow’s Hunterian Museum is a rival to the Mutter in Philadelphia. I haven’t been to the Hunterian but from what I’ve read they got some really oddball stuff floating in jars.” We can hope!
City of the Dead Walking Tour (Edinburgh, Scotland)
Suggested by Kainlane: “Good Auld Reekie (aka Edinburgh) has some of the best ghost tours in the world. If you ever make it to Scotland you really must take the City of the Dead tour. Very enjoyable experience.”
National Museum of Ireland (Dublin, Ireland)
Lauren recommends the natural history museum for the creepiness factor: “Ireland is a pretty creepy place in general. Everyplace you go there has some freaky historical fact behind it. I think that that the Museum of Natural history in Dublin was pretty creepy. All of the animals are on display in old fashion Victorian style. They all have a waxy appearance and I swear they were watching me! I enclosed some pictures of the exhibits there.”
Dublin Ghost Bus Tour (Dublin, Ireland)
“You’ll see haunted houses, learn of Dracula’s Dublin origins and we’ll even throw in a crash course in body-snatching.” Sounds like a fun night out to me! (Link suggested by Joe Callis.)
This is also recommended by Kate: “I went on the Ghostbus tour of Dublin and it was genuinely frightening (but funny as well). I would recommend it to anyone who visits or lives in Dublin.”
Whitby Museum (Whitby, England)
The most popular attraction at this museum in the historic town of Whitby is a glory hand – the severed hand of a criminal. “There is one Hand of Glory which is stored at the Whitby Museum in North Yorkshire. It was found in an attic in a house in Eskdale. The hand was a greyish color. This color was the result of a preservation technique which involved the draining of the blood of the hand of a hanged criminal which had been cut off, and afterward using saltpeter and Lapland sesame to preserve it. The blood and fat the of the hanged man was then utilized to make a candle which would then be placed between the fingers of the Hand of Glory.” – House Shadow Drake
Is it any wonder that it’s the most popular item on display? Thanks to Amelia for the suggestion.
The Mary Rose (Portsmouth, England)
Riley suggested a trip to visit the Mary Rose – “Henry the Eighth’s overblown, top heavy ship (perhaps modelled on himself) which sank soon after launch and has since been raised”. (In all fairness, the Mary Rose sank 34 years after launch, which isn’t that soon.) The morbid aspect of the ship is that when it sank in 1545 it took several hundred of its crew with it. And lots of fascinating artifacts have been recovered from it, including syringes and bleeding bowls and other morbid little tidbits.
Tyburn Convent (London, England)
Situated near the site of the infamous Tyburn Tree, the King’s gallows between 1196-1786, Tyburn Convent is dedicated to the memory of 105 Catholic martyrs who were executed here between 1535 and 1681. The actual Tree is no longer in existence, of course, but the convent is worth a quick stop to visit the crypt beneath the monastic church called Shrine of the Martyrs which has relics and mementoes of the martyrs, as well as a replica of the Tyburn Tree. Among the mementoes reportedly on display are bloodstained pieces of clothing, locks of hair, bone fragments, and even lengths of rope from the nooses! Twisted sisters, indeed!
Tower of London (London, England)
Vickie recommends this infamous site: “I recently had the chance to visit London and the infamous Tower of London, where the Yeoman Warder tour guides have some pretty interesting (and morbid) tales of executions. I highly recommend it.”
