111 Dark Places in England That You Shouldn't Miss

by Philip R. Stone

Our significant dead and mortality moments are remembered at dark tourism sites, where complex issues of politics, history and ethics are exposed. This first-ever travel guide to dark tourism in England offers a thought-provoking compendium of difficult heritage.

We remember the dead or acts of suffering through 'heritage that hurts'. This book explores infamous acts as well as obscure dark tourism sites lost to memory. Each site is challenged by its history and its political discourse and questions are raised as how we remember our tragic past.

Each site also has ethical issues that need to be addressed and confronted and visiting these sites are often fraught with moral dilemmas. 111 Dark Places in England That You Shouldn't Miss will help shine light on dark tourism and inherent complex issues associated with commemorating our dead. Dark tourism is politically vulnerable and ethically laden with moral commentary. This book attempts to be authoritative yet accessible in exploring sites of pain and shame.

Genres: Nonfiction, Travel

240 pages, Paperback

Published October 4, 2021

Reviews

[Jo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of those heroic impulse buys which I bought a couple of weekends ago at the castle in Hay-On-Wye, and yet, I'm still patting myself on the back for doing so. This book has provided me with some slightly macabre places of interest that I need to visit in England, some of them sooner rather than later.

This is a guide to 111 dark places to visit in England, so it provides the reader with a short backstory on each place, some gorgeous glossy photography along with the location and opening times, but if you're wanting the works, you need to look elsewhere. I felt this was enough, but the hungry part of me turned to Wikipedia to feed my mind.

Each place is rich in the darker side of England's history, of which is mostly associated with death. Some of these places I have already visited, like The Clink Prison Museum in London, for instance. I visited around five years ago, and I remember finding it reasonably priced to enter, full of hands-on displays including torture devices, and there was even the chance to have a photo behind bars at the end. Some of the places I've marked a star next to, as I most definitely want to visit as soon as possible.

These are;

1. Eyam Plague Village.
2. National Holocaust Centre.
3. Shrewsbury Prison.
4. The workhouse.
5. Mental Health Museum.
6. The Evaders Garden.
7. Tyneham Ghost Village.
8. Bethlem-Museum of the mind.
9. Highgate Cemetery.
10. Bodmin Gaol.

(I think I may have some travelling to do.)

[Dani Eyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

I for one seek out the towns with a dark past. From York to London, the places that I'm genuinely interested in are the places with hauntings, horror and disturbing historical pasts! When I found this book I knew I found the perfect travel guide for all the places I never knew; full of dark history and twisted stories! Going to be booking my weekend adventures souly using this book! My only request is for the author to make a sequel, for i must have more dark tourism! Read this book from page to page and couldn't have enjoyed it more!

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting and informative albeit simple. This guide book has given me ideas on places to visit to understand the history of England better, including a lot of museums I didn't know existed

[Pip Rothniles · Rating 5 out of 5]

An outstanding travel guide that uncovers 'difficult heritage' and 'dark tourism' in England. The book takes you to 111 different places (each with a separate tip to visit another place). It outlines the dark(er) nature of the place in question in a brief but accessible and authorised style. With striking full page photography for each 111 'dark place', the book is a must for the contemporary tourist, traveller, or those are just interested in the macabre stories of those who came before us!

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bit of a mixed bag but some interesting things and places to visit on my travels .

[Kaitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Does what it says on the tin. At times a little bit opinionated in the way the stories are told, but still interesting and providing loads of ideas for future trips.

[Harry Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing book, great way to organise days out