About This Event

What to expect on the walking tour

He came silently out of the midnight shadows of August 31, 1888. Watching. Stalking. Butchering raddled, drink-sodden East End prostitutes. Leaving a trail of blood and gore that led… nowhere. Yes, something wicked this way walked, for this is the Ripper’s slashing grounds. We evoke that autumn of gaslight and fog, of menacing shadows and stealthy footsteps, as we inspect the murder sites, sift through the evidence – in all its gory details – and get to grips, so to speak with the main suspects. Afterward, you can steady your nerves in The Ten Bells, the pub where – perhaps under the steely gaze of the Ripper himself – tried to forget the waking nightmare.

And you don’t need to take our word for it. Or the word of the President, Mystery Writers of America. Judge for yourself. It’s accomplished actor Oliver Beamish opening his Jack the Ripper walk. It’s simple, really. You’ll get a better walk with London Walks because London Walks has better guides.

Twice on Saturdays: a 3 pm matinee. Followed at 7.30 pm by the Saturday night Ripper Walk.

Meet outside Tower HillTube. Meet by the Tower Hill Tram coffee stall

Eye-popping, isn’t it. The image is by the wonderfully gifted Benjamin Goutte. What Benjamin’s captured – and conveyed – is the felt experience, the dread, the utter horror of the Autumn of Terror. What Benjamin’s done with his medium – brushes and paints and canvas – is what great guides do with words – with their narrative, their story-telling. The story-telling has to be of an extremely high order – it has to capture and convey the felt experience, the utter horror of the Autumn of Terror – it has to grip, has to make that skull hover over everything – for the walk to work. Less than brilliant guiding doesn’t cut it because so much has changed in the 131 years since the Ripper dipped this part of London in gore. Sure, there are still a few alleyways and buildings that have survived but in and of themselves they’re not equal to the task. This walk requires great guiding. And great guiding has always been the hallmark of London Walks.