Walking the Steps of Burke & Hare in Scotland: A Mysterious Adventure

IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A UNIQUE TRAVEL EXPERIENCE THAT’S NOT THE USUAL TOURIST FARE, CONSIDER EXPLORING THE STORY OF BURKE AND HARE IN SCOTLAND.

William Burke and William Hare were two notorious serial killers who traded corpses to medical schools for cash in the early 19th century. They lived in Edinburgh, Scotland, and their gruesome exploits have been the subject of books, movies, and even a few legends. If you’re up for a little macabre adventure, you can retrace their steps and learn more about their heinous deeds.

The West Port Murders

Start your journey at the site of the murders that brought Burke and Hare to justice. West Port is a street in Edinburgh, where several lodgings that catered to the poor and needy were located. Burke and Hare lured their victims from these lodgings and transported them to the medical school. In 1828, a woman named Mary Docherty was murdered, and her body was discovered in West Port. This led to the arrest and eventual execution of Burke and Hare.

The Medical School

After their arrest, Burke and Hare were held at the Old Infirmary and eventually tried and found guilty of murder. They were hanged and dissected in front of a crowd of onlookers in front of the medical school. Today, the site is the home of the Edinburgh University Medical School, and you can take a tour of the campus and see where the bodies were once traded.

The Anatomy Museum

If you’re brave enough, visit the Anatomy Museum at Edinburgh University, which displays some of the body parts of Burke and Hare’s victims. The museum is a fascinating if macabre, insight into the history of medicine and the use of cadavers in research. The collection includes preserved organs, anatomical specimens, and even a mummified head.

The Deacon Brodie Connection

Another infamous figure in Edinburgh’s history is Deacon Brodie, a respectable tradesman by day and a notorious burglar by night. He was said to have inspired Robert Louis Stevenson’s “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” Burke and Hare’s exploits were often compared to Brodie’s, and some even speculate that they learned their trade from him. You can visit the Deacon Brodie Tavern in the Old Town to learn more about this infamous character.

Walking the steps of Burke and Hare in Scotland is not for the faint of heart, but for those who love mystery and history, it’s a fascinating and unique way to experience the city.

From the site of the West Port Murders to the Anatomy Museum, the story of Burke and Hare is a haunting reminder of the darker side of human nature. But it’s also a testament to the resilience and the ingenuity of the people who brought them to justice. So come along and retrace their steps – if you dare.