History Extra podcast Ghosts, vampires & Abba holograms: an uncanny history of London
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Jun 24, 2025 Clive Bloom, Emeritus Professor of English and American Studies and author of *London Uncanny*, delves into the eerie and gothic side of London. He discusses the uncanny narratives hidden in everyday places, exploring iconic sites like Highgate Cemetery and the Temple of Mithras. Bloom reveals how Victorian fears shaped the psyche of Londoners, touching on supernatural tales from suburbia and the unsettling essence of urban exploration. He even connects modern attractions like Abba's holograms to the city’s haunted history.
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London's Tangible and Imagined Worlds
- London exists as both a tangible city and an imaginative, uncanny space.
- The city is a "thin place" where the veil between worlds might be rent at any time.
Defining the Uncanny in London
- The uncanny means an encounter that disturbs by being unexpected or out of place.
- Such encounters in London feel like a cosmic disturbance or a rent in the universe.
Dickens' Nocturnal London Wanderings
- Charles Dickens wandered London at night, exploring unusual places and meeting odd people.
- His nocturnal walks revealed stories of poverty, murder, and strange urban scenes beyond the daytime crowds.
