The Tour
Peter Ackroyd’s is an authentic voice of London. Through his novels, histories and other writings, he has tuned in to the rhythms of the city. This tour experiences through his words the visionary monsters he locates in the East End.
Rabbi Judah Loew creates a Golem
Sketch – 29 Ratcliffe Highway 1811
We explore Sailortown, taking in Limehouse and Ratcliffe and ending in Shadwell.
As we go, we see how the East End spawned Ackroyd’s monstrous Architect and the Limehouse Golem. We also consider his relocation of the laboratory of Victor Frankenstein.
We conclude with the Limehouse Golem’s gruesome re-enactment of the Ratcliffe Highway murders of 1811.
The tour features site-specific readings from ‘Hawksmoor’, ‘The Casebook of Victor Frankenstein’ and ‘Dan Leno and the Limehouse Golem’.
Through his monsters Ackroyd illustrates his convictions about London. In their dark menace they reflect both its timelessness and its horror.
Details – Peter Ackroyd’s Monstrous East End
Please go to What’s On? to see whether this tour is currently on offer, and for booking details.
MEET: In front of Limehouse Town Hall, 646 Commercial Road E14 7HA (nearest stations Limehouse DLR and c2c; Westferry DLR).
Duration: Two hours (approximately).
If you have any questions about this walk, please contact me
Pictures sourced from Wikimedia Commons
