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tombstones under the courtyard

The Deadhouse, Somerset House

FreeHidden gem
Strand · Temple
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A hidden underground passage beneath Somerset House lined with centuries-old tombstones, free to explore.

Getting there. Beneath the courtyard of Somerset House on the Strand, a couple of minutes from Temple.
Free historic vault
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Strand · Temple
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The lowdown

Beneath the grand courtyard of Somerset House, where fountains dance in summer and an ice rink appears in winter, lies a hidden passage known as the Deadhouse. Its walls are lined with old gravestones and memorials, survivors from a chapel that once stood on the site before the present building rose in the 1700s.

Cool, atmospheric and easy to miss, it is free to walk through when the lower levels are open, often as part of Somerset House's free exhibitions and events. A genuinely eerie and little-known corner under one of London's most elegant public buildings.

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The insider tip

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Access can depend on what is on, so check at the information desk for the route down to the Deadhouse and lightwells. Somerset House runs many free exhibitions, so you can often combine the two in one visit.
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