Welcome to
Aberdeen
500 Years of Crime and Punishment: A Self-Guided Audio Tour
- Duration45 min
- Max Travelers15 people
- Free CancellationUp to 24 hrs
- CategoryAudio Guides, Ghost Tours
Overview
From bodysnatching and beheadings to witchcraft and whippings, we share real life stories of crime and punishment from the last 500 years on this self-guided GPS audio tour.
Along the way you’ll see major Aberdeen landmarks, from Marischal College to the Mercat Cross, and learn how they were witness to darkest chapters in the city’s history. Scot Free Tours sheds a light on the baffling and often unjust laws of the last five centuries – and reveals that past is not as far away as we think.
Thousands of people have loved our 5-star rated live tours and now you can experience them with freedom of an audio guide! The tour plays audio automatically at exactly the right time and place using your smartphone’s GPS and the VoiceMap mobile app, which also works offline. Start the tour in the app, put your phone in your pocket, and let us guide you around Aberdeen.
The total walking distance is 3km and takes about 45 minutes without stopping, but you can pause anytime!
Gallery
What's included
Lifetime access to this tour in English
VoiceMap app for Android and iOS
Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata
What's Not included
Smartphone and headphones
Transportation
Food and drink
Tickets or entrance fees to any museums or other attractions en route
Itinerary
Now a museum, this used to be the gaol, where criminals in Aberdeen were kept. Weu2019ll point out where public hangings used to take place as we start off our tour on crime and punishment in Aberdeen.
The Mercat Cross is where public announcements would be made u2013 and public punishment would be handed out. The structure is decorated with carvings of Scottish monarchs and weu2019ll be focusing on the story of one queen and how she dealt with an outbreak of treason.
The tower of this impressive building is modelled on the one at Balmoral Castle. Weu2019ll pass by it on the tour and it makes a great photo stop.
Weu2019ll pass through Seabury Court next to St Andrewu2019s Cathedral to give you a sense of the winding streets Aberdeen used to have.
This used to be part of the University of Aberdeen and was traditionally where medical students would study. Weu2019ll take you round the back to the Anatomy Rooms where dissections would take place and tell you all about Aberdeenu2019s relationship with bodysnatchers.
An atmospheric graveyard, filled with lots of history. Weu2019ll point out the grave of one doctor whose morals left a lot to be desired. You'll also see the u2018mither kirku2019 of Aberdeen, which used to be the centre of early Aberdeen. Learn about horrible church punishments and how witches were imprisoned.
People have been living in The Green for thousands of years u2013 but donu2019t make the mistake of thinking that makes it old fashioned. Itu2019s a small hipster enclave in Aberdeen with lots of street art and independent restaurants and shops. Here you will hear stories of the child-snatching gang that used to operate in Aberdeen.
Aberdeen grew up around its harbour - so it only makes sense that over the years it has been used for some particularly unpleasant punishments.
The Maritime Museum is a delightful little museum that helps you get to grips with Aberdeenu2019s maritime past, from fishing to the oil industry. We pass it on our tour and there is a chance to go in and explore for yourselves.
This self-guided audio tour takes place in Aberdeen.
Good to know
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adultu2019s lap
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.