A vampire in London? In 1970, reports of a strange figure in Highgate Cemetery triggered one of the city’s strangest panics. In this episode, Dex and his team follow the clues behind this spooky urban legend.
If you're enjoying Dexplorers, you can support our next adventure here: https://buymeacoffee.com/dexplorers
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
[00:00:00] Why did hundreds of people once break into a London cemetery searching for a vampire? And how did one strange sighting turn into a city-wide panic that's still unresolved? Keep listening, because Dexplorers starts now! Don't be late
[00:00:20] I'm Dex. Who's ready for some vampire vibes? I'm Nate and I've got the silver cross.
[00:00:49] Ada, I've got the pony garlic. Ugh, no fair. Today's mission takes us north of the river and back to the 1970s for one of London's strangest true-ish stories. Here we are at Highgate Cemetery. It opened in 1839 as one of London's grand burial grounds.
[00:01:18] But by the 1960s it had become overgrown, neglected and easy to sneak into. Why do spooky stories always start the same way? It's so true. After a letter published in the Hampstead and Highgate Express in February 1970, local reports flooded in regarding various ghost sightings in the area. Come on Dex, let's listen to the path. Hey, why say that? I saw it near the gate.
[00:01:47] It's all grey just gave me the creeps. It was a vampire, I'm telling you. That doesn't sound like she's making it up. Hmm, you're right. Reports first began appearing in local newspapers. One letter described a grey figure moving through the cemetery. And once that idea was out there, more people started seeing something.
[00:02:11] Some claimed it was a ghost. Others said a demon. One man made a very specific claim. Stop here! He's right. And the media loved it. People in the neighbourhood described a tall dark figure, red glowing eyes, something moving between graves. Pretty soon, gossip turned to panic. Then what happened?
[00:02:35] Things started to get really serious after a TV interview was broadcast about the Highgate vampire. You're suddenly roaming a cemetery in the north of the city. Lock your doors. Stay separate.
[00:02:58] Within hours, hundreds of people had rushed to the cemetery. They were climbing walls, breaking gates, searching for it. It was chaos. There! Over there! Check the tombs! Bring the stake! Let's flush him out! Like steak? Beef? Not people. So, people believed it?
[00:03:21] Yes, some did. Others just wanted to be part of the story. Plus, it was Friday the 13th, which has always been a date for the superstitious.
[00:04:09] Moffat, you too. Let's get on with the adventure.
[00:04:51] What kept the story alive? Mainly fear, rumours and attention. Two men became central to the story of the Highgate vampire. Each claimed they could deal with it. And each told their own version of events, which meant their rivalry kept going for years and years and years and years. So the story kept growing? Exactly. And because people kept talking about it, every strange discovery, like a damaged grave, suddenly became pulled into the story.
[00:05:20] And made the whole thing seem even more real. But here's the mystery. The Highgate vampire has never been proven to exist. Yet the story shows something else. It shows just how quickly an idea can spread. And how people sometimes can create chaos when they're searching for answers. What do you think, Dexplorers? Are vampires real?
[00:05:46] It's actually dressing up as a vampire. Vampire. So the danger wasn't the vampire? No, it was what people did because they believed in it that was dangerous. It was never the same after that. Too many kooks. Too many spooks. All looking for a silly old vampire.
[00:06:18] Today, though, Highgate Cemetery is protected and cared for. It's nice and quiet again, just as it should be. But the noise around the story hasn't disappeared. In fact, Highgate wasn't even the first time people thought something unnatural was happening in London. For centuries, people have worried about spooky goings-on and things moving in the dark. They didn't always call them vampires. In medieval times, chronicles described people walking at night and terrifying local villagers.
[00:06:48] Medicine back then wasn't so great either. So were the dead really dead? Interesting question. It could have also been people coming home late from the pub. And before we close down this case, it's time for Dexplorers' five fab facts. One. The vampire story started in 1970.
[00:07:17] It grew from reports of sightings and letters sent to local papers describing strange figures. Two. Hundreds of people entered the cemetery searching for it. After TV coverage, crowds forced their way in on Friday the 13th, despite police trying to stop them. Three. There's no evidence of a vampire. Historians consider it an example of modern myth-making, driven by media and rumours. Four. The cemetery's condition helped the story grow.
[00:07:46] By the 1960s, it was overgrown and neglected, making it feel eerie and really believable as a setting. Five. The story lasted for decades. The rivalry between those investigating the case kept the legend alive long after the original sightings. Next time on Dexplorers.
[00:08:12] We're taking a big leap back in time to explore one of the world's most famous clocks. Until then, Dexplorers, stay curious, because the past is never as far away as you think. See you on the next mission!
[00:08:33] The podcast is part of Podomity Kids, the podcast comedy network.