You do not have permission to edit this page, for the following reasons:

This IP address has been blocked from editing Wikipedia.
This does not affect your ability to read Wikipedia pages.
Most people who see this message have done nothing wrong. Some kinds of blocks restrict editing from specific service providers or telecom companies in response to recent abuse or vandalism, and can sometimes affect other users who are unrelated to that abuse. Review the information below for assistance if you do not believe that you have done anything wrong.

The IP address or range 35.170.0.0/16 has been blocked (disabled) by ‪JJMC89‬ for the following reason(s):

The IP address that you are currently using has been blocked because it is believed to be a web host provider or colocation provider. To prevent abuse, web hosts and colocation providers may be blocked from editing Wikipedia.
You will not be able to edit Wikipedia using a web host or colocation provider because it hides your IP address, much like a proxy or VPN.
We recommend that you attempt to use another connection to edit. For example, if you use a proxy or VPN to connect to the internet, turn it off when editing Wikipedia. If you edit using a mobile connection, try using a Wi-Fi connection, and vice versa. If you are using a corporate internet connection, switch to a different Wi-Fi network. If you have a Wikipedia account, please log in.
If you do not have any other way to edit Wikipedia, you will need to request an IP block exemption.

How to appeal if you are confident that your connection does not use a colocation provider's IP address:
If you are confident that you are not using a web host, you may appeal this block by adding the following text on your talk page: ((unblock|reason=Caught by a colocation web host block but this host or IP is not a web host. My IP address is _______. Place any further information here. ~~~~)). You must fill in the blank with your IP address for this block to be investigated. Your IP address can be determined here. Alternatively, if you wish to keep your IP address private you can use the unblock ticket request system. There are several reasons you might be editing using the IP address of a web host or colocation provider (such as if you are using VPN software or a business network); please use this method of appeal only if you think your IP address is in fact not a web host or colocation provider.

Administrators: The IP block exemption user right should only be applied to allow users to edit using web host in exceptional circumstances, and requests should usually be directed to the functionaries team via email. If you intend to give the IPBE user right, a CheckUser needs to take a look at the account. This can be requested most easily at SPI Quick Checkuser Requests. Unblocking an IP or IP range with this template is highly discouraged without at least contacting the blocking administrator.

This block will expire on 05:20, 2 July 2025.

Even when blocked, you will usually still be able to edit your user talk page, as well as email administrators and other editors.

For information on how to proceed, please read the FAQ for blocked users and the guideline on block appeals. The guide to appealing blocks may also be helpful.

Other useful links: Blocking policy · Help:I have been blocked
Your IP address is in a range that has been blocked on all Wikimedia Foundation wikis. The block was made by ‪Jon Kolbert‬. The reason given is Open proxy/Webhost: See the help page if you are affected .
- Start of block: 05:38, 21 February 2024
- Expiry of block: 05:38, 21 February 2029
Your current IP address is 35.170.198.190. The blocked range is 35.170.0.0/16. Please include all above details in any queries you make. If you believe you were blocked by mistake, you can find additional information and instructions in the No open proxies global policy. Otherwise, to discuss the block please post a request for review on Meta-Wiki. You could also send an email to the stewards VRT queue at stewards@wikimedia.org including all above details.

You can view and copy the source of this page:

((short description|Tourist attraction in London))
((For|the Misfits song|London Dungeon (song)))
((Use dmy dates|date=September 2019))
((Use British English|date=November 2015))
((More citations needed|date=July 2015))
((infobox museum
|name           = The London Dungeon
|image          = London - The London Dungeon - panoramio.jpg
|logo           = London Dungeon Logo.jpg
|caption = 
|pushpin_map    = Central London
|map_type       = central London
|coordinates    = ((coord|51.502685|-0.119433|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title))
|alt            = The London Dungeon Logo
|established    = ((Start date and age|1974|09|15|df=yes))
|location       = [[County Hall, London|County Hall]], <br />[[Westminster Bridge Road]], <br />[[South Bank]], [[London]], ((postcode|SE|1))<br />United Kingdom
|publictransit  = ((rail-interchange|london|underground)) ((lus|Waterloo))<br />((rail-interchange|gb|Rail)) [[London Waterloo railway station|Waterloo]]<br />((rail-interchange|gb|rail)) ((rws|Waterloo East))
|website        = [http://www.thedungeons.com/london/en/ thedungeons.com/london]
))

The '''London Dungeon''' is a [[tourist attraction]]/[[Haunted house|haunted attraction]]<ref>((cite book|last1=Johnstone|first1=Sarah|last2=Masters|first2=Tom|title=London|year=2004|publisher=Lonely Planet|isbn=1-74104-091-4|page=[https://archive.org/details/lonelyplanetlond00mart/page/164 164]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/lonelyplanetlond00mart/page/164))</ref> along [[London]]'s [[South Bank]], [[England]], which recreates various gory and [[macabre]] historical events in a [[gallows humour]] style. It uses a mixture of live actors, special effects and rides.

==History==
[[File:2005-07-12 - United Kingdom - England - London - The London Dungeon.jpg|thumb|London resident walks past the entrance to the old London Dungeon building.]]
The London Dungeon was opened in 1974 by Annabel Geddes. The attraction was originally a [[Wax museum|wax exhibition]] of the horrifying history, comprising themed tableaux under the Tooley Street arches. Early characters included [[Boudica]], [[Mary I of England|Mary Tudor]] and [[Thomas Becket]] and had scenes from the [[Norman Conquest]].

From the late 1980s to mid 90s, it evolved to feature walkthrough theatrical shows, such as the Great Fire of London and Jack the Ripper, during which time it was owned by the Kunick Leisure Group. It was acquired by Vardon Attractions in 1992, which later became [[Merlin Entertainments]] through a management buy out, led by [[Nick Varney]]. Merlin rebranded the Dungeon more as an interactive horror attraction, less historically-accurate and based around bad taste humour.

In 2013, the London Dungeon moved from its premises of 39 years in [[Tooley Street]], to [[County Hall, London|County Hall]], [[South Bank]], to be grouped with other Merlin-owned attractions such as the [[London Eye]]. The new building was designed by architect Ralph Knott and was influenced by Baroque-style art. It is located directly opposite the Houses of Parliament – the same buildings Guy Fawkes tried to blow up with gunpowder in 1605. The move brought the opportunity to reinvigorate the Dungeon; the rebuild took an entire year and a budget of £20 million.<ref>((Cite web |title=The London Dungeon in London, UK |url=https://www.thingstodoinlondon.com/attractions/the-london-dungeon/ |access-date=2022-11-10 |website=thingstodoinlondon.com |language=en-GB))</ref>

==Format==
The London Dungeon features 19 shows, 20 actors and 2 rides. Visitors are taken on a journey through 1000 years of London's history where they meet actors performing as some of London's most infamous characters, including [[Jack the Ripper]] and [[Sweeney Todd]]. The Dungeon's shows are staged on theatrical sets with special effects. The show incorporates events such as the [[Black Death]] and the [[Gunpowder Plot]], and includes characters such as "The Torturer", "The Plague Doctor", and "The Judge". Guests are encouraged to participate in the shows. The experience also includes a "drop ride to doom", a free-fall ride staged as a public hanging.<ref>((Cite web |last=Spray |first=Aaron |date=2022-08-15 |title=See The Spookier Side Of London At The London Dungeon |url=https://www.thetravel.com/why-visit-the-london-dungeon/ |access-date=2022-11-09 |website=TheTravel |language=en-US))</ref>

==Tooley Street tour==
((Unreferenced section|date=January 2014))
The original London Dungeon opened in 1974 as a gory horror exhibition through dark British history, operating as a free-flow walkthrough attraction, themed to torture and sin. It was expanded in the 1980s and 90s with several elaborate animated walkthrough attractions, such as the ''Great Fire of London'' and ''Jack The Ripper''.

In 1997, by which time the Dungeon was managed by Vardon Attractions, the majority of the attraction was completely redesigned as a batched walkthrough rather than a free-flow exhibit. This saw the arrival of ''Judgment Day'', a water dark ride that began with visitors entering a mock trial to be sentenced to death, then boarding a boat through [[Traitors' Gate|Traitor's Gate]] to their execution. The boat ride itself was a masterpiece in design in a crowded space. Many of the original horror tableaux were refurbished as part of a new ransacked village scene, at the start of the ride, and the finale included a lift into the unknown, followed by a turntable and a backwards drop. The original story at the top of the drop was of an executioner with an axe, but this was later changed to a firing squad, that shot, just as guests plunged backwards.<ref name=":0">((Cite web |title=London Dungeon - A Pictorial History |url=https://www.scaretour.co.uk/london-dungeon---a-pictorial-history.html |access-date=2022-11-09 |website=ScareTOUR |language=en))</ref>

2000 saw the re-introduction of the ''Fire of London'' segment, which simulated the burning streets of 17th-century London and featured a spinning [[trommel]] with smoke effects.

Under Merlin Entertainments, increasingly actor-led segments were added during the 2000s, such as the ''Labyrinth of the Lost'' mirror maze and the ''Great Plague''. In 2004, the ''Judgement Day'' boat ride was altered and renamed to ''Traitor - Boat Ride to Hell'', removing the original effects and scenes to become a simple boat ride, largely through darkness.

2006 saw the arrival of a [[Sweeney Todd]] segment. The attraction used [[surround sound]] and sensory effects to simulate an encounter with the titular character, before visitors' chairs were suddenly tilted backwards as a shock effect. Another ride segment was added in 2007, ''Extremis - Drop Ride to Doom'', based on the hangings at [[Newgate Prison|Newgate]] gallows. Guests were raised 20 feet to meet an animatronic judge, priest and hangman before a free-fall drop into darkness. The new ride replaced the ''Blood and Guts Café''.<ref name=":0" />

In 2008, there were changes to the Jack the Ripper segment, which included a new ending scene in the ''Ten Bells'' pub. In 2009 came ''Surgery - Blood and Guts'', which focused on gore and anatomy and used audience interaction. ''Bloody Mary: Killer Queen'' opened in 2010 in place of the ''Fire of London'' segment, and selected a random audience member to be publicly burned as a "heretic" using smoke effects.<ref name=":0" />

''Vengeance 5D'' opened in 2011, an interactive seated shooter ride, themed to a séance. The ride was constructed in areas of the original Jack the Ripper attraction, which was significantly shortened to accommodate the new ride. Vengeance lasted only one season.

The last Tooley Street tour took place on 31 January 2013, and contained the following sections:
The Labyrinth of the Lost;
The Great Plague;
Surgery: Blood and Guts;
The Torture Chamber;
The Courtroom;
Bedlam;
Traitor: Boat Ride to Hell;
Sweeney Todd;
Vengeance 5D;
Jack the Ripper;
Bloody Mary: Killer Queen;
Extremis: Drop Ride to Doom.

The new County Hall Dungeon features some of the attractions repurposed from the Tooley Street Dungeon, not including Bloody Mary and Vengeance 5D. When it departed its first home, many props were sold at a car boot sale in nearby Pimlico. The sale Items on offer included an “array of torture and surgical equipment, severed limbs, false eyeballs, plague doctor's potions & a severed head”.<ref>((Cite web |last=Bleaney |first=Rob |date=2013-02-04 |title=How to get a head in the market: London Dungeon's creepy car boot sale offers frightening bargains |url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/london-dungeon-car-boot-sale-1585202 |access-date=2022-11-10 |website=mirror |language=en))</ref>

The original venue was redeveloped by [[Network Rail]].

==Related attractions==
The London Dungeon is one of six Dungeons in the UK. There are also a number of related attractions around the world.

=== United Kingdom ===
*The [[Blackpool Tower]] Dungeon
*The Castle Dungeon at [[Warwick Castle]]
*The [[Edinburgh Dungeon]]
*The [[York Dungeon]] 
*The [[Alton Towers]] Dungeon

=== Mainland Europe ===
*[[Amsterdam Dungeon]]
*[[Berlin Dungeon]] 
*[[Hamburg Dungeon]]

=== Asia ===
*Shanghai Dungeon

=== United States ===
*[[San Francisco Dungeon|The San Francisco Dungeon]] (closed in June 2021)

==Critical response==
In its changing years, the London Dungeon has been the subject of mixed response by visitors and leisure critics. In 1988, the attraction received much publicised appraisal from the then [[Lord Mayor of London]] [[Greville Spratt|Sir Greville Spratt]] for its dramatic depiction of the [[Great Fire of London]]. The original Great Fire attraction doubled attendance to the Dungeon upon opening.

By contrast, in 2009, [[Rick Steves]] described the London Dungeon as "just a highly advertised, overpriced haunted house" and an "amateurish attraction" in his book on the city.<ref>((cite book|last1=Steves|first1=Rick|last2=Openshaw|first2=Gene|title=Rick Steve's London 2009|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vDjHI96IzsoC&q=london+dungeon&pg=PA78|year=2008|publisher=Avalon Travel|isbn=978-1-59880-117-0|page=78))</ref> The "[[Rough Guide]] to Britain" describes it as best enjoyed by "young teenagers and the credulous".<ref>((cite book|last1=Andrews|first1=Robert|last2=Teller|first2=Matthew|title=The Rough Guide to Britain|year=2004|publisher=Rough Guides|isbn=1-84353-301-4|page=134))</ref>

==References==
((Reflist))

((commons category|London Dungeon))

((Merlin attractions))

[[Category:1974 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Museums established in 1974]]<!-- originally a museum -->
[[Category:Buildings and structures in the London Borough of Southwark]]
[[Category:Museums in the London Borough of Southwark]]
[[Category:History museums in London]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in the London Borough of Southwark]]
[[Category:Animatronic attractions]]
[[Category:Merlin Entertainments Group]]

Pages transcluded onto the current version of this page (help):

London Dungeon (edit)
Template:Ambox (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Cite book (view source) (protected)
Template:Cite web (view source) (protected)
Template:Commons category (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Coord (view source) (protected)
Template:DMCA (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Dated maintenance category (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Dated maintenance category (articles) (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:FULLROOTPAGENAME (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Find sources mainspace (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:For (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Has short description (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Hlist/styles.css (view source) (protected)
Template:Icon (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:If empty (view source) (protected)
Template:Infobox (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Infobox museum (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Location map (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Lus (view source) (semi-protected)
Template:MONTHNAME (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:MONTHNUMBER (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Main other (view source) (protected)
Template:Merlin Entertainments (edit)
Template:Merlin attractions (edit)
Template:More citations needed (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Navbox (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Ns has subpages (view source) (protected)
Template:Pagetype (view source) (protected)
Template:Plainlist/styles.css (view source) (protected)
Template:Postcode (view source) (semi-protected)
Template:Rail-interchange (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Reflist (view source) (protected)
Template:Reflist/styles.css (view source) (protected)
Template:Replace (view source) (protected)
Template:Rws (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:SDcat (view source) (protected)
Template:Short description (view source) (protected)
Template:Short description/lowercasecheck (view source) (protected)
Template:Side box (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Sister project (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Start date and age (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Stnlnk (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Template other (view source) (protected)
Template:Time ago (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Trim (view source) (protected)
Template:Tubestation (view source) (semi-protected)
Template:Unreferenced (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Unreferenced section (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Use British English (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Use dmy dates (view source) (template editor protected)
Template:Yesno (view source) (protected)
Module:Arguments (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler/blacklist (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler/config (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler/data (view source) (protected)
Module:Category handler/shared (view source) (protected)
Module:Check for unknown parameters (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1 (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/COinS (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Date validation (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Identifiers (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Utilities (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/Whitelist (view source) (protected)
Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css (view source) (protected)
Module:Coordinates (view source) (protected)
Module:Coordinates/styles.css (view source) (protected)
Module:Date (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Disambiguation/templates (view source) (protected)
Module:Find sources (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Find sources/config (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Find sources/links (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Find sources/templates/Find sources mainspace (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:For (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Format link (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:GetParameters (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Hatnote (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Hatnote/styles.css (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Hatnote list (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Icon (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Icon/data (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:If empty (view source) (protected)
Module:Infobox (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Infobox/styles.css (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:InfoboxImage (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Infobox mapframe (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Location map (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Location map/data/Central London (edit)
Module:Location map/data/United Kingdom Central London (view source) (semi-protected)
Module:Location map/styles.css (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Mapframe (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Math (view source) (protected)
Module:Message box (view source) (protected)
Module:Message box/ambox.css (view source) (protected)
Module:Message box/configuration (view source) (protected)
Module:Namespace detect/config (view source) (protected)
Module:Namespace detect/data (view source) (protected)
Module:Navbar (view source) (protected)
Module:Navbar/configuration (view source) (protected)
Module:Navbar/styles.css (view source) (protected)
Module:Navbox (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Navbox/configuration (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Navbox/styles.css (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Ns has subpages (view source) (protected)
Module:Pagetype (view source) (protected)
Module:Pagetype/config (view source) (protected)
Module:Pagetype/disambiguation (view source) (protected)
Module:Pagetype/setindex (view source) (protected)
Module:Pagetype/softredirect (view source) (protected)
Module:SDcat (view source) (protected)
Module:Side box (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Side box/styles.css (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:String (view source) (protected)
Module:String2 (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Time ago (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Unsubst (view source) (protected)
Module:WikidataIB (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:WikidataIB/nolinks (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:WikidataIB/titleformats (view source) (template editor protected)
Module:Wikitext Parsing (view source) (protected)
Module:Yesno (view source) (protected)

Return to London Dungeon.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Dungeon"