Bury St Edmunds-born Leon McAnally writes book on all things linked to death, suffering and tragedy

A Bury St Edmunds-born man has written a ‘dark tourism’ book to bring more awareness to Britain’s dark history.

Leon McAnally, 27, who first heard of the term ‘dark tourism’ while studying travel and tourism at West Suffolk College, will be publishing a guidebook all about attractions linked to death, suffering and tragedy.

A Guide to Dark Attractions will give readers a chance to learn more about catastrophic events which happened throughout Britain’s history, covering places such as prisons, nuclear bunkers, war memorials, execution sites, cemeteries and crypts.

Leon, who now lives in Northampton, said: “I want people to know and learn about our dark history - both small and big events - to be more aware of what has happened in the past.

“These events have shaped how things were dealt with going forward.”

The guidebook will dive into over 280 places across the country which are linked to dark tourism, including Scotland’s fight for independence at Stirling Castle, the deadliest coal mining disaster in England’s history or the story behind the bloodstain of Holyrood Palace.

Although Leon did not have the chance to explore much of Suffolk’s dark past, the guidebook does include lesser-known events across the East Anglia region.

For example, readers can discover more about a network of nuclear bunkers that the government has setup, such as the Kelvedon Hatch in south Essex, and the Great Yarmouth bridge disaster in the 1800’s.

“I wanted to highlight the big attractions but also the smaller things that aren't well known and that are forgotten,” said Leon.

“I think it’s important to remember these disasters that have taken place in history because they’ve been learning tools. They can help societies as a whole to learn.”

After completing his course at West Suffolk College, Leon continued studying dark tourism at the University of Northampton.

Although he learnt about big historical events, such as as the concentration camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland and the Catacombs of Paris in France, Leon felt there was not a book which looked into UK’s dark attractions which ultimately inspired him to purse writing the book.

He said: “We’ve a massive history in England and I thought why are we as a country not looking at our own dark heritage.

“From what I’m aware of, there is no book that covers the whole of Britain’s dark tourism attractions.”

After a year and a half of writing, Leon’s book is in for final edits – something he did not think was achievable when he was a teenager due to his dyslexia.

“It took me a long time to learn how to read and write,” Leon added.

“If somebody would have said to me at 13 years of age ‘you’re going write a book when you’re 27’, I probably would have laughed at them.

“Now I’m publishing a book with 100,000 words.

More information about Leon’s book, which will be published later this autumn, can be found via his website and Facebook page.

Leon added: “It’s been a challenge but I’ve overcome it.”