Bank of England Museum – a spook-tacular soirée!

I visited the Bank of England Museum on the Friday before Halloween to attend a spooky event, featuring the chance to explore the museum after dark, not to mention a ghost story.

It was fun to explore the museum without the crowds; even though I’d been there before, the experience was different this time round. I enjoyed talking to the museum staff about various Bank histories and legends.

Image of a storyteller in front of a 19th century photo of the Bank
Ghost stories at the Bank of England

The ghost story, telling the tale of Sarah Whitehead (the Bank Nun), was chilling and enjoyable. Cashier Paul Whitehead was arrested for forgery, convicted, and duly hanged in 1812. Friends tried to keep the tragedy a secret from his sister, Sarah, but one day when she visited the Bank to ask about her brother, another cashier blurted out the truth. The shock affected her mind, and from then on she would turn up at the Bank every day to ask about her brother, wearing a long black dress and a black crepe veil that gave her her nickname. Her ghost is said to still visit the bank, dressed in black, and still asking about her brother.

The Bank of England Museum

After my trip up the Monument I walked up to the Bank of England. Here I visited the Bank of England Museum.

2012 1205 Museumofthebankofengland

Bank of England Museum

This is a small, free museum at the back of the Bank. It is free to enter and is open Monday to Friday. When you go in you have to go through airport-style security – understandable I guess, given the proximity to the Bank.

For a free museum, there is quite a lot to see. Exhibitions explore the history of the Bank of England, which was founded in 1694. The inside of the museum has been designed to resemble Sir John Soane’s original design for the vestibule area. Sadly his building was demolished in the mid-20th century to enable a new, multi-storey building to be constructed. I liked looking at the different images of the Bank throughout the years, as well as examples of the different bank notes and coins produced over time.

The most surprising section of the museum was a small display devoted to Kenneth Grahame, author of The Wind In the Willows. He worked at the Bank for many years and wrote his famous novel during this time. A first edition of the book is on display.

The Bank of England Museum is well worth a visit if you are in the area. It is informative and interesting and best of all free.

FACTS

Address: Bank of England, Threadneedle Street, London, EC2R 8AH

Website: bankofengland.co.uk/education/Pages/museum/visiting

Opening Hours: Mon-Fri 10am-5pm

Prices: Free