WFU/London: Worrell House – Haunted London (Summer Session I)

What is a ghost? The spirit of a deceased person? A symbol for unresolved trauma? A sneaky way of teaching morals? This class explores these questions by exploring famous literary ghosts across Shakespearean drama, the Gothic novel, and speculative fiction. As one of the most haunted cities in the world, London is the perfect place to investigate the world of ghosts and ghost stories. In addition to reading spooky tales by Henry James, Oscar Wilde, and others, we will go on midnight ghost tours, visit haunted castles, and write our own chilling yarns to understand the city’s ghoulish past.

Classes meet Monday – Thursday so students have 3-day weekends reserved to explore London or other parts of Europe. Haunted London fulfills the Division II (Literature) requirement and is taught by WFU professor and paranormal scholar Dr. Derek Lee.

London is one of Europe’s largest cities and considered one of the most haunted locales in the world. In addition to historic cultural sites like Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, and Piccadilly Circus, it is home to many notorious ghouls that roam Highgate Cemetery, Bruce Castle, and the Tower of London. In addition, several masters of the ghost story have worked or lived in London: William Shakespeare, Horace Walpole, Henry James, Oscar Wilde, and Neil Gaiman among others. With a plethora of art galleries, museums, pubs, restaurants, and retail shops, London has something for everyone. The underground “tube” provides easy access to all parts of the city. Students can readily visit Oxford, Cambridge, and other nearby cities via the British railway system. Located in the south of England with two international airports, students can also quickly travel to Amsterdam, Paris, Dublin, and other European capitals. Haunted London is based in WFU’s historic Worrell House. In 1977, Wake Forest acquired a four-story residence in Hampstead for its London program. The house, a gift from Eugene and Ann Worrell, was named in their honor. Formerly known as Morven House, the building served as the home and studio of landscape painter Charles Edward Johnson. It is situated on Steele’s Road (named for essayist Sir Richard Steele) in Hampstead, a residential London neighborhood that is home to Hampstead Heath, Regent’s Park, Primrose Hill, and the Keats Cottage. Two underground tube stops are a 5-10-minute walk away.

In 1977, Wake Forest purchased a large brick house in Hampstead for its London program. The house, a gift from Eugene and Ann Worrell, was named in their honor. Formerly known as Morven House, the building served as the home and studio of landscape painter Charles Edward Johnson.

Worrell House has four stories and is situated on Steele’s Road (named for essayist Sir Richard Steele) in a sector of suburban London known as Hampstead. Hampstead is primarily a residential neighborhood and home to Hampstead Heath, Regent’s Park, Primrose Hill, and the Keats Cottage. Two underground tube stops are within a 5-10 minute walk.

ENG 150 (D) – Literature Interprets the World: Haunted London
3 hrs.
Cross-listed as ENG 399: Genre Fiction

What are ghosts? Why does every culture around the world have spooky accounts of them, and what secrets can they reveal about human life, death, and history? Haunted London probes these questions by investigating famous literary specters from the 1600s to the present with a focus on UK-based stories, storytellers, and supernatural locations. We will read several of the best ghost stories ever told, including Hamlet, The Turn of the Screw, The Others, and The Castle of Otranto. In addition, we will take on the role of “paranormal investigators” by visiting haunted locations and writing our own sequels to the course texts. Our readings and projects will be supplemented by ghost tours, museum trips, and visits to writers’ residences. Through lively discussions and urban explorations, we will understand how ghosts continually speak to us about our political, cultural, and moral history. This class will enhance your creativity as well as your reading, writing, analytical, and presentation skills.

Classes meet Monday-Thursday so students have 3-day weekends reserved to explore London or other parts of Europe. Haunted London earn 3 credits and fulfills the Division II (Literature) requirement. In addition, it satisfies the major and minor requirements for English.

Dr. Derek Lee
Associate Professor of English

Derek Lee is Associate Professor of English at Wake Forest University. He is the author of Parascientific Revolutions: The Science and Culture of the Paranormal (U. Minnesota Press, 2025). His other research and teaching interests include Asian American literature, comic books, and science fiction. In his spare time, Dr. Lee enjoys hiking, playing basketball, visiting used bookstores, and finding the perfect slice of pizza.

Worrell House accommodates fifteen students. There are six student bedrooms, four bathrooms, a large kitchen, a student lounge, a living room, two libraries, and a seminar room. Modern kitchen facilities are available, and students often prefer to cook their meals together in the house. The house is wired for Internet access and students may bring their laptop computers. The living room, called the Churchill Room, was named in honor of the former prime minister and statesman. His daughter, Sarah Churchill, unveiled a bust of Churchill at the 1977 dedication of the house. A beautiful English garden is located behind the house. There is a ground floor apartment (flat) for the faculty director consisting of three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a kitchen.

Possible excursions include:

– Stratford-Upon-Avon (Shakespeare’s birthplace)
– Globe Theater (world-renowned Shakespeare theater)
– Jack the Ripper Tour
– London Ghost Walking Tour
– The Tower of London
– Bruce Castle
– Strawberry Hill House (gothic home of Horace Walpole)
– Lamb House (home of Henry James)
– Denis Severs’ House (haunted house and museum)
– Clink Prison Museum
– Tate Britain Museum
– Victoria and Albert Museum
– London Museum Docklands

The Faculty Directors are responsible for the selection of each group based on the following criteria:

• Be interested and open to traveling to Worrell House – London, England
• All students must meet with a faculty director in order to be accepted into the program
• No prerequisites are needed for this course

The total cost of summer study abroad can be broken down into four categories.  The Program Fee and Tuition costs will be billed by Wake University.  The estimated airfare and personal expenses will vary depending on the student and their personal spending habits.  These estimated costs are not included in the bill from Wake. 

Program Fee – Covers your room and board, travel expenses around London and to Liverpool, welcome and farewell dinner, entrances to museums and program sites.
Airfare (estimated) – Varies per location. Students are responsible for their own airfare to London, England and then getting to the Worrell House.  Plane costs can fluctuate depending on the airport you are departing from so please shop around. 
Personal Expenses (estimated) – This cost will vary depending on the students’ spending habits, cost of living in the destination country, and number of meals spent eating out verses cooking a meal at the Worrell House. 

Billed by Wake:
Program Fee (estimated) – $3,870
Tuition Cost – $2,850
+
Personal costs (will fluctuate per student):
Airfare (estimated) – $1,500
Personal Expenses (estimated) – $2,190

Estimated total cost – $10,410

Estimated total cost will be finalized in March and may fluctuate depending on number of students and changes made to the program.

Scholarships are available through the Center for Global Programs and Studies.

The deadline for summer scholarships is February 1st.

Passport Information
Students need to check their passport’s expiration date and ensure that it will be valid for at least 6 months after the program’s end date.

Students going on a Summer I program need to make sure their passport is valid through at least February of the following year.

US passport holders who need to renew their passport should visit the U.S. Department of State’s passport website for information on this process.

Non-US passport holders who need to renew their passport should refer to their home country’s passport office.

Visa Information
If you are a US citizen, you most likely will not require a visa for your summer abroad program. If you do, details will be shared with you by GPS. Non-US passport holders should check with their host country’s embassy or consulate to find out if a visa is required for their program or not.

Dr. Derek Lee
Associate Professor of English
Email: 

Claire Tynan
Study Abroad Advisor
Center for Global Programs & Studies
Phone: (336) 758-4072
Email: