Halloween
Image: little girl dressed as a witch at Bolsover Castle

Halloween

Find ghoulishly great-value days out at our Halloween events taking place across the country.

Gather your little monsters to solve creepy clues at our half-term quests.

Join storytellers for family-friendly spooky woodland walks through the shadowy grounds of our historic places.

And explore our sites in the dark this Halloween with ghost tales exclusively for adults!

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Photo of two people dressed in Victorian costume looking at the camera and standing in an avenue of trees

Spooky Woodland Walks

Join our ghost-hunting storytellers on family-friendly walks through the shadows of two of our iconic sites. With tales full of strange and spooky goings-on, they're sure to get you into the spirit of the season!

BOOK A SPOOKY WOODLAND WALK AT BELSAY HALL, CASTLE AND GARDENS IN NORTHUMBERLAND

BOOK A SPOOKY WOODLAND WALK AT BRODSWORTH HALL AND GARDENS IN SOUTH YORKSHIRE

Photo of someone holding up a lantern in the dark and looking into the camera

Ghost tales - for adults!

Do you dare explore our historic sites in the dark this Halloween?

Join our storytellers as they guide you on a journey through the past, with tales of ghosts, supernatural sightings and horrors from history.

Over-16s only, and don’t forget to bring a torch – things are going to get dark…

Book for Ghost Tales at Bolsover Castle, Derbyshire

Book for Ghost Tales at Carlisle Castle, Cumbria

Book for Ghost Tales at Scarborough Castle, North Yorkshire

Promotional image for Halloween at Kenwood, featuring a ghostly figure, silhouettes of trees and Kenwood House in the background

Halloween at Kenwood

As twilight falls, journey into the heart of Kenwood’s haunted estate, where every path is filled with eerie surprises, shimmering lights, and mystical installations.

Perfect for families, friends, and couples in search of a spooky event!

Find out more about Halloween at Kenwood
Photo of Whitby Abbey illuminated in red lights on a dark night

Illuminated Whitby Abbey

Head to Whitby Abbey this Halloween to see the Gothic ruins bathed in dramatic illuminations.

Have your camera at the ready as you explore the abbey and enjoy spook-tacular food and drink from our local vendors!

Find out more about Illuminated Whitby Abbey

Medieval Ghosts

Why did medieval monks write ghosts stories? What do a burning bale of hay, a scary horse and some silver spoons have in common?

This episode of History in a Nutshell looks at the origins of hauntings and ghost stories, which go much further back than the spooky Victorian tales we're all used to hearing.

Photo of a memento mori pendant in the shape of a skeleton

The Creepiest Objects in Our Collection

At English Heritage, we care for more than a million historic objects across England — including more than 27,000 books, 1,400 paintings and 15,000 animal remains. 

With Halloween around the corner, we've scoured our catalogues to pick out five of the most sinister objects from English history.

Read about the creepiest objects in our collection

The Origins of Halloween

  • A BRIEF HISTORY OF HALLOWEEN

    Many people herald carved pumpkins, trick-or-treating and fancy dress as an Americanised festival. But did you realise that most of these activities are rooted in European folklore?

  • What are soul cakes and what's their link with Halloween?

    Senior Properties Historian Dr Michael Carter explores the tradition of giving and receiving soul cakes and their link with Halloween and trick-or-treating.

  • WHY WE CARVE PUMPKINS

    Halloween wouldn't be complete without a pumpkin carved with a frightening face. But what’s the origin of this terrifying tradition? Prepare yourself for shocks and surprises!

Spooky Stories from History

  • WITCHCRAFT: EIGHT MYTHS AND MISCONCEPTIONS

    From the Salem Witch Trials to the witches of Macbeth, the figure of the witch is embedded in our culture. The problem is that most of what we think we know is wrong. Professor Diane Purkiss debunks eight of the most common myths about witchcraft.

  • SPOOKY STORIES AND GRUESOME TALES

    With bloody battles, gruesome executions, spooky coffins and strange paranormal phenomena, our historic sites are home to lots of horrible history. Be warned - you'll need a strong stomach for some of these stories! 

  • WHERE MARK HADDON FOUND HIS ‘GHOSTS’ AT THE YORK COLD WAR BUNKER

    We challenged seven leading contemporary authors to visit our historic places for inspiration to craft an original ghost story for our book Eight Ghosts. Discover the inspiration behind Mark Haddon's story, inspired by the York Cold War Bunker.

How To Carve A Halloween Turnip

Why not carve a turnip this Halloween instead of a pumpkin? Find out where this old tradition came from and discover how to carve your own turnip to terrify the trick-or-treaters this Halloween.

Watch how to carve a Halloween turnip

Have a happy historical Halloween!

Get ready for Halloween with our selection of treats – no tricks, we promise! Do you know why we carve Halloween pumpkins? Read our history of pumpkins to find out, then have a go at carving your own!  Plus, get creative and make a scary mythical beast mask, cook up some spooky recipes and light up the dark nights with a crafty castle lantern!