Halloween chills and thrills and spooktacular events

Spooky stays in and around Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk

From ghostly medieval monks to the infamous Grey Lady, the historic town of Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk offers chills and thrills galore. Could it be the most haunted place in Britain? There are evening ghost tours, spooktacular events, pumpkin patches to visit and eerie churchyards to walk through.

Read on for some spine-tingling events, activities and places to visit…

Discover Bury St Edmunds spine-tingling secrets with a Ghostly and Macabre guided walking tour from Halloween to March

Uncover spine-tingling tales about Bury St Edmunds eerie goings-on by joining the Ghostly and Macabre guided walking tour around the Suffolk town held on various dates on dark autumn and winter evenings between Halloween and the end of March.  Lasting 90 minutes, the Bury St Edmunds Tour Guides will take you on a haunted journey with ghostly stories of murder, riots, plague, witchcraft and a mummified cat, with chills and thrills galore.

Starting with Moyse's Hall, the tour winds around the darkened streets to tell stories of screaming skulls, mysterious 'monk' like figures appearing in cellars, burnings and hangings and more, finishing up in the dark and deserted Great Churchyard.

The evening Ghostly and Macabre tours take place every Friday from Halloween to March.  More details about the tours and how to book are shown at www.burystedmundstourguides.org or call 01284 758000; due to the content of the tour, participants must be aged 14 years or over and under 18s accompanied by an adult.

Spooky plays at Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds

Several spooky plays are being staged at Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds during the autumn in the lead-up to Halloween. Running over the weekend of 13th and 14th September, the series begins with 'Murder, She Didn't Write', an original and comical improvised murder-mystery when the audience are invited to help create an Agatha-Christie-inspired masterpiece, and to watch it unfold. 

This is followed by Bram Stoker's timeless gothic thriller 'Dracula' from 25th - 28th September, next comes 'The Highwayman', a new musical based on the poem by Adam Nichols performed from 2nd - 5th October and 'Murder for Two', an anarchic

musical murder mystery with a twist putting the laughter in manslaughter from 8th – 12th October.

Go along on 20th October for a chilling evening of ghost stories read by candlelight while from 28th to 30th October, families can watch daytime performances of 'There's a Monster in your Show' a musical show adapted from Tom Fletcher's 'Who's in Your Book' series.

For more details and to book tickets priced from £12 visit www.theatreroyal.org or call 01284 769505.

Grisly interactive displays at medieval Moyse's Hall Museum

Housed in a town centre medieval building Moyse's Hall Museum offers a fascinating view into the past plus the notorious Red Barn Murder, local superstitions and witchcraft as well as prison paraphernalia. Step inside a gibbet cage, try on a ball and chain for size, experience the smells of history including the wretched tanner's pits, handle thumbscrews, try on manacles and pick up a Norman sword.

The Museum's ground floor features six Terrible Tales by Terry Deary, best-selling author of the popular Horrible Histories books. Every story links back to an artefact, bringing the museum's stories to life.

Displays from the Red Barn Murder include the murder weapon, killer William Corder's scalp and a book bound in his skin.  There's a disease box where visitors can smell a pus ridden hand and a gibbet cage for John Nichols who was executed in 1794. Gruesome interactive displays include a dissection table where you can delve inside 'a body' to find intestines and the heart among other horrors.

For prices and opening times visit www.moyseshall.org or call 01284 757160

Scaresville – The Haunted Village at Kentwell Hall, near Bury St Edmunds. Nightly from Wednesday 16th October until Saturday 2nd November (excluding Monday 21st October and Sunday 27th October

Enter the Scaresville Haunted Village at Kentwell Hall, near Bury St Edmunds for a live action, immersive experience for groups of 8-12 people. Inventive 'scares' have been created to frighten and will make you both scream with fear and laugh for an unbroken hour or so, with no time to catch your breath.

Locals whisper of an old village that appears in darkest Suffolk every year. It is here that the veil that separates our world from the 'other side' is stretched to its thinnest. Ghosts, ghouls and other creatures stalk the night and intrepid adventurers are said to be able to cross through. They talk of it as a Haunted Village which they call Scaresville. Some say these are just stories, others won't say anything at all – are you brave enough to investigate? As you cross over into a twilight world, where reality and imagination merge, you will encounter thrills, spills, scares and dares as you traverse the woods, buildings and parkland of Scaresville.  

Scaresville isn't for individuals.  Book a group of 8-10 using a unique code and enter the ScareZone together. But if you book for a smaller party, others will be added to make up group to a maximum size of 12.  

Tickets are priced from £24.95 to £42.95 per adult dependent on date and time of booking. Book online at www.scaresville.co.uk or call 01787 310207 for more details. The evening is best for over 14s only, under 18s must be accompanied by an adult over 21 years of age.

Halloweenies at Kentwell Hall, near Bury St Edmunds

Spooky, safe half-term fun for your little monsters 27 October – 3 November

Bring your little witches and wizards to Halloweenies and enjoy some spooky, safe half-term Halloween fun at Kentwell Hall, near Bury St Edmunds. Explore the spooky outdoor zones around the buildings, gardens and grounds for immersive challenges and activities aimed at children from 3 to 11 years of age and their families.

Come dressed in your favourite Halloween outfit but as this is an outdoor event ensure you are wrapped up warmly underneath; the house will be closed to visitors.

A selection of ghoulishly delicious food and snacks will be available as a take-out service.

Halloweenies runs from Sunday 27 October until Sunday 3 November, 10.30am-4pm, last entry at 2pm. Ticket prices to be confirmed. For details visit  www.kentwell.co.uk or call 01787 310207.

Spooky stays

The Angel Hotel in the town centre is offering B&B for two sharing from around £165 B&B, www.theangel.co.uk,  Tel: 01284 714000.

For more information

For more information about Halloween events in and around Bury St Edmunds visit www.burystedmundsandbeyond.co.uk/halloween-in-bury-st-edmunds.

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Email: sue.warren@ourburystedmunds.com                                  October 2024