historic haunts for halloween

July 12th, 2010

Do something different for Halloween. Pop over to jolly old England and take part in some spooky Halloween activities. Medieval castles and aged Estates provide the perfect eerie setting for All Hallows Eve. Join the Royal Oak Foundation – the U.S. affiliate to the National Trust – and get access to over 300 historic houses without having to pay an admission fee.

Halloween with the National Trust

©NTPL/Ross Hoddinott                                                                        ©NTPL/Andrew Butler

Where: Anglesey Abbey, Gardens and Lodge Mill, Cambridgeshire

When: October 29, 2:30pm-4pm

What: Freaky Friday: Wild About Cooking

Why: Join the chef making spooky treats. Booking is required and the event costs £5 per child.

Stay: Coach House Loft is a converted apartment over the coach house at the historic Peckover house. It sleeps five and guests get a key to the Peckover house gardens.

Where: Arlington Court & the National Trust’s Carriage Collection, Devon

When: October 29, 2pm-2:30pm

What: Pumpkin Carving Competition

Why: Show the British how it’s done. Bring along a carved pumpkin to enter into the evilest pumpkin carving contest and join in ghost and ghouls week activities.

Stay: Woolley Lodge, a former gardener’s cottage, sits on the edge of the Arlington estate. The lodge accommodates three and is the perfect place to stay to explore the woodlands and footpaths around the estate.

Where: Belton House, Lincolnshire

When: October 23-24, 11am-4pm

What: Weekend Halloween Happenings

Why: Don your Halloween finest and wander down the “Hubble Bubble, Toad’s in Trouble” family fun trail, a perfect pumpkin trail for little ghosts and goblins. There are masks and crafts, face painting, spooky stories, and Halloween treats at the restaurant. The costume contest is in the stableyard at 3. There’s a £1.50 charge per trail, and £3 for face painting.

Stay: The Old Rectory is a late 18th century Regency rectory near the tiny church of Bratoft village. The expansive house sleeps 11 and is a great place from which to visit Gunby Hall, Tattershall Castle, and Belton House.

Where: Bodiam Castle, East Sussex

When: October 23-31, 10:30am-3:30pm

What: Halloween Happening and Spooky Challenge

Why: In the Spooky Challenge, track down the resident ghost and other creepy characters lurking around the castle. There’s an event charge of £2.

Stay: Keeper’s Cottage in Woolbending, Sussex, is a former gamekeeper’s house built in the 1600s. The charming cottage sleeps five and has views of the Sussex countryside.

Where: Chartwell, Kent

When: October 27-29, 4pm-6pm

What: Halloween Twilight Trails

Why: Take an eerie turn around the garden as the sun goes down, but keep an eye out for ghosts and ghouls. The brave will make it back to the restaurant for pumpkin soup and hotdogs. There’s an event charge of £10.

Stay: Laundry Cottage is part of a converted 15th-century stableblock within the grounds of Igtham Mote, a 14th century moted manor house. The idyllic cottage sleeps four and has a private garden.

Where: Lanhydrock, Cornwall

When: October 30-31, 5:30pm-7:30pm

What: Pumpkins and Ghouls

Why: Try your hand at pumpkin carving and take a ghostly tour through the haunted great wood. £6 per adult and £4 per child; booking is essential.

Stay: Cutmadoc is a cottage hidden in a secluded garden on the Lanhydrock’s estate. The cottage sleeps six and is in the center of Cornwall, giving visitors access to both north and south coasts.

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