Historic vaults, cobbled streets, and spooky characters – Southampton Ghost Tours provide a spooktacular evening.
Whether you’re a big believer or a sceptic in the supernatural, Southampton Ghost Tours is entertainment for all ages.
The award-winning excursion (including six Southampton Star awards) begins at the eerie St Michael’s Square, outside St Michael’s Church and opposite the period exterior of Tudor House.
Having been founded in 1070, the church enjoyed nearly 300 years of peace before French raids on the town in 1338 during the Hundred Years’ War caused severe fire damage to the church, completely destroying smaller wooden buildings neighbouring the iconic spire.
If you think that’s alarming, the tour guide took particular delight in informing the 30 or so people in attendance that a group of French soldiers were then murdered in the church – after angry locals failed to take mercy on them.
It’s said that the screams of those murdered can still be heard inside St Michael’s Church today.
The tour then mainly consists of visiting three vaults – The Undercroft Vault, Castle Vault, and Lankester’s Vault.
READ MORE: The Southampton pubs that have pulled out all the stops for Halloween
All three vaults are said to be haunted by several ghosts dating back to medieval times – with stories of murder, tragedy, and war.
While over time the vaults were often used to house expensive items of the city’s rich and famous, Castle Vault – a stone’s throw away from the waterfront – was used as an air-raid shelter during the Second World War.
Guests on the tour will be greeted by air-raid sirens, descending into the vault by a steep spiral staircase before the lights in the vault are cut out, reminiscent of what life would have been like for Sotonians sheltering from the German bombardment at the height of World War II.
Between the various vaults, there’s time to stop at the city’s West Gate – for more tales beyond the crypt – while you might just find yourself bumping into a mysterious plague doctor, found lost walking the cobbled streets of the old town since the Black Death.
Though hardcore paranormal investigators may come away disappointed having not seen a rogue spirit, there are plenty of nail-biting stories, jump scares, and dark encounters (in both senses of the word) to keep people of all ages entertained – and a little on edge.
A Southampton Ghost Tour would be the perfect treat for Halloween.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel