Chester’s dark past revealed in Halloween tours

As Halloween draws near and the veil between the world of the living and the dead is said to grow thinner, we take a look at some spooky offerings happening in Chester.

For those who enjoy a good ghost story to send shivers down the spine, Chester is the place to be.

With 2000 years of history to draw on, there are said to be ghosts galore across the city and a number of tours offer the chance to learn more about these spooktastic stories.

The city’s ghostly residents range from a lovelorn young woman said to haunt the former Thorntons shop on Eastgate to apparitions of Civil War soldiers seen around the City Walls.

There are also some pubs in the city where the spirits behind the bar are not the only ones in residence, including the reputedly mega haunted Ye Olde Kings Head on Lower Bridge Street. Those brave enough can even book in to do their own paranormal investigations at the pub, which dates back to the Stuart period in 1622.

Chester is also well known for its darker side when it comes to its history, with tales of witch trials and medieval torture chambers amongst the horrors that faced some of its residents throughout the years. Let’s not dwell on the heads on spikes, though. We’ll leave that gruesome tale to David Atkinson who runs the Dark Chester tour.

Dark Chester is one of the tours on offer for those who fancy ramping up the fear factor for Halloween and beyond, along with Chester Ghost Tours. Chester Ghost Tours takes you across the city on a night time walking tour to hear tales of spectral sightings in places ranging from pubs to the River Dee.

David Atkinson from Dark Chester, who is a Green Badge tourist guide, is also one of the Chester Ghost Tours guides.

He clearly relishes a spooky tale, with an extra busy week of multiple tours now well underway in the run up to Halloween.

Tours happening over the next few days include one starting at Huxley’s cafe next to the Eastgate Clock, which begins at 4pm tomorrow (Saturday) and is aimed at younger families. Anyone coming along is encouraged to dress up to get into the spirit of Halloween.

There’s also a weekly Dark Chester tour that tours run year round Sat 6pm, or private tours can be booked in advance.

David said: “Chester has 2000 years of history from the Romans to The Beatles. This tour shines a light into the darkest corners of Chester’s history with tales of plague, poltergeists and religious persecution. Let’s take a walk on the dark side.”

To book for the Dark Chester tour, head to Chester Visitor Information Centre on Town Hall Square.

The Chester Ghost Tours last around 90 minutes and can be booked via Chester Visitor Information Centre on Town Hall Square or online via ghostcity.co.uk. Tickets cost £10 for an adult and £9 for children, students and seniors, with a family ticket for two adults and two children under 16 available for £30.