23 Oct 2015

House to host terrifying ghost tour as Leeds gets in the Halloween spirit

Ghost-hunters in Leeds could come face-to-face with the terrifying spectres rumoured to roam the halls of Temple Newsam House this Halloween.

The adults only Ghosts of Temple Newsam tour will test the nerves of visitors to the 500-year-old house by taking them on a late night tour of the mansion’s sprawling rooms and cellars.

The Tudor-Jacobean house is said to be haunted by spirits including The Blue Lady, thought to be the ghost of 14-year-old Mary Ingram, who died just days after being robbed by a highwayman in the 1860s.

The restless ghost of Pheobe Gray, a young nursemaid who was murdered by a spurned admirer in 1704, is also believed to still wander the passages of the house.

The ghost tour is one of a huge programme of Halloween events and activities taking place at Leeds Museums and Galleries sites next week.

As well as the adult’s event, which starts at 9pm, Temple Newsam House and farm will also be hosting a family-friendly spooktacular from 5pm until 8pm on Halloween, which includes fancy dress and trick or treat through the darkened house and farm.

Tickets cost £7 for adults £4 for children and £20 for families and are available by contacting 0113 336 7460 or visiting the Temple Newsam Courtyard shop.

A parade of spooky scarecrows and things that go bump in the night will also welcome visitors to Lotherton Hall and Kirkstall Abbey this Halloween.

The scarecrow trail at Lotherton Hall takes place from Oct 24 until Nov 1 from 10am-4pm, with the estate also hosting a Halloween day on Oct 31 from 11am-3pm. Both events are open to families with no booking required. Usual estate admission charges apply.

Brave explorers can also investigate Kirkstall Abbey from Sat, Oct 24 until Friday, October 30 (except Mon 26 Oct) from 10am-3pm and can expect vampires, werewolves, wizards and witches.

Leeds City Museum will also be joining in the fun, with free spooky talks and tours led by the museum’s Preservative Party, a team of young curators, taking place on Thursday, October 29 from 11am until 1pm.

A Halloween special effects make-up workshop at Abbey House Museum will also be teaching teenagers some top tips to create their own ghoulish Halloween special FX prosthetic make-up on Saturday, October 24 from 12.30pm-3.30pm. Admission is free for those attending the workshop and places can be booked by calling 0113 3784086.

And Leeds Industrial Museum will be hosting Morbid Curiosities, a theatrical performance of some classic ghost stories from Don’t Go in the Cellar. The performance takes place on October 30 at 6.30pm and is suitable for those aged 18 and over. Tickets cost £10 and can be booked by calling 0113 3783177.

The Industrial Museum will also hold a Halloween Family Fun Day on October 31 from 10am until 4pm which will include scary craft activities, games, and face painting and murder mystery story telling.

Councillor Brian Selby, Leeds City Council’s lead member for museums and galleries, said:

“Halloween is always an exciting time at our sites and it’s a time of year when places people may have visited many times before can take on a whole new spooky dimension.

“The effort that our team goes to to transform these sites for Halloween is fantastic and this year we’ve got something planned for people of all ages to enjoy, with some great family-friendly events as well as a few that promise to be genuinely scary. I’m sure everyone will have lots of fun no matter where they choose to visit.”

For a full listing of all events taking place over Halloween including prices and how to book, please visit: www.leeds.gov.uk/schoolholidays

ENDS

For media enquiries, please contact:

Stuart Robinson

Communications Officer

Leeds City Council

Tel: 0113 224 3937

Email: stuart.robinson@leeds.gov.uk

www.leeds.gov.uk

NOTES:

Halloween horrors headline events

Halloween Day at Lotherton Hall

Sat 31 Oct, 11am-3pm at Lotherton Hall

Beware we aim to scare! Come dressed up for our Halloween special. With haunted tours of the Hall, activities, face-painting and more!

Family event, no booking required. Usual estate admission charges apply.

Spooky Spooktacular - visit if you dare!

Sat 31 Oct, 5pm-8pm at Temple Newsam

Bring your little ghosts and ghouls to trick or treat through the darkened house and farm. Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult. Adults £7, Child (1yr - 16yr) £4, Family £20.

Morbid Curiosities from ‘Don’t go into the Cellar’

Fri 30 Oct, 6.30pm at Leeds Industrial Museum

A live theatrical anthology of classic ghost and horror stories.

Suitable for 18+ - Tickets £10 (£8 concessions) Tel: 0113 3783177

Terrifying Tours and Trails

Things that go bump in the night scarecrow trail

Sat 24 Oct - Fri 30 Oct (except Mon 26 Oct), 10am-3pm at Kirkstall Abbey

Explore the abbey looking for things that go bump in the night! Expect vampires, werewolves, wizards and witches.

Free family event, no booking required.

Spooky Scarecrow Trail with Halloween

Sat 24 Oct - 1 Nov, 10am-4pm at Lotherton Hall

Follow the clues around Lotherton Hall and see the spooky scarecrows on display. Don't forget to visit the Witches cottage! For meeting place aske at the ticket booth on arrival. Free with admission to Lotherton Hall estate. No booking required

Gruesome Newsam Tour

Sat 24 & Sat 31 Oct, 2pm at Temple Newsam

All the grisly, ghastly and ghostly secrets of Temple Newsam will be revealed in this guided tour of the house.

Suitable for families with children aged 7+, no booking required. Tour £3 plus usual house admission charges apply.

Spooky Tours and Terrifying Talks

Thurs 29 Oct, 11am-1pm at Leeds City Museum

Spooky tours and talks of the galleries at Leeds City Museum. Are you brave enough to join The Preservative Party (our group of young curators) for terrifying tours, hidden stories and fascinating facts about our amazing objects?

Free event for families and older children, no booking required.

Young adults

Halloween Special FX Make up Workshop

Sat 24 Oct, 12.30pm-3.30pm at Abbey House Museum

Abbey House Museum welcomes young people aged 13-24 years to get involved in creating their own ghoulish Halloween special FX prosthetic make up. With demonstrations led by students from Yorkshire College of Beauty, the workshop is free and you need to book a place via youth.curator@leeds.gov.uk Event for young people (Age 13+). Free workshop with free admission to museum. Please call 0113 378 4079 to book a place.

Family Fun

Magic in the Museum

Sun 25 Oct, 10.30am, 11.30am, 2pm & 3pm at Abbey House Museum

Kick off Halloween week with magician Shirley and her wonderful dog puppet Mylo for fun family magic shows in the museum.