Get Ghostly This Halloween at Chatsworth

Halloween at Chatsworth

Choose Your Pumpkin

Spooktacular Chatsworth is full of scary surprises this half term as the haunting Halloween Hoot returns to the eerie Peak District.

With ghoulish fun lurking round every corner, the garden, farmyard and house will be transformed from October 25 to November 2 by a host of Halloween helpers. Families brave enough to enter can witness the tricks, treats and spooky stories on offer, with activities ranging from broomstick making to trips into the spooky spell weavers lair.

Dare to ride the Fright Flight that travels deep into Warlock Wood, but mind your head - you will be shooting the spooks and spotting the bats as you go! A scary scattering of spiders and snakes will also be joining the resident farmyard animals, as well as a craft marquee, for a real hands-on fright fest this Halloween.

Visitors can take a walk through Chatsworth’s Halloween trail, with the house exhibiting a selection of historical items sure to give you a shock, including a man trap, a 16th century book of spells, a death mask, an autopsy report from 1777 and more. Ceramic pumpkins will light the way and highlight items from the collection with extra spooky significance.

In the garden, seek out hidden pumpkins, venture into the abandoned tunnel and much more. Spooky stories fit for the whole family will be taking place under the canopy every 30 minutes from 11.30 am – 4.00pm and afterwards learn how to make a witch’s broomstick.  Included with admission to the house, garden and/or farmyard, check www.chatsworth.org for more information on dates, times and prices.

Join in the ghoulish fun this Halloween at Holkham

Ghoulish adventures and spooktacular happenings will set hearts racing at Holkham Hall when it hosts a spine-tingling array of Halloween events sure to terrify the bravest of souls.

Halloween fun at Holkham

Halloween Horrors will take place from October 26 to 31 with lots of scary activities, ghostly games and gory fun and frights for everyone to enjoy celebrating Halloween.

In the Bygones Museum visitors can discover the wonders inside the amazing ‘Curiovan’ and see the natural world in a magical way. Their sense of curiosity and wonder will be awakened by the specimen jars, dancing skeletons, singing mechanical birds, clockwork ladybirds and tiny skeletal fairies which are among the many exhibits to be discovered and explored. 

Ghostly fun!

A yarnsmith will enthral his listeners and bring to life his spell-binding, mystical tales and Victorian stories of ghosts, witches and devils.  Some hauntingly scary fun with silhouette bingo, a skull-duggery challenge, pumpkin carving and craft activities to make the scariest pop-up ghost will keep everyone occupied.

In the vast 18^th century walled gardens Halloween visitors will be able to pit their wits against the ghosts and play phantom football, or test their knowledge and try the mind-boggling code breaker trail.  Spooky body parts and frightful factoids are all to be found in the state rooms of Holkham Hall where children can make pencil ghosts and join in the fun. In the magnificent setting of the Old Kitchen, ‘Kiddycook’ will be on hand to help younger visitors decorate their own tasty Halloween cookie with some gruesome additions.

Everyone is encouraged to come dressed up for the occasion and can have their outfits enhanced by ghoulish face painting to add some gory grazes and weeping wounds providing a touch of the macabre.  A fancy dress parade will take place each day at 12 noon.

Holkham’s Halloween events run from October 26 to 31. The hall will be open on the Sunday, Monday and Thursday. All other areas will be open every day. For further information and admission prices go to http://www.holkham.co.uk/html/Halloween2014.html

Have a Haunted Halloween at Woburn Abbey this Half Term

Woburn Abbey and Gardens are putting on a series of Halloween activities for families this autumn half term. During the week from the 26th October to the 3rd November spend a day at the historic house and gardens with all of the extra children’s activities included in the regular admission price.

Whilst exploring the Abbey, visitors of all ages can take part in a Halloween treasure hunt. A series of cryptic clues will be hidden across three floors of the Abbey for them to find and decipher to solve a seasonal mystery.

The Russell Room in the South Court of Woburn Abbey will play host to some spooky storytelling suitable for children of all ages. Visitors can hear a storyteller recite a tale about ‘The Ghostly Goat of Woburn Abbey’ with performances taking place at 12noon and 2pm every day of the half term week. A variety of craft activities with a Halloween theme will be available throughout the day. These include a chance for younger visitors to make their own witches hat and conjure some magical spells, as well as an opportunity to take part in The Big Draw – a national event to promote drawing that takes place throughout October.

The treasure hunt, storytelling, craft and drawing activities will take place every day of the half term week from the 26th October to the 3rd November 2013 and are included in the regular admission price of Woburn Abbey and Gardens.

There are no tricks in The Duchess’ Tea Room, only treats, so stop by to enjoy a steaming hot drink or a delicious slice of something sweet. The Duchess’ Gift Shop will also be open every day for special and spooky souvenirs.

For visitor interest in learning some practical gardening advice during their visit, the Woburn Abbey Garden’s monthly Come and Grow session will coincide with the Halloween activities on Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd November. The topic for this event is winter projects and visitors can take part in a free guided tour of the gardens starting at 12 noon.

Woburn Abbey Gardens and Deer Park is open from 10am to 5pm and the Abbey itself is open from 11am to 5pm each day.

Location
Woburn Abbey, Woburn, Bedfordshire MK 17 9WA
Just south east of Milton Keynes, Woburn Abbey is signposted from junctions 12 and 13 of the M1. It is also easily accessible from the A5.

Half Term and Halloween at the Treasure Houses of England

Spooky goings on in Palace House, Beaulieu

For a happy Halloween and Half Term holiday, schedule in a spooky trip to the ever-spectacular Treasure Houses of England.

Beaulieu is one of Britain’s most haunted places and ghosts have often been seen and heard in the 13th century Abbey and at Palace House.  So if you’re looking for something spooky to do for Half Term, don’t miss the strange goings on at Beaulieu’s Ghost and Ghouls Half Term Hauntings (26 October – 3 November).  From a Halloween quiz trail starting in the Motor Museum and spooky stories in Palace House to tours with real ghost hunters in the haunted Abbey for a super-scary day of chilling entertainment.  Throw into the magnificent mix, frightening face painting, a ride on the Moan-a-rail, and a Halloween lucky dip – and it’s a formidably frightening formula for a memorable and thrilling experience.

Halloween at Blenheim Palace

Blenheim Palace’s Halloween celebrations (26 October – 3 November) will cast a ghoulish spell of spooky entertainment and family fun with a 'Ghosts and Goblins' Halloween Hunt in the Pleasure Gardens hedge maze, a fantastic range of Halloween inspired arts and crafts activities, and spooky tours of the Palace on weekdays

Wrap up warm and tread through crispy Autumn leaves on Burghley’s Pumpkin Trail (28 October – 3 November) around the Sculpture Garden and explore Burghley House’s spectacular surrounds to find the hidden pumpkins and receive a special treat.  There’s also spooky family fun to be had by touring the state rooms by flickering candlelight – limited places please book in advance.

Castle Howard will host its first ever Halloween event when the magnificent  grounds of the historic house are transformed into a spooky wonderland for a family friendly ‘Chills and Thrills’ spectacular.

Halloween at Harewood

Book in advance for Chatsworth Luminaire in the House and Garden taking place 26-30 October. For the very first time the glorious interiors of Chatsworth will be open at night, atmospherically lit with candles and soft reflected light, whilst the garden will be lit with illuminations playing out the legend of Artemis, Goddess of the moon and the hunt.

Sink into the delights of the season and admire Harewood in all of its Autumn Glory (26 October- 3 November) as a bevy of indoor and outdoor events celebrate the colourful season amongst beautifully inspiring scenery including trails, twilight tales and tasty treats, crafts and Hallowe’en fun.

Whilst on the farm at Hatfield you can enjoy their farm themed craft week and follow the Halloween Trails.

And don’t miss Holkham Hall where spooky spiders weave a magical web of fun and mystery! (27-31 October).  Visitors can explore magical and mystical mayhem – where spidery facts and body parts abound in the hall, hunt for them all and create your very own breed of spider whilst discovering some scary arachnid factoids along the way. Count the creepy crawlies hidden on their webs in the walled gardens and find your way out of the webbed maze.  At the Bygones Museum, home of Holkham’s largest spidery resident, there’s more entangling frights with mad scientists busy mixing their potions, spells, slime and smells, creating a horrifying hair-raising experience. Along with creepy craft activities, ghoulish face painting, pumpkin carving and frightfully delicious feasts to horrify your tastebuds to make your visit truly 'spooktacular'!

Halloween at Holkham Hall

Children will be enthralled and entertained to the max at Leeds Castle (26 October- 3 November) with a fantastic array of activities such as mask making and spooky themed crafts. Their ghoulish Ghost Tours (29, 30 & 31 October) will definitely stir the senses, as will the Fairfax Restaurant’s tasty store of Halloween themed food.

Or why not take a Bat Walk on Tuesday 29 October at WoburnAbbey where you can learn all about the species of bats living in the Abbey Gardens on an exclusive night-time tour.

www.treasurehouses.co.uk

• The Treasure Houses of England are 10 of the most magnificent palaces, houses and castles in England today. Together they attract in excess of 2.8 million visitors annually.

• Members are Beaulieu, Blenheim Palace, Burghley House, Castle Howard, Chatsworth, Harewood, Hatfield House, Holkham Hall, Leeds Castle and Woburn Abbey.

• One of the most compelling features of the Treasure Houses of England is that they all offer the visitor a living history. Most are still homes to the great families who have owned them for generations. Others keep their heritage alive by re-creating scenes and events that have dominated and shaped England from the 9th century to the present day.

• Between them they house some of the most important art collections in the world with famous works from artists such as Van Dyck and Gainsborough. The connoisseur of fine furniture, porcelain and china will find priceless examples of Chippendale, Wedgwood and Meissen.

• Each house is an architectural masterpiece surrounded by beautiful parklands and gardens.

Chills and Thrills at Castle Howard

Castle Howard firs Halloween event

Castle Howard will host its first ever Halloween event when the magnificent  grounds of the historic house are transformed into a spooky wonderland for a family friendly ‘Chills and Thrills’ spectacular on Wednesday 30th October 2013.

Walk the flare lit path and catch glimpses of the house and statues rising out of the mist before encountering the headless horseman and his flame bearing guards amongst the trees.  The fire damaged South East wing will be brought to life by our spine-chilling story tellers, whilst terror face painters and magic mirrors will transform you into a frightening sight this Halloween.

The ‘Horses of Halloween’ grand finale will see Yorkshire based Atkinson Action Horses, who have appeared in productions including War Horse, The King’s Speech and Wuthering Heights, perform death defying stunts and breathtaking displays with fire and explosions.

Fire eaters and stilt walkers will appear from the darkness and owls, toads and creepy crawlies will take up residence in the eerie grounds of Castle Howard this Halloween. There’ll be prizes for the most ghoulish costume and best carved pumpkin too.

Katy Pryor, Events Manager said: ‘This is our first ever Halloween event and now that we are putting together the finishing touches we’re all getting very excited. It will be a unique Halloween experience, with Castle Howard making the perfect backdrop for this family friendly evening’

Tickets are on sale now and cost £15 for adults, £10 for concessions and Under 5s go free. Gates open at 4.30pm with tasty Halloween treats on offer throughout the evening.

To find out more, or to book visit www.castlehoward.co.uk

Have A Hauntingly Good Half Term At Beaulieu - 26th October – 3rd November 2013

Halloween at Beaulieu

Look out for some strange happenings in the neighbourhood at Beaulieu this October Half Term – it will be quite a spectre-cle!

Beaulieu is reputed to be one of Britain’s most haunted places and ghosts have often been seen and heard in its 13th century Abbey and at Palace House, home of the Montagu family since 1538.  Hear Spooky Stories from the costumed guides in Palace House, and children can take a lucky dip in the Witches Cauldron and be given a Gruesome Face Painting.

All children who get into the ‘spirit’ of the holidays and come to Beaulieu in Halloween fancy dress will receive special half price admission.

In the National Motor Museum, you can follow the Halloween Trail and see some of the 250 vehicles on show, from early motor cars to Land Speed Record Breakers. Don’t miss one of the last chances to see BOND IN MOTION, displaying 50 of the best-loved and most iconic vehicles from the James Bond films. This fantastic, one-off exhibition will be closing on the 5th January 2014. See the quirky Crocodile Submarine used by Bond in Octopussy, the Aston Martin V12 Vanquish, with its adaptive camouflage system from Die Another Day and the ever iconic Aston Martin DB5 used in Goldeneye, plus watch fantastic film clips and behind-the-scenes footage from some of the most thrilling vehicle stunt sequences in the film series.

Have a ride on ‘Wheels’, a pod ride through 100 years of motoring history and take a trip on the high-level Beaulieu Moan-o-rail which passes through the roof of the Motor Museum.

Become a part of the world’s greatest car show with Beaulieu’s ‘World of Top Gear’.  Enter the Top Gear Enormodrome to see actual cars from some of the presenter’s most ambitious challenges, hear the stories behind them and enjoy clips of some of the best Top Gear moments.

Beaulieu is open daily from 10am – 5pm. For more information, please visit www.beaulieu.co.uk or telephone 01590 612345.

Make Beaulieu Your Halloween Haunt During October Half Term: 27th October – 5th November 2012

Beaulieu is reputed to be one of Britain’s most haunted places and ghosts have often been seen and heard in its 13th Century Abbey and at Palace House, home of the Montagu family since 1538.  This October Half Term, 27th October – 5th November, Halloween descends on Beaulieu with plenty of themed activities to enjoy. Hear Spooky Stories from the costumed guides in Palace House, take a lucky dip in the Witches Cauldron and be given a Gruesome Face Painting.

All children who get into the ‘spirit’ of the holidays and come to Beaulieu in Halloween fancy dress will receive special half price admission.

In the National Motor Museum, follow the Halloween Trail and see some of the 250 vehicles on show, from early motor cars to Land Speed Record Breakers.

Don’t miss the museum’s exciting exhibition, BOND IN MOTION, displaying 50 of the best-loved and most iconic vehicles from the James Bond films. The most recent additions include two Honda CRF250R motorcycles, one modified to look like a Turkish merchant’s bike and the other, a Turkish police bike, plus a Land Rover Defender 110, all of which have recently arrived from the set of Skyfall, the 23rd instalment in the Bond film series, due to open nationwide in the UK on 26th October. These three vehicles were used in the opening sequence, shot in Istanbul and Adana, Turkey.

Have a ride on ‘Wheels’, a pod ride through 100 years of motoring history and take a trip on the high-level Beaulieu Moan-o-rail which passes through the roof of the Motor Museum.

Enter ‘On Screen Cars’ to admire vehicle stars from TV and film, including Mr Bean’s lime green Mini, Del Boy’s Trotter Van and Harry Potter’s ‘flying’ Ford Anglia, used in the filming of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

Become a part of the world’s greatest car show with Beaulieu’s ‘World of Top Gear’.  Enter the Top Gear Enormodrome to see actual cars from some of the presenters’ most ambitious challenges, hear the stories behind them and enjoy clips of some of the best Top Gear moments.

Beaulieu is open daily from 10am – 5pm. For more information, please visit www.beaulieu.co.uk or telephone 01590 612345.

Fireworks Set To Go Off With A Bang At Beaulieu Saturday 27th October 2012

Beaulieu’s annual Fireworks Spectacular, one of the largest fireworks displays in the South, will be taking place on Saturday 27th October. The explosive and dynamic display will this year be set to a Superheroes theme.

Admission to the event is from 3pm when you can enjoy all the fun of the fair. Have fun on the Beaulieu Rides and Drives and Old-Time Fairground Rides including a Big Wheel, Gallopers and Swing Boats, all at good-value extra charges. Hot food and drinks are available both inside and out, as well as roast chestnuts and candy floss.

Entertainment on the WAVE 105 stage will include live music playing throughout the evening. Everyone is invited to join in with the spirit of the event by wearing fancy dress, with prizes going to the best dressed. Come early, stay late and have a great time.

Event tickets are available to buy on the day from 3pm priced at Adult £13, Child (aged 5 – 17) £8, plus a great value family ticket for 2 adults and up to 3 children, at £35. To make special savings on advance tickets call 01590 612888 or buy online at www.beaulieushop.co.uk. Visitors to the event will also be able to see the National Motor Museum, with its popular BOND IN MOTION exhibition showcasing 50 vehicles from the James Bond films.

Normal Beaulieu admission prices apply before 3pm, with visitors welcome to stay and enjoy the fireworks.

For more information, visit www.beaulieuevents.co.uk or telephone 01590 612345.