Spooky Tales ghost walks in Stamford are on until Halloween

If spooky stories and sinister sightings are right up your street, then a walking tour for Halloween is ready to tingle a spine or two.

‘Spooky Tales - the Darker Side of Stamford’ is led by the Mayor’s Guides, who share a generous slice of grisly history topped with dozens of great ghost stories.

Taking several of the tours is Stamfordian Nicola Sandall, who takes on the persona of Cassandra King, the last person to be hanged in Stamford, in 1704.

Her spooky tales include an exposé of dodgy jailers who worked in the cells under the town hall and earned themselves a reputation for being ‘the worst gaol in the country’, how gentlemen visiting The George used an underground passage to visit prostitutes in the Anchor pub opposite (now Pizza Express), and how Tom King from Market Deeping taught highwayman Dick Turpin the tricks of his trade - and stashed their bounty in The Old Salutation, a pub in All Saints’ Place that is now a house that goes by the same name.

Slums and St Swithin’s Day downpours set the scene for a ghostly boat rescue story by The Meadows, while the origins of bull running - which went on for 700 years in Stamford - are also covered, along with its ultimate demise.

Those on the tour can see just how high flood water rose in Bath Row, which puts the ankle-wettings of these days into perspective, while other great snippets include a boy setting light to his trousers by tobogganing downhill on a meat tray, a nun ‘bricked up’ as punishment for loving a monk, plus an amusing perspective on where the town’s lost plague pit might be.

Nicola brings stories to life and she includes modern ‘sightings’ and source references that reveal plenty of research.

And whether you believe it all or not, the tour is a great way to learn more about Stamford’s past and will set you up with some fantastic stories to entertain and scare friends.

Spooky Tales - the Darker Side of Stamford walking tour takes place on Friday (October 25) at 7pm and at 9pm, on Saturday (October 27) at 7pm and 9pm, on Wednesday (October 30) at 7pm, and on Thursday (Halloween) at 5.30pm, 7pm and 9pm. The 5.30pm tour on Thursday is a 'child friendly' version.

Each leaves from Stamford Town Hall and while the distance covered is much more than a mile, Stamford’s historic streets are uneven and so comfy shoes are recommended.

Tours are priced £9 for adults and £6 for under 16s from www.ticketsource.co.uk/stamfordguidedtours