Haunting Halloween Events For All The Family In Oxfordshire

Minibus hire halloween

The delights of the autumn season are with us, as the landscape gradually turns from green to amber, russet and yellow, and the children start to look forward to a half term holiday. It’s a great time of year to plan a group outing with the luxury of coach hire, so you can relax and enjoy the views. 

Of course, there are also the traditional events of autumn to look forward to, including harvest festivals, Bonfire Night and Halloween. Here are some suggestions for a Halloween to remember in Oxfordshire this season. 

The origins of Halloween

Halloween is traditionally considered to be a time of year when the boundaries between the spirit world and the everyday world are thinner than usual, presenting opportunities for ghosts and malevolent spirits to pass through. This is why it is customary to light candles and put carved pumpkins outside houses, as a way to ward off evil.

Halloween at Blenheim Palace, 25 October-3 November

Blenheim Palace near Woodstock, Oxfordshire, is the birthplace of Winston Churchill and a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the basis of its outstanding architecture and grounds. It is a major tourist attraction and events venue, providing the perfect setting with magnificent Baroque architecture and landscapes crafted by Capability Brown. 

This Halloween, there’s all the usual spook-tacular goings on for families and groups. There’s a dusk to darkness light trail that promises wicked witches, sinister scarecrows, and all manner of other suitably terrifying characters. Afterwards, everyone can warm up around a fire as they toast marshmallows and treat themselves to a hot toddy or a hot chocolate.

There’s also a special Halloween Afternoon Tea featuring spiced pumpkins and the Chocolate Tombstone that will run from 4.30pm to 7pm. Ticket options include daylight, twilight, or moonlight, and need to be booked in advance. 

Oxford’s most haunted places

The city of Oxford itself is said to be one of the most haunted places in the UK, with ghostly goings-on reported at multiple locations. This is perhaps not surprising for a place so steeped in history, not to mention storytellers, scientists, historians, and all manner of mildly eccentric word weavers. 

Oxford Castle

In particular, Oxford Castle is said to be haunted by the ghost of Mary Blandy, who was executed for the crime of poisoning her father in 1752. However, for reasons that may or may not have been explored by writers and historians, Mary’s spirit refused to pass over, but is said to have been seen strolling around the Castle grounds.

The Castle used to house a prison, and no doubt many tales of untold suffering remain trapped within its walls. This energy is said to have been released by a séance that was held in the 1970s, which unleashed years of terrifying poltergeist activity. Staff and visitors to the castle reported being hit and pushed, and witnessed smashing objects and heard bangs. 

Banbury Road

Other haunted places in the town include Banbury Road, which is said to be haunted by the spirit of a man named Napier. His crimes were so heinous that he was executed and his dismembered body parts were scattered all around the town. 

However, he was unable to locate his head, and his headless ghost is said to ride up and down Banbury Road in a never-ending search for it.

St John’s College

The library of St John’s College, part of the University,  is also said to be haunted by a headless ghost, who was once Archbishop William Laud. He was beheaded in 1645 after being impeached by parliament for an act of treason, and held in the Tower of London for several years previously. 

His ghost is said to have been seen by numerous students and professors kicking his head along the library floor as he carries a candle.

Oxford Science and Ideas Festival, 6-3 November

If tales of the supernatural leave you cold and you prefer to take a more factual approach to life, the Oxford Science and Ideas Festival will make an interesting trip out this autumn. It’s aimed at all ages and you will find plenty of child-friendly events and activities, should you wish to plan a family outing or even a school visit. 

The festival was first established in 1992 as the Oxford Science Festival, and changed its name to the Oxford Science and Ideas Festival in 2017 to reflect its broader and more inclusive nature. The festival includes theatre and video; visual art; games and demonstrations; and talks and quizzes to help build scientific and cultural capital.