Haunted History Tours
People and the nitty gritty of their past experiences,
behaviour and choices are endlessly fascinating.
I share with you the history of the often grubby, depraved,
sometimes hilarious, criminal and always true, social underbelly of old Barum and other towns and villages local to North Devon.
True tales of ghostly experiences local people have had in various buildings,
the history of the building, who was murdered or died there and how and why.
The stories and characters I tell you about are fascinating and will give you
a new perspective on the streets you walk along or buildings you work in or visit very day.
These are real people who lived, loved and died, many have no headstone so it is hoped they are remembered here.
None more so than North Devons prostitutes, women with no other means of survival than their wits and willingness to survive. Their enterprising antics, heartbreak and sheer tenacity, altruism, brutality and love never ceases to amaze me. In the Bygone Brothel tours we remember every one of them.
There are Four Barnstaple Hidden History Tours to choose from, each one a different route.
Tours of others towns include, Torrington, South Molton, Instow, Bideford Rail & River and Bideford Town.
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Barnstaple Haunted History Tours
Thursday evenings
7.30-9.30pm
Undertakers Tales 28th May. Town, River & Prison 5th May. Town & Workhouse 19th May. Town, Rail & River 2nd June.
Undertakers Tales 9th June. Barum Town Tour 23rd June. Undertakers Tales 7th July. Town, River & Prison 14th July.
Town & Workhouse 28th July. Undertakers Tales 11th August. Town, Rail & River 18th August.
Barnstaple Town Tour Sept 1st. Undertakers Tales Sept 15th. Town, River & prison Sept 22nd. Town & Workhouse Oct 6th.
Undertakers Tales Oct 20th. Town, Rail & River Oct 27th. Barnstaple Town Centre Nov 10th. Undertakers Tales Nov 24th.
Town, River & Prison Dec 1st. Town & Workhouse Dec 15th.
Tickets £12 The Plough Arts Centre 01805 624624
or online from www.theploughartscentre.org.uk
All Tours start and end at St Anne's Chapel, Barnstaple
Bygone Brothel Tours
Illuminating stories of the money making and personal histories of Barnstaple's past working girls.
Where the Brothels were. Why the women chose this life. How they devised their own contraception and their antics.
All The stories are true and are told with sympathy for their plight as well as humour in their ingenuity.
Women who were reviled and judged by the pious but did what they has to do to survive. They were warrior women and deserve to be remembered.
Please be aware this is not a sanitised History tour and the detail is not spared.
Thursdays 24th Feb. 7th April. 12th May. 16th June. 21st July. 25th August.
29th Sept 3rd Nov. 8th December. 7 .30pm.
Tickets £12. 01805 624624
or online from www.theploughartscentre.org.uk
Tours start and end at St Anne's Chapel, Barnstaple
Bideford
Thursdays
A Walking tour of Old Bideford sharing with you, fascinating and true stories
of the ghosts seen and felt here, the murders, crimes and characters of Victorian Bideford
Bideford Town 17th Feb. 31st March. 21st April. 30th June. 8th Sept. 17th Nov
All tours start at 7.30pm Tickets £12 Meeting outside Bideford Library EX39 2HR
01805 624624 or online www.theploughartscentre.org.uk
Halloween special-Witchy & Weird
A walk along the old Barnstaple railway line hearing strange, witchy and ghostly stories of the past. Hot drinks and cake on return to Castle chambers Cafe, 26 Castle St, Barnstaple (please bring a torch, it is pitch black down there)
Monday 31st October 7.30pm Tickets £15 01805 624624 or www.theploughartscentre.org.uk. Dogs welcome.
Instow Haunted History Tours
Thursday 26th May. 4th August. 13th October.
7.30-9.30pm
Meeting at the old Railway Signal box near the Yacht Club.
Tickets 12.00 01805 624624 or www.theploughartscentre.org.uk
Private Tours and talks can be arranged. 07855402410 spengelly60@gmail.com
Tours suitable for children are also available.