JOIN Dunster Castle and Watermill after dark as they open their doors for Ghost Tours this Halloween.

Visitors to the castle on the evenings of Monday, October 28, and Thursday, October 31, will uncover a wealth of haunted tales from across the castle’s 1,000-year history.

Each tour will last approximately 50 minutes, with the first tour at 6.20pm and the last at 10.20pm. Tours will be led by a series of guides, sharing a mix of classic stories and new, chilling tales for 2024.

Visitors will have the opportunity to explore the dark corners and unused corridors kept hidden from prying eyes for the rest of the year.

After the tour, visitors can enjoy a selection of seasonal food and drink including hog roast baps (with vegetarian options), pumpkin spice muffins, and hot spiced apple juice, available from the food and beverage trailer.

Barney Kenny, programming and partnerships officer, said: “We are thrilled to open the gates after hours once again for Halloween 2024. With new stories and old spirits, we look forward to visitors experiencing the castle in a new light.”

“Visitors have long reported sightings of mysterious sounds, ghostly apparitions, and sudden drops in temperature. Are you brave enough to last the night?”

Tickets cost £25 per person and must be booked in advance at https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dunster-castle or by calling 0344 249 1895.

Dunster Castle has existed since at least Norman times, with an impressive medieval gatehouse and ruined tower giving a reminder of its turbulent history. The castle became a lavish country home during the 19th century for the Luttrell family, who lived there for 600 years.

The terraced garden at Dunster displays varieties of Mediterranean and subtropical plants, while the riverside wooded garden below, with its natural play area, leads to the historic working watermill.