Half-term horrors at Conisbrough Castle

Ghost and Ghouls Quest, 27 October to 4 November 2012

Families looking for somewhere to take their children for a treat this half term are being invited to Conisbrough Castle, where a fun trail will set children hunting for vampires and witches around the historic site.

The Ghosts and Ghouls Quest challenges young visitors to decode cryptic clues, encouraging them to seek out a range of scary models hidden around the site, culminating in a hunt for a gruesome gourd, the carved Conisbrough pumpkin! Anyone completing the trail without using any tricks will receive a double treat – a certificate and a sweet.

“We’ve had our fair share of ghost stories linked to the Castle over the years, from mysterious monks to grey ladies, but one of the most recent came from a school teacher visiting the castle who told staff of a lady she saw hide behind the door of the garderobe – the castle’s original toilet. When she want to investigate, there was no-one there,” says site manager, Gavin Smithies. “We’d love to hear any more stories – perhaps of strange sightings around the castle as families complete our fun trail.”

Other mysterious occurrences observed at Conisbrough Castle include floating lights spotted where the chapel would have stood – perhaps an echo of the candles that would have burned there – and heavy footsteps heard on the stairs of the otherwise-deserted keep.

The Ghosts and Ghouls Quest at Conisbrough Castle runs from Saturday 27 October to Sunday 4 November, 10.00am to 4.00pm daily, with the castle itself open until 5.00pm. Admission prices are £4.60 for adults, £4.10 for concessions and £2.80 for children, or £12.00 for a family ticket (two adults and up to three children).

For more information, please call 01709 863329 or visit www.english-heritage.org.uk/conisbrough

ENDS

For further media information, please contact:

Jay Commins – PRO English Heritage (Yorkshire)

Tel: 0113 251 5698

Mob: 07810 546567

Email: jay@fim.org.uk