As the thrills and chills of spooky season creep closer and quiver in the air, Eltham Palace and Gardens is embracing Halloween wholeheartedly, offering themed activities for all ages. So, put on your bravest face (and something warm!), and prepare for a spine-tingling adventure. Here are the highlights to look out for, writes Holly O’Mahony…
Halloween Half Term: a Beano-themed quest and supernatural storytelling
Dennis the Menace, his equally mischievous dog Gnasher and the whole Beano gang are descending on the grounds of a number of English Heritage properties this Halloween, including Eltham Palace. Follow their trail around the gardens to solve creepy clues and win a prize.
Next, search for costumed performers, who will happily regale you with stories, ranging from silly to strange and inexplicably supernatural.
When: October 22 – 30, 10am – 5pm
Pumpkin Carving
One for creative kiddos, Eltham Palace’s pumpkin carving workshops are a chance to project your own horrors onto the face of a big orange orb, readying it to glow outside your front door on the spookiest day of the year. Don’t fancy carving a creepy face? Why not try a haunted house or a witch’s cat instead? Pumpkins and carving kits can be bought for £4 from the Palace’s gift shop in advance of the sessions, which will run on a first-come-first-serve basis.
When: October 22 – 30, 45-minute sessions at 10:30am, 11:45am, 1pm, 2:15pm and 3:30pm
Ghost Tours
No scene is quite as suitable for Halloween as an ancient, history-riddled castle. At Eltham Palace, big kids (aged 16+) can take a chilling, fantastical journey back in time to the 1930s. Guided by expert storytellers, you’ll hear tales of the sinister goings-on in the servants’ quarters, supernatural sightings and horrible happenings. What really happened at the palace while its esteemed guests enjoyed lavish feasts, completely unaware? The grounds will be dark at this hour so whatever you do, bring a torch and don’t get lost.
When: October 28, tours at 6pm, 7:15pm and 8:30pm
Halloween Half Term at Eltham Palace and Gardens, Court Yard, London SE9 5QE. October 22 – 30, 10am – 5pm. Admission: £17.60 adults/£10.60 children.
www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/whats-on/eltham-palace-halloween-22-30-oct-2022/
