Would call Birmingham a scary place? Not particularly, but there are plenty of scary haunted places around that give us the creeps! Ghost stories abound in Birmingham – from the black-eyed child of Cannock Chase to the haunting former manager of Alexandra Theatre – but we spend most days of the year trying to avoid a haunting. When it comes to Halloween, however, we cannot get enough of spectres, ghouls, poltergeists, phantoms, or whatever you want to call those who call to us from beyond the grave. If you’re like us, then you’ll definitely want to go hunting on one of these ghost tours around Birmingham.
1. Haunted Birmingham City Exploration Game
Want to discover Birmingham’s ghosts at your own pace? This Birmingham Ghost Tour lets you slow right down when the frightening becomes too much to bear. Using only your phone, embark on a quest around the city and help save the captive souls of workers who died building Birmingham. By solving clues, you can unlock new stories as you discover the ghosts of the Cathedral of St. Paul, the Town Hall, the Hall of Memory, the Birmingham City Centre, and more.
Each clue will lead you from one place to another, giving you exact directions, so you won’t need a map or a guide. When you solve the clue, the chilling story of that place is unlocked. It should only take about 1.5 hours, but there’s no need to rush and spook yourself out! The only question is: Do you dare go on these ghost tours around Birmingham? To get your tickets head here.
2. Shrewsbury Prison Self-Guided Tour
Step inside Britain’s most haunted prison! On this self-guided tour, you’ll wander through the eerie Victorian atmosphere of Shrewsbury Prison and explore at your own pace. Armed with a visitor guide and map, you’ll uncover dark secrets using sound boxes and information boards. Explore the reception area and get lost in two vast prison wings with over 200 cells. For families seeking thrills this Halloween (or any time of year), this will send shivers down your spine! To get your tickets to Shrewsbury Prison Self-Guided Tour head here.
3. Birmingham’s Dark Side Tour
Described as a “ghoulish walking tour of the dark side of Birmingham’s history”, you’ll walk away from this atmospheric evening feeling chilled to the bone. Exploring the grimier elements of 19th-century Birmingham, you’ll learn about graveyards, murders, a hanging, body snatching, a curse, a restless corpse and the mystery of Birmingham’s own ‘sublime vampire’.
The tour begins in the Jewellery Quarter and ends in Victoria Square, lasting an hour and 45 minutes. Birmingham’s Dark Side Tour doesn’t rely on actors to jump out at you for an extra fear factor – the stories it tells are terrifying enough. But you are advised to bring a torch…
4. Dudley Castle Ghost Hunt
Dudley Castle is often in the news for its haunted tales. Often referred to as one of the most haunted castles in the Midlands, Haunting Nights have lined up overnight ghost hunts on the premises.
You’ll use various ghost-hunting equipment – like Victorian seances, Ouija boards, table tipping and glass moving, alongside more up-to-date methods – as you uncover the paranormal mysteries of Dudley Castle. Keep an eye out for the most famous ghost of Dudley Castle, The Grey Lady who is frequently seen by staff and visitors in the castle ruins. You can learn more here.
5. Steelhouse Lane Police Station and Prison
Haunted Happenings runs ghost tours all over the country, but in Birmingham, their main focus is Steelhouse Lane Police Station and Prison. Built to hold up to 50 of Birmingham’s most hardened criminals, this infamous lock-up has a harrowing history dating back to Victorian times. You’ll walk the dark landings, hear the sounds of the tormented souls and take part in vigils, seances and paranormal experiments. Can you last the whole night?
6. Commandery Ghost Hunt
Looking ahead, Fright Nights Worcestershire is heading to the Commandery – filled with numerous ghosts like the Duke of Hamilton who haunts the Solar room, or the ghostly monk seen walking across the Minstrel’s Gallery. This is your chance to spend the night at this 1,000-year-old building, using ghost-hunting equipment and undertaking ghost-hunting vigils. Want something sooner? Fright Nights Worcestershire also has private ghost hunts for groups of over 20 people.