Torchlight Tour with Andy Skinner: Spooky & Scary Southampton

Andy Skinner is leading a torchlight tour of Southampton's hidden histories on Tuesday 27 October, starting at Tudor House & Garden. It's a night that takes you into 'Hamtun Town', the old name for the city, and the route goes where you don't usually wander: down into vaults and up onto the town's ancient walls. Along the way, Skinner tells tales of war, plague, villainy and ghosts, so it's as much about the stories as the sights.

The tour runs for around two hours and is suitable for all ages, though under-16s need an adult with them. It's an outdoor walk with uneven floors, so you'll want to wear sensible shoes and bring your own torch — the title isn't just for show. Because it's entirely outdoors, the tour may be cancelled or postponed at short notice if the weather turns bad, so keep an eye on the forecast before you head out.

The starting point adds its own layer to the evening. Tudor House and Garden is often called the home of Halloween in Southampton, and it's got more than 800 years of history behind it. It began as King John's Palace before Sir John Dawtrey built the Tudor house that still stands today. The place has a reputation for being a bit unsettling after dark, too — former custodians and owners have reportedly refused to enter certain parts of the house once the sun goes down.

Tickets are £10 for adults, and accompanying children under 16 go free. The tour runs from 6.30pm to 8pm, and you're asked to meet at St Michael's Square ten minutes before it kicks off.