Dog Furiendly
Halloween is creeping up on us faster than a ghostly apparition in a dark, damp castle. So, if you and your pooch are up for some thrills and chills, this one’s for you. Introducing the spookiest dog-friendly haunted attractions you can visit with English Heritage. Some of these places have tail-wagging ghost walking events taking place over Halloween too. So break out the witches’ hats, grab the leads and cue the ominous organ music!
Farleigh Hungerford Castle
Fancy a bit of history darker than a Halloween night? Then Farleigh Hungerford Castle is your go-to. With sinister stories like Lady Agnes Hungerford, who roasted her hubby in the castle’s bread oven to shack up with Sir Edward, this place packs a grim punch. You’ll also find eight human-shaped lead coffins in a crypt under the chapel! Chills, right? Dogs are welcome in the grounds on leads.
Berry Pomeroy Castle
Berry Pomeroy boasts everything a haunted castle should have: cold spots, weird vibes, and even a spectral black hound that puts Scooby-Doo to shame. The real kicker? The tale of Matilda, or the White Lady, who haunts St Margaret’s Tower after being starved to death there. Just note: real dogs don’t seem to like it here much, but if yours is brave enough, they’re welcome on leads in the castle, gift shop, and café.
Carlisle Castle
Get ready for some skin-crawling details. During the Jacobite Rising, desperate prisoners in Carlisle Castle licked stones in their dungeon to get moisture. Yep, you heard that right. Licked. Stones. Your dog’s licking habits won’t seem so odd now, will they? Dogs on leads are welcome, but aren’t allowed in the new exhibition and Military Museum.
Okehampton Castle
Legend has it, Lady Howard zips from Okehampton Castle to Tavistock in a coach made of her ex-husbands’ bones. How’s that for an eerie ride-share, eh? Don’t worry, your pooch doesn’t have to hitch a ride with her. Dogs on leads are more than welcome.
Whitby Abbey
Whitby Abbey is as famous for its connections to “Dracula” as it is for its darker, more ancient secrets. Like the tale of Constance de Beverley, a young nun who, seduced by knightly charm, broke her vows. Her sisters weren’t amused and sealed her alive within the abbey walls. Her ghost can still be heard begging to be freed, especially during the phantom choir performances every 6th January. Dogs are welcome on leads.
Goodrich Castle
A tale as old as time, but with a deadly twist. Alice Birch, a parliamentarian’s niece, and her royalist lover were trapped in Goodrich Castle during a Civil War siege. They tried escaping on horseback during a storm but, alas, were swept away by the River Wye. Their shrieks are said to echo through the castle when storms brew. Bring your furry friends! Dogs on leads are welcome everywhere, including indoor spaces.
Battle Abbey
This ancient site is the backdrop for the famous Battle of Hastings, but it’s the hooded monk and shadowy figures that steal the show. Snapped in photos and whispered about for years, these spectral visitors give Battle Abbey an extra layer of mystery. Dogs on leads can join in the spooky strolls, though some areas are off-limits to our fur-babies.
Bolsover Castle
Prepare for unseen hands and ghostly pinches at this 17th-century mansion. Sir Charles Cavendish’s spirit is said to linger, and the smell of horses wafts through the air, even though the riding school is long gone. Dogs are welcome on leads to explore the grounds, but unfortunately can’t join in on indoor scares.
Why You Need an English Heritage Membership
If you’re eager to explore these spine-tingling spots, an English Heritage membership is an absolute must. For just an extraordinary £57 a year, you get unlimited access to over 400 historic places, free entry for up to six children, and heaps of other goodies like a free Members’ Handbook, and free parking at English Heritage sites. And, drumroll, please 🥁… because we’re mates, you can nab an exclusive 18% discount on either gift or annual memberships when you use the code DOGFUREH18!
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