Barnstaple Murder & Macabre Haunted History Tour

Thu, 21 May, 2026 at 07:30 am UTC+01:00

St Anne's Arts & Community Centre, Barnstaple | Barnstaple

St Anne's Arts & Community Centre, Barnstaple
Publisher/HostSt Anne's Arts & Community Centre, Barnstaple
Barnstaple Murder & Macabre Haunted History Tour
Advertisement
Walking Haunted History Tour of old Barnstaple with Susan Pengelly of 'Haunted History Tours of Devon', sharing fascinating, moving and harrowing true stories of victorian murders, tales of strange death customs and rituals.
Tours starts and ends at ThePlough@StAnne's, Paternoster Row, Barnstaple.
Well behaved dogs on leads welcome.
Tours will start promptly at the advertised time.
Tours will commence whatever the weather!
Please note: St Anne's will be closed to the pubic, due to essential building works.
Age advisory 14+
£12.00
book online or call The Box Office: 01805 624624
About Sue Pengelly
Sue has long had a fascination for the ingenuity and resilience of the underdog, the working class poor and those marginalised in society.
She says, "Some of them are my ancestors and if they hadn't kept going in brutal times, I wouldn't be here. These people deserve to be remembered."
This fascination led her to dive into historical research, focussed on her home town of Barnstaple in North Devon. As a result she began hosting very popular Haunted History tours of Barnstaple (book through The Plough Arts Centre) and nearby towns and villages, which have now been running for fourteen years.
"The tours began because I was tired of reading about the wealthy element," she says. "I wanted to know how the poor lived and survived, the crimes, the prostitutes ... you know, the really interesting people! I was of the opinion that if they were that reviled in the press, they must have been interesting. And so it proved.
Some of her historical information comes from oral histories. "I'm very lucky to be trusted with snippets of other people's family history which sends me on more research.
"I've met some fascinating people including those who've shared their and their family members' experiences of working in prostitution ... but not as you know it, their antics and money making ideas."
Running time approx. 90 minutes
Feedback from a previous tour:
An excellent and interesting tour, with some lovely photos at the end to peruse with tea and cake. Sue was knowledgeable and approachable. A really brilliant event, and another one booked in.
Thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience, Sue was great in sharing the local history of Barnstaple and look forward to going on other tours too. Very welcoming and so well organised. Wonderful venue and event.
Fabulous tour. Really informative with humour. We’re still talking about it now ! Sue was a great guide and we’ll definitely be back for more tours. Thank you
An absolute delight! Sue was a brilliant guide! Articulate, interesting, funny…we were so impressed with the tour, we booked another one as soon as we got home!
Advertisement

Event Venue

St Anne's Arts & Community Centre, Barnstaple, United Kingdom

Tickets

Icon
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups - all the happenings, one place.

Ask AI if this event suits you:

More Events in Barnstaple

Grief, Loss and Bereavement
Wed, 20 May at 10:00 am Grief, Loss and Bereavement

North Devon Hospice

Gentle Harbour Walk
Fri, 22 May at 01:00 pm Gentle Harbour Walk

RNLI Ilfracombe

North Shore Aircooled 2026
Sat, 23 May at 12:00 am North Shore Aircooled 2026

North Devon Coast

The Dancing Body: The Fundamentals of Contact Improvisation
Sat, 23 May at 10:00 am The Dancing Body: The Fundamentals of Contact Improvisation

53 High Street, EX34 9QB Ilfracombe, United Kingdom

The West End Day Party: Barnstaple \ud83c\udfad
Sat, 23 May at 02:00 pm The West End Day Party: Barnstaple 🎭

Labyrinth Barnstaple

Make Alpacas Your Business
Sun, 24 May at 10:00 am Make Alpacas Your Business

Mullacott Alpacas

Hester Berry Masterclass: landscape oil painting
Sun, 24 May at 12:30 pm Hester Berry Masterclass: landscape oil painting

Studio KIND. at The Corn Store

Barnstaple is Happening!

Never miss your favorite happenings again!

Explore Barnstaple Events