Name: Dead Street School Ghost Hunt
Start: 2025-08-30T20:00:00+01:00
End: 2025-08-31T02:00:00+01:00
Location: British Schools Museum

WHERE: Dead Street School. 41-42 Queen St, Hitchin SG4 9TS
WHEN: 30th August 2025
TIME: 20.00-02.00
PRICE: £29 per person
👻Over 18s Only
👻Refreshments provided
👻Use of our kit
👻Small group sizes
👻Free time for you to investigate
HISTORY
Dead Street, today known as Queen Street, earned its grim name during the Black Death of 1349, when the entire local population perished and bodies were buried in a nearby plague pit .
In 1810, William Wilshere, a local solicitor, repurposed a disused malt house into a school for 200 boys and 100 girls, using the monitorial teaching system pioneered by Joseph Lancaster. The “Great Fire of Dead Street,” around mid‑19th century (1845–56), devastated much of the area and destroyed earlier school buildings—but the 1837 Monitorial Classroom survived .
Enrollment swelled—by 1905, the school served around 700 children, prompting further expansions. The Queen Street School closed in 1969; by 1975, its buildings received Grade II (and II*) listing thanks to their educational and architectural importance. In the early 1990s, volunteers established the British Schools Museum, preserving original classrooms, the Master’s House, and extensive educational artefacts .
Today, The museum offers immersive historical experiences, period classrooms, living history trail, exhibitions like “Life on Dead Street” capturing the harsh Victorian conditions.
Reported activity
Numerous ghost stories surround the museum: phantom children gasping around desks, shadowy figures in classrooms and headmaster’s house (former Mr Fitch), strange footsteps, voices, desk lids slamming, and even EVP recordings claiming disembodied speech.
Ghostly Apparitions: Some visitors and former students have reported seeing shadowy figures or apparitions in and around the school building. These ghostly sightings are often described as fleeting images, with some claiming to have encountered a spectral presence in the hallways.
Unexplained Noises: Numerous reports of strange noises have been shared by those who have explored the site. This includes sounds of footsteps, whispers, and doors opening and closing on their own, even when no one else is present.
Cold Spots: Visitors have mentioned experiencing sudden drops in temperature within certain areas of the school, which is often associated with paranormal activity. These cold spots can create an eerie atmosphere, contributing to the site's haunted reputation.
Objects Moving: There are anecdotes of objects seemingly being moved or relocated without explanation. Items such as books would supposedly be found out of place or knocked off shelves, adding to the mystery of the location.
Local Legends: Various local legends about the school have circulated in Hitchin. Some suggest that it was built on land with a troubled history or that the school’s closure led to unrest among former students or staff, leading to lingering spirits.