Update issued- 15th March 2020 at 17.00hrs

As the threat of the Covid 19 virus continues to grow in the UK we have made the unfortunately decision to postpone the following events:-

17th March- Winchester Ghost Tour

25th March- Southampton Ghost Tour

The health and well being of our customers and staff is our priority and this is a decision we haven’t taken lightly.

Customers who have purchased tickets to either of the above events can transfer them to any of our theatrical tours in 2020 including:

• Winchester Ghost Tour
• Southampton Ghost Tour
• Southampton Witchcraft and Torture Tour
• Portsmouth Ghost Tour
• Windsor Ghost Tour

Our future dates can be found on our website at http://www.supernaturaltoursandevents.com. Those who have purchased tickets will have received an email today confirming what steps to take.

‘ This is the first time that we cancelled a tour since they launched in 2010. With the increase in cases in the UK we feel this is a sad, but necessary step in doing our bit in helping prevent the spread of Covid 19. We would like to thank everyone for their support and co-operation in advance’- Andrew Frewing-House- Events Director

At the time of writing, the ghost hunt at Manor Farm on March 21st is going ahead as planned. We advise customers on this event to check out updates throughout the week by email and on our social media.

With so much media exposure around the Coronavirus we would like to reassure our customers that all of our events will continue as planned.

However, we would like to remind everyone to ensure they wash their hands throughly regularly and to follow the advice from the NHS. If you or anyone attending with you has or has had the Coronavirus, has been in contact with someone who has or is showing any symptoms please call 111 and provide us with any updates.

We have taken extra precautions providing cleaning resources and with our team around the use of makeup on our events.

We will operate inline with any actions implemented by the UK Government. Should any action effect our events we will email you or send and SMS on the details provided at the time of booking and provide updates on social media with next steps. We encourage you to check for any updates.

Finally, we look forward to seeing you all on our events and get ready to enjoy it!

Any queries should be emailed to events@supernaturaltoursandevents.com

Around the world people continue to be attracted to the supernatural and the chances are that which city you go to in the UK, there’s probably a ghost tour company. But what is it we love about these events?

Yes, they contain captivating ghost stories and perhaps a little bit of history but here at Supernatural Tours and Events we do things differently!

Since our theatrical styled tours launched in 2012, they have continued to go from strength to strength. At current, we operate ghost tours in Southampton, Winchester, The New Forest, Windsor and Portsmouth.

But our delivery is very different because we use actors who play different characters on each tour. In fact, they are based on real people and oh yeh, we throw in a few scares too!

You’ll no doubt notice parts of the city or area you perhaps have never seen and in Southampton you get the bonus of some of the city’s medieval vaults.

The tours are family friendly, entertaining and you’ll even learn something new…….that’s if you are brave enough!

Twilight, Vampire Diaries, Supernatural, True Blood…..just a few TV shows and movies which continue to maintain the popularity of Vampires. But what is it that fascinates us so much?

Most descriptions claim that Vampires can not be exposed to sunlight, suck the blood from the living, which can turn them into vampires and are killed by a stake to the heart.

The folklore around Vampires can differ depending on the culture. For example, Russia believed Vampires were witches that once rebelled against the church whilst in China, if a corpse was jumped over by an animal (especially Dog or Cat) they would become the undead…a Vampire!

In British culture Vampires dont die but a bite from one and you become one. In fact, bloated corpses that were purple or darkish in colour whilst in a coffin or shroud were alleged to have consumed blood and so they too were a vampire!

So how did we stop them? In European culture is was all about severing tendons or limbs to prevent them from moving. Sometimes planting seeds or millets were said to do the trick.

The history behind the start of this craze in Britain is a little sketchy to say the least. A creature known at the Old Norse which dates back to the 12th century was very similar to what we know as a vampire.

But by the 18th century Vampire frenzy has taken hold of Europe with grave diggings to stick stakes in to hearts. The hysteria was so bad that event Governments began hunting so called Vampires! People claimed to be attacked by Vampires in what became known as the ’18th Century Vampire Controversy’

In modern days beliefs have changed a fair bit. There are ‘Vampire’ clubs with people who live the life of a vampire in a cult like scenario and many attribute that to the power and well…..sex involved!

But for most of us, we are happy to watch those movies and TV shows which still continue to excite the nation about Vampires!

Its one of the most famous landmarks in British history, the Tower of London is a place full of rich diverse history. Some of it good and some of it, not quite so much. Let’s take a look at the towers darker past.

Anyone who has visited will know that the building was used as a prison. One of its most famous residents being Guy Fawkes, one of the men found guilty for the gunpowder plot.

Fawkes was tortured at the tower possibly by use of the rack, manacles or possibly even both. These methods probably explain the huge change in his hand writing when he finally wrote a confession.

Historical records show 48 names of people who were tortured within the tower. Seems relatively low but torture only took place at the tower for a short period between the 15th and 16th century.

But prisoners, there were plenty, the first dating back to 1101 The Bishop of Durham. Having said that, he was also the first to escape using rope that was smuggled in within wine.

There have been some very famous inmates over the years including Princess Elizabeth in 1554. She was imprisoned after the execution of her mother, Anne Boleyn. She was later released and became Queen.

Sir Walter Raleigh was also locked up for a staggering 13 years, although he was given some benefits. During the times of the Tudors there were several executions including Boleyn, Thomas More and Thomas Cromwell who were close advisors or King Henry VIII.

With such a rich bloody past, its no shock that the tower also claims residents of a ghostly nature including Henry VIII, Cromwell and Boleyn.

It may be in the past, but it certainly had a big impact! The torture methods used back in British history give us an insight into our bloody past.

This Saturday see’s the return of our Witchcraft, Torture and Execution Tour in Southampton, a look back at some of the famous and chilling accounts from around the city and around Britain.

But why was torture used? Simply put, it was either a form of punishment or a way of getting information out of people.

The problem was that in a lot of situations, those tortured were most likely to be innocent!

The Iron maiden was one of the methods used. A metal chamber with holes in. The victim would be locked inside with metal poles used to prod. That was until the executor was satisfied that the confession was legitimate. The poles would be prodded into the victims flesh.

One of the most commonly used forms of torture was known as flogging. The method included an executor whipping the victim with leather until they either owned up or passed out. In some circumstances, the victim flogged themselves to eliminate any sins!

But some torture methods were classed as less violent than others. Take the ‘Thumb screw’ for example. The name gives away exactly what this included, drilling a screw into the victims thumb and turning! ouch!

Sound bad enough? Enter the cage! Just big enough to squash someone inside to leave them there without food or water. Sometimes this was done publicly, but the results were the same, confess or die!

Some methods even included live animals….more precisely, rats! Imagine having rats placed on your stomach, a pot over the top with heat applied! The theory, the rats to panic and dig through the persons stomach to escape…need we say any more?

Now to the next one. Fan of Game of thrones? Like idea of sitting on the iron throne?…Great right? Not if you were sat on the iron chair! You would be strapped down, but as the straps were tightened, needles would go further and further into the skin!

But we have saved the best til last……if such thing existed? The Judas cradle. Possibly one of the most bloody forms of torture. So what exactly was this?

You probably wished you never asked, but hey here is what happened. This torture technique involved a sharp spike going into the anus or vagina. Pressure would be added to basically rip the victim apart. Pressure was usually added using weights.

Find out more about Britain’s bloody past on our Witchcraft, Torture and Execution Tour.

We are proud to announce that Southampton Ghost Tours has been nominated for some awards at the Southampton Star Awards for the second year in a row.

We will be attending the semi finals event at the Grand Cafe on February 11th to see if we have made it through to the finals!

Stay tuned!

Standing tall in the grounds of Royal Victoria Country Park stands Netley Chapel, once part of one of the largest military hospitals in Europe, Netley Hospital.

The construction of the hospital was at the suggestion of Queen Victoria and she became a regular visitor to the hospital. However, the hospital was critised by many including Florence Nightingale

The hospital was large and grand and consisted of 138 wards It was used in the Crimean war and and Second Boer War. However, it was often remarked that the ventilation at the hospital was poor and so were the conditions!

During the first world war a large hut was erected on the ground to facilitate for more wounded soldiers. It was manned by volunteers from the Red cross and treated around 50,000 patients.

There were similar uses during the second world war including French Soldiers who were treated from Dunkirk.

The hospitals use declined following that and was used as a training ground by the military before being demolished.

On Saturday night we hosted a a ghost hunt in the chapel building which is now a museum. With stories of Nurses who committed suicide, soldiers who passed away surely this place must be a hub for paranormal activity.

Back in 2011, we had a whole host of activity, but this time around, things were a little more quiet. There were a few reports of people being touched, odd results with dowsing road and movement from glass divination but despite an amazing evening, it wasnt to be for activity

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Mark February 8th on your calendars because Southampton Ghost Tours is joining forces with The Mercure Dolphin in Southampton to raise money for charity.

We will be running a special ghost tour where the proceeds will go to Breast Cancer Haven, a charity which offers vital emotional, physical and practical support to anyone affected by breast cancer.

Starting inside the Dolphin those raise money will be braving the ghosts of Southampton and delivering a few screams too!

As well as the ghost tour, the event will include nibbles and a drink. This is your chance to help raise money for such as important cause.

You can book tickets on the following link:

https://www.facebook.com/events/2486713328317959/

It’s a topic that sparks many debates in the paranormal and this week we are set to open the debate at our Supernatural Debate Evening… but before we do, let’s fill you in on the controversial subject of possession.

It really depends on your beliefs as to what possession actually means. In the paranormal world we often refer to it as demonic or spirit possession but in a nutshell its when another entity takes over the human body.

There have been some notable accounts over the years with one of the most famous being the Enfield poltergeist where the voice of a spirit was alleged to use one of the girls to talk.

In the paranormal, some mediums claim to have the ability to bring through the spirits of the dead to use their body and whilst there has been some fantastic accounts we have to remember that we still dont understand why this happens.

It is really a ghost or is it some form of energy or perhaps its some element of the mind that we do not yet understand, Either way, we all have our own beliefs.

The Catholic Church is just one of many faiths who have their own belief in possession which they believe it caused by either an Angel but in most cases a Demon.

After rigorous assessments if no answer is found, they will use a ‘qualified’ Priest to try and rid the person of the Demon but this process mainly involves the use of religious items such as Bibles or a Crucifix.

So, what you do you believe, find out this Tuesday at the Debate Evening in Portsmouth!