Gothic Season at Chawton House
Chawton House, Hampshire, October 2021. To celebrate the spookiest holiday of the year, ‘Gothic Season’ is returning to Chawton House. This special programme is running throughout October, with events to frighten and thrill audiences of all ages. Not for the faint of heart, Gothic Season will explore our preoccupation with the effects of the natural world on humankind- when nature strikes back.
Sharing stories of plants, poisons and plagues, Gothic Season commences with a Gothic Tour of Chawton House, Wilderness Walks in the Moonlight and Gothic Suppers and Ghostly Tales by the fire. For little monsters, there will be a new Gothic Garden Trail to explore during half term and children wearing a Halloween costume can visit for free!
Gothic Season concludes with cinema screenings in the eerie setting of Dyers Barn, situated out in the parkland surrounding the House. Keep up to date with the latest spooky happenings by following #GothicChawton on social media.
Gothic Tour of Chawton House
Monday 18 October
Wednesday 27 October
6-7.30pm
Are you courageous enough to visit Chawton House after dark? Once the sun has set, take a drink with the ghosts in the Great Hall before exploring Chawton House on one of our guided tours.
£15 per ticket, includes a drink before the tour
Online Talk: Dark Folklore and Botanical Gothic
Tuesday 19 October
7-8.30pm
Join Dr Sam George as she explores a new darker, shadowy world of plants, found at the intersection between folklore and the gothic. Discover a surprisingly dark history of plants and how our knowledge of them is magically transformed when viewed through the lens of dark folklore.
This pre-recorded online lecture will be followed by a live Zoom Q&A.
£6 per ticket
Gothic Suppers and Ghostly Tales
Friday 22 October
Friday 29 October
6-8pm or 7.30-9.30pm
Book onto one of our two exclusive sittings for an evening of private dining followed by ghost stories beside the fire in the Great Hall. Includes a cocktail on arrival (wine sold separately).
Includes 3-course meal of:
· Spider Soup
· Huntsman Game Stew or Witch’s Fire Stew
· Pumpkin & Caramel Cake
£50 per head
Online Talk: Gothic Contagion: A Roundtable Discussion
Monday 25 October
6-7.30pm
Foul air, bad books and monsters- explore ideas of contagion in the 18th and 19th centuries through a series of short presentations and a roundtable discussion. The speakers for this event are Michael Brown, Megen De Bruin-Mole, Nick Groom and Annika Mann.
This talk takes place online on Zoom.
£6 per ticket
HALF TERM: Gothic Garden Trail
Saturday 23 October to Sunday 31 October
Bring your little witches and warlocks to fly around Chawton House’s autumnal gardens this October half term. Brave the ‘Spooky Trail’ and come face to face with wicked witches, peculiar pumpkins and ghostly ghouls- only the most fearless will make it to the end.
Included in admission price. All kids wearing their Halloween costume get to visit for free!
Wilderness Walk in the Moonlight
Tuesday 26 October
Thursday 28 October
6.30-8pm
Explore the gardens after dark on a guided tour. Look out for creatures that only emerge at night and learn about Chawton House’s eerie family history. Bring a torch- things are going to get dark...
£15 per ticket, includes a hot drink before the tour
Movie in the Barn: Hocus Pocus
Sunday 31 October
6-8pm, 9-11pm
On the scariest night of the year rediscover the classic Halloween movie ‘Hocus Pocus’ in the spooky setting of Dyers Barn. Full of mischief and magic, the tale of the three wicked Sanderson sisters is sure to delight audiences of all ages.
£15 per ticket
