Ghosts and Gothic Tales: Exeter’s Haunted History Audio Tour

Exeter’s ancient streets and historic buildings are filled with whispers of the past. On this ghost walk, you’ll hear chilling tales of the spirits that still linger in the city’s most atmospheric locations. You’ll also discover stories about troubled souls, gruesome executions, and paranormal encounters that have persisted through the centuries.

This tour starts at Exeter Cathedral, where a spectral nun glides silently across Cathedral Green and vanishes through solid walls. You’ll weave through Southernhay, once a site of public executions, and past the former Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, where a mysterious ”grey lady” in an old-fashioned nurse’s uniform has been spotted since 1949. Along the way, you’ll discover how layers of history – from Roman baths to medieval churches – have created perfect conditions for supernatural phenomena.

You’ll explore Stepcote Hill, where a ghostly nurse is said to appear at night, perhaps tending to victims of the 1832 cholera epidemic. You’ll visit historic pubs where phantom judges and children make their presence known, and hear the remarkable story of Mary, a heroic World War II carrier pigeon who returned to her loft in West Street despite suffering severe wounds. The tour ends at the Exeter Catacombs, built in 1837 to protect the dead from body-snatchers.

During this hour-long ghost walk, you’ll:

• Stand where medieval monks and a mysterious three-headed spirit have been spotted near the cathedral
• Visit the site of the Well House, where the spirits of star-crossed lovers are said to linger by a Roman-era well
• Explore the White Hart Inn, one of Exeter’s oldest hotels, where Judge Jeffreys and other spirits allegedly haunt the premises
• Discover the former Georgian hospital where executed criminals’ bodies were stored for anatomical research
• See “The House That Moved,” a preserved medieval merchant’s house with its own remarkable story of survival
• Visit St. Nicholas Priory, where staff report mysterious footsteps and doors moving after the building is emptied
• Examine the historic Church of St Mary Steps with its famous “Matthew the Miller” clock
• Walk the atmospheric streets where tragic deaths and historic events have left paranormal imprints on the city

Join this fascinating journey through Exeter’s supernatural past and discover why some souls may never have found rest in this ancient city.