An evening of chilling tales in Leicester Castle Great Hall

As the winter nights draw in, join us for an atmospheric evening of ghost stories by candlelight in the historic surroundings of Leicester Castle Great Hall!

Sit beneath the medieval timbers and enjoy ghostly tales, strange encounters and unsettling stories, read aloud in a setting that has witnessed nearly 1,000 years of history.

From traditional hauntings to contemporary tales of the supernatural, discover the thrill of a good ghost story and the particular charm of sharing one on a dark December evening.

Finish the night with refreshments and the opportunity to explore the building.

As part of the National Year of Reading, a free book swap will also be available, so feel free to bring a book to contribute or take one away!

Have a ghost story of your own?

As part of the event, we're inviting you to enter our creative writing competition. Whether inspired by local legends, historic hauntings, folklore or something entirely imagined, we'd love to hear your original ghost stories or poems.

Shortlisted entries will be selected to be read aloud during the event, with the winner chosen by the audience receiving a £25 voucher.

Creative writing competition

Open to DMU students, staff and members of the public.

Original ghost stories or poems of up to 1,000 words, suitable for a reading of approximately five minutes.

Up to three shortlisted stories will be featured during the evening.

The winning entry will receive a £25 bookshop voucher.

Submission deadline: Sunday 13 December 2026.

Submit your story to: museum@dmu.ac.uk

You don't need to enter the competition to attend, simply come along, take a seat and enjoy an evening of storytelling in one of Leicester's most beautiful historic sites!

Description supplied by the event organiser.