Warwick: Dark History Walking Tour & Castle Ghost Stories

What Really Happened Behind Warwick Castle's Walls

You walk nine stops through Warwick's town center hearing stories of murder, execution, and legend tied to real buildings and real history. The tour includes Warwick Castle's darker chapters, the old courts where criminals were tried, the last gaol cell, and the execution scaffold site. All entry fees are covered, and the route is wheelchair accessible. You finish in the market square with time to grab a drink nearby.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Warwick's dark history and legends

• Visit Warwick's oldest building and hear ghost story
• Discover heist at Warwick Castle's coach house
• See Thomas Oken's old home and spooky tales
• Hear stories of Piers Gaveston and Fulke Greville
• Walk picturesque street and hear Moll Bloxham legend
• Visit Warwick's tallest building and famous graves
• Stand outside old Warwickshire County Courts
• See last gaol cell and execution scaffold site
• End tour at Warwick market square with final story

The experience

What if the most unsettling stories about a place are the ones nobody tells tourists? This walking tour through Warwick doesn't skip over the difficult bits. It leans into them. You'll start at one of Warwick's oldest buildings and hear about a murder that happened right behind it, then move through the streets where the town's worst criminals were tried, jailed, and executed. The tour covers nine stops across the town center, each one anchored to a real event: a heist at Warwick Castle's coach house, the death of an Elizabethan merchant and the strange things that followed, the trial of Piers Gaveston under King Edward II.

The guide takes you down Caesar's Tower Street (described as the most picturesque part of town), and that's where you hear about Moll Bloxham, the hellhound that supposedly stalks Warwick's streets. It's the kind of legend that sounds like folklore until you're standing on the actual street where people claimed to see it. You'll also visit Warwick's tallest building to learn which historical figures are buried there, and you'll stand outside the old Warwickshire County Courts where the strangest cases in the county's history were heard. There's a stop at the last remaining gaol cell in town, where a murderer spent their final hours before execution, and then the short walk to where the execution scaffold once stood, where a terrible family was hanged and what happened after is, according to the guide, astonishing enough to end the tour on.

The whole thing wraps up in Warwick's market square, behind the Old Shire Hall, with enough time to head to one of the nearby pubs if you want to process what you've just heard. All fees are included, and the route is wheelchair accessible, so you're not arranging entry to each stop separately. You just show up and follow along. It's the kind of tour where you leave knowing the town differently, not because it's prettier or more famous, but because you understand what it's survived.

What’s included

• All fees and taxes are included in the tour price.
• You visit nine locations across Warwick's town center, including Warwick Castle, the Lord Leycester Hospital, the old Warwickshire County Courts, the last remaining gaol cell, and the execution scaffold site.
• The route is wheelchair accessible, and service animals are welcome.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 13:30, 16:00 and 19:30Last departure this season: 30 Dec

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (16 and older) · Child (12 to 15 years) · Under 12: can't be booked

GroupUp to 30

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by The Weird Walk of Warwick

Is this one for you?Choose this tour if you want to understand Warwick's full history (not just its castles and architecture, but the crimes, trials, and executions that shaped the town) without arranging separate entry fees or navigating the stops yourself.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (12 to 15 years). Children under 12 can't be included in the booking.

What is included in the tour price?

All fees and taxes are included. You don't pay separately for entry to any of the stops.

Is the tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes, the tour is wheelchair accessible. Service animals are also allowed.

Can I visit Warwick Castle on this tour?

Yes. The tour includes stops at Warwick Castle, where you'll hear about a heist in the coach house and stables, and stories of past owners like Fulke Greville.

What is the hellhound story about?

Moll Bloxham is a legendary hellhound said to stalk Warwick's streets. You'll hear this tale while standing on Caesar's Tower Street, one of the town's oldest and most picturesque areas.

Are there any restrictions for this tour?

The tour is not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health. It is suitable for all other fitness levels.

Where does the tour start and end?

The tour starts at one of Warwick's oldest buildings and ends in the market square behind the Old Shire Hall and County Courts, where you're free to visit nearby pubs and restaurants.