The Original King’s Lynn Ghost Tour is the latest spooky attraction in a very haunted West Norfolk town. DAVID SAUNDERSON talks to tour guide Nicky Proctor about the ghostly streets of King’s Lynn…
SPOOKY ISLES: King’s Lynn seems ideal for ghost tours, with its long history and dark and windy streets. How did you come to create The Original King’s Lynn Ghost Tour?
NICKY: King’s Lynn is most definitely an ideal place for a ghost tour. It’s a town steeped in history and we have some amazing ancient buildings with lots of ghost stories, myths and legends to tell.
I’ve always been interested in ghosts and the paranormal for as far back as I can remember. So in lockdown I created a Facebook page about the ghosts of King’s Lynn just for something to do. I soon discovered that there was a huge interest in this kind of thing, so this got me thinking “why hasn’t King’s Lynn got a regular ghost tour?”
Once I’d thought about it I couldn’t stop thinking about it, so that’s how it all began and I haven’t looked back.
Tell us about The Original King’s Lynn Ghost Tour. What should people expect?
The tour starts at the Saturday Market Place and covers approximately 1.8 miles, taking about an hour and a half. We actually stop at 26 places on route. I like to give little snippets of stories of the places we stop at, that way there’s something for everyone and it holds people’s interest. They can then go home and find out more about their favourite places if they choose to.
I’ve been on ghost walks before and I’ve found that people tend to lose interest when the guide is talking about the same place for 10 to 15 minutes, so the way I do it keeps everyone’s attention and eager for the next stop.
It’s also great for all ages and abilities as there’s not far to walk before the next stop, thankfully we have lots of ghost stories to enable this.
26 stops – that’s a lot of hauntings! What are your favourite haunted places in King’s Lynn?
One of my favourite stops is Devil’s Alley, where legend says that the devil was cornered by a local priest, stamping his foot in rage and leaving a footprint. Of course, we’re no longer able to see it as it’s under cobbles.
The Medieval Merchants House is another favourite, this was once the home to two ghosts, the one that remains is said to still wander the upstairs rooms, it’s sat empty for years but has recently been bought as a family home, it will be interesting to see what stories emerge once the new residents move in.
My ultimate favourite is The Exorcist House and I’ve been lucky enough to have had a look round inside, it’s quite small and once housed a family of 21! There is a ghost of a small boy here who likes to make an appearance when the mart (fair) is here.
As a tour guide, what do you think creates the best ghost tour?
I think the best ghost tours are the after dark ones, the atmosphere is great and everyone seems to get a little bid giddy with excitement and the adrenaline starts pumping.
I’ve loved seeing the costumes of the tour guides in York so I knew that’s the route I wanted to go down, people like a bit of theatre, they don’t want to see someone in everyday clothes leading a ghost tour.
Do you believe in ghosts and the paranormal?
Yes, I do believe in ghosts, I’ve actually lived with one for the last 21 years. We live in an old cottage and there’s always been a presence here, we’ve been told it’s a man but he causes no harm, he used to leave cupboard doors open but I think he’s bored with that now.
I also believe in the paranormal., In fact, I’m currently getting a team together to go out and do some investigating.
How can people wanting to take your tour get in touch with you?
I can be contacted through ‘The Original King’s Lynn Ghost Tour’ page via messenger, or by phoning 07796 411563.
