25 Mar 2025
Darcie O’Meara plucks up her courage to embark on a walk through the city’s spooky past in the company of St Albans Tour Guide Jill Singer… will she make it home in one piece?
The sun had been shining for most of the day, but as the tour drew closer, clouds began to gather. A sense of foreboding crept in, but I steeled myself and headed to L’Italiana for a pizza before making my way to the St Albans Museum + Gallery, where the tour would begin. Little did we know, as we sat in that cosy restaurant on French Row, that we were already surrounded by ghosts.
As I stood with Jill Singer, our tour guide for the evening, waiting for the tour to begin, I felt a distinct chill in the air that hadn’t been there earlier.
The hairs on the back of my neck stood up as a shadowy figure approached… who turned out to be another person joining the tour. I wasn’t sure what the difference was between a ghost and a ghoul, but I knew I didn’t want to encounter either of them.
Jill began the tour by asking us if we believed in ghosts. Many in the group nodded, a few shook their heads. I asked Jill if she was a believer, and she told me she had never seen one but thought she had felt a presence she couldn’t explain.
She then set the tone for the evening with a ghost story rooted in St Albans’ history – one tied to the very spot where we stood.
At first, with cars rushing past and the familiar sight of Boots in the background, it was hard to fully embrace the tale.
But then Jill urged us to look beyond the buildings we see around us, to the history beneath them, and as she went on with her story things started to take shape. By the time we reached our second stop, I found myself peering into the darkened upstairs windows – half-expecting to see a woman in grey staring back at me.
As the tour went on, we encountered all kinds of ghosts and ghouls – some obsessively tidy, others who creep under the covers uninvited, and some simply looking for a friend. Beyond reported sightings, some ghosts made their presence known through ‘calling cards’ – a flicker of electricity, a cold touch to the face.
The tour got some of us thinking. When we say we believe in ghosts, what exactly do we mean? Do we believe they are sentient beings, some harmless and others malevolent, or, as one tour-goer poetically put it, do we believe they are merely ‘shadows of the past’?
One story Jill told as we stood outside The Boot did not result in any supernatural behaviour, but only served to demonstrate the ghoulishness of the living. That this act left no haunting behind suggests that we still have much to learn about the ways of the supernatural.
As we stood on George Street, about to walk down the hill which would lead to Fishpool Street, Jill informed us that the latter is commonly known as the most haunted street in St Albans. Knowing what we approached, walking down the hill suddenly felt like a descent into the spirit world itself. The reports of ghostly activity were certainly becoming more concentrated.
As the tour reached Romeland, we found ourselves standing in the burial ground—a fitting setting for the ghost story Jill was about to share. She spoke of a wandering spirit, a woman searching endlessly for her lost love. Her husband, having died by suicide, was denied burial in consecrated ground, leaving her to roam in vain, never able to reunite with him in death.
With the old charnel house nearby, Fishpool Street just behind, and St Albans Cathedral towering over us, the area felt like a kind of Bermuda Triangle of ghostly activity.
If we were going to experience any paranormal activity on the tour, an area with a history dating back 1700 years really felt like the place for it to happen.
Indeed, Jill shared stories of shadowy monks standing outside the Cathedral, eyes peering from within the Watching Loft, and silent processions of hooded figures carrying coffins through the night.
There are even reports of organ music sounding from within the Cathedral when the doors are locked and there is no one inside.
As Jill shared her penultimate ghost story with us all, the Cathedral bell began to chime, punctuating her story with its clanging omen. Jill informed me afterwards that the theatrics were unplanned, but it was hard not to wonder.
The Cathedral bell continued to toll as the tour wrapped up and Jill shared a final tale in the shadows across the road from The White Hart. With reports of ghostly writing appearing on a mirror, figures appearing at the foot of the bed, and the ghosts of a Victorian woman and 12-year-old girl, visitors of The White Hart might find themselves getting far more than they bargained for.
When she finished, we thanked her, said our goodbyes, and watched as she slipped into the night… almost as if she were never really there at all.
The tour is built on local folklore and personal experiences, meaning participation is encouraged.
As Jill explained: “Ghost walks are intended to be fun, drawn from long-established local word-of-mouth stories, as well as stories that are recorded as personal experiences. One of the extra rewards for the guides is that sometimes people on the walks confirm or add details from their, or their family’s, own experiences.”
So, I would encourage you to heed the shapes and shadows you see in the corner of your eye. Perhaps it is not just a trick of the light, and you too have glimpsed one of St Albans’ many ghosts and ghouls.
Jill was a warm and friendly presence, counteracting the unsettling stories she told. The tour was entertaining, and Jill is an incredibly knowledgeable guide and a vivid storyteller. She has been doing St Albans Tours for around seven years and received extensive training so truly knows her stuff.
She thrives on sharing stories of the past and hearing new ones from the people she meets. As she explains: “On all our walks, one of the best things for us is meeting people and sharing some of the stories about those who lived here in the past.”
Jill said: “All groups are slightly different, so for us, it’s a slightly different experience each walk too!”
The tour moves at a relatively slow pace with plenty of stops to soak in the atmosphere. However, guests should be comfortable standing and walking for about an hour and a half. The route is wheelchair friendly, though navigating in the dark may pose some extra challenges, so wheelchair users are encouraged to inform the organisers in advance.
Ghost walks are recommended for children aged 12 and over, with young participants required to be accompanied by an adult. Private tours can be adapted for younger children.
The Ghosts and Ghouls tour is seasonal, running from just before Halloween in October until the end of March. However, private bookings are available year-round for this or any of their other walks. Details can be found on their website.
The tour is priced at £6 per person. If you’re looking for something unique, keep this experience in your back pocket for Halloween season, or consider booking now before the season comes to a close.
