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Haunted History Tour: St. George’s Spirits Come to Life

Beyond Bermuda's alluring natural wonders lies a long and, many believe, haunted history. A ghostly walking tour in the 400-year-old Town of St. George may introduce you to spirits from the island's past.

There’s history around every corner in Bermuda’s Town of St. George. Settled in 1612, St. George’s is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the oldest continuously inhabited settlement of the New World.

What would these walls say if they could talk? You have a chance to find out on the fascinating and fun Haunted History Tour.

SALUTATIONS FROM THE OTHER SIDE

As you’re guided through the narrow alleys and cobblestone streets of St. George’s, some of the town’s ghosts (local actors in ghostly costumes) emerge to give their accounts of Bermudian life in days gone by.

“We’re telling the true stories of people who have lived here – with a supernatural twist,” says Kristin White, the tour’s organiser. “It’s not a traditional haunted tour – the focus is on St. George’s history. But there are still plenty of spooky bits. So much of St. George’s history focuses on the richest, most successful residents. But that’s not telling the whole story of the people who lived here.”

WE’RE TELLING THE true stories OF PEOPLE WHO HAVE LIVED HERE – WITH A supernatural TWIST.

Accordingly, one of the tales on the tour is the saga of Phillipa, an enslaved Bermudian who was granted her freedom in the late 1700s. When her previous owner died, his son tried to sell her along with the rest of his father’s possessions – and the case went all the way to a London court.

Other apparitions include the last woman to be tried for witchcraft in Bermuda and the unpopular governor who had 100 barrels of gunpowder stolen out from under his nose during the Gunpowder Plot, a turning point in the American Revolution.

SUPERNATURAL ST. GEORGE’S

The other key character during the tour is the town itself, which takes on an otherworldly glow when the sun goes down, with old-fashioned streetlights lighting your way as you wander the backstreets.

“It looks like a movie set, like something not quite real,” White says. “But it’s not manufactured – it hasn’t been re-created. It’s a thriving town where we’ve lived for more than 400 years. There’s really no place quite like it, and exploring it at night adds a special element.”

TAKE THE TOUR

The Haunted History Tour operates several nights a week, depending on the season. The tour departs from King's Square in St. George’s and lasts 60-75 minutes. You can book online or at the St. George’s Visitor Services Centre.

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