Our modern Halloween traditions draw their roots from this ancient festival; spirits could slip through this gap in space-time – the faerie, hobgoblins, elves and other mischief makers – this is the root of Halloweens mischief night and our trick or treat tradition.
This half term at Butser Ancient Farm there are many ways to mark this special time of year and discover more about the ancient traditions of Samhain. The farm is open from Monday to Friday with a themed trail, spooky storytelling, handling sessions, craft activities and more.
Follow the adventures of Pippi the bat on the Farm’s themed trail as she explores the ancient buildings, get hands on with history with ‘Samhain, skeletons and all that spooky stuff’ talks each day at 11am. Gather around a roaring fire for a storytelling session each day, make a pinecone bat or carve a chalky ghost.
On Wednesday 24th October the Farm will also host an afternoon performance from local theatre troupe Fayes Fables in the Great Roundhouse. This specially written performance will trace the next instalment of Fairy Bigtoe’s adventures; ‘The Queen Rat and the Magic Toe’. The performance kicks off at 2pm.
On Friday 26th October the Museum is also joining in with the nation-wide Museums at Night festival with an after-dark tour. The ancient buildings – from Stone Age to Saxon – will be bought to life with music, singing, theatre and storytelling, lit only by firelight, this atmospheric chance to be led by lantern amongst Butser’s ancient building is not to be missed. This evening event must be pre-booked as spaces are limited.
For more information, days and timings for each event please visit the Butser website. www.butserancientfarm.co.uk
