Edinburgh Vaults - The Burke & Hare Ghost Hunt With Haunting Nights

Schedule

Sat Feb 15 2020 at 11:00 pm to Sun Feb 09 2025 at 05:45 am

UTC+00:00

Location

Edinburgh Vaults | Edinburgh, SC

Advertisement
Edinburgh Vaults Niddry Street- Burke & Hare interactive Ghost Hunt  With Haunting Nights
About this Event

Edinburgh Vaults Niddry Street- Burke & Hare interactive Ghost Hunt With Haunting Nights

Historic capital city lies a veritable warren of chambers and passageways, some of them well-known, others long-forgotten.

Edinburgh was a fearful and superstitious place at the turn of the 18th century, both of real and imagined harm. The citizens fear of what the unearthly and supernatural could inflict was exacerbated by their inherent mistrust of the invading English, a long held belief that resulted in the building of the defensive Flodden Wall after the disastrous Battle of the same name in 1513. This man-made barrier around the outskirts of the city, combined with Edinburgh’s natural geography, forced residents to live virtually on top of one another – in some cases in houses 14 stories high – rather than expanding outwards as with most developing cities. This air of claustrophobia, fear and mistrust bred an atmosphere of anxiety among the locals.

When the South Bridge was finally completed in 1788 it was deemed to be an appropriate and fitting honour that the Bridges’ eldest resident, a well known and respected Judges’ wife, should be the first to cross this fine architectural structure. Unfortunately, several days before the grand opening, the lady in question passed away! But promises had been made, hands had been shaken and the city fathers felt obliged to honour their original agreement, and so it was, that the first “body” to cross the South Bridge crossed it in a coffin. The locals were aghast! The bridge was now cursed! The majority of the townsfolk refused point blank to cross the bridge for many years, preferring instead the awkward and impractical route through the deep valley of the Cowgate. 18th century Edinburgers may seem overly superstitious by today’s standards, but over the following centuries it slowly became apparent that they might, in fact, have had a point… As time passed, space on Edinburgh’s South Bridge started to sell at premium prices; land was fetching more per square foot than anywhere else in Europe. Businessmen started to build shops along the top of the bridge, to make the most of passing trade. To accommodate these shop fronts, tenement houses were built along both sides of 18 of the original 19 arches, leaving only the Cowgate arch visible, as it remains today. To maximise space further, floors and ceilings were built beneath the blocked-in arches constructing dark, airless, vaulted chambers.

These areas were originally used as workshops for the businesses above while the vaults below ground level were used for storage. Records from the day, recent excavations and various artefacts which have since been discovered, all point to the fact that in the early days of the bridge many businesses thrived in these man-made, “underground” spaces; taverns, cobblers, cutlers, smelters, victuallers and milliners, all left evidence of their trades. However as time passed, the quality of life in these spaces deteriorated. The bridge (which had never been waterproofed due to it being built on such a tight budget) began to leak and the businesses were slowly forced to move out.

Several years passed during which time the function of these spaces began to change. In the absence of legal trade and licensed businesses, the dark, damp wet vaults started to become home to only the very poorest and most disreputable sections of society. This included immigrant Irishmen and Highlanders seeking refuge from the clearances, mercenary landlords, and even body snatchers!


William Burke and William Hare were two Irish immigrants who scratched up 17 victims in Edinburgh over the years 1827 and 1829. What became known as the ‘West Port Murders’ made them the most famous body snatchers Scotland has ever seen.

Over time the vaults started to become completely unusable. A lack of light, air, heat, ventilation and sanitation and a slow, steady seepage of water through the cracks in the bridge made these areas not only impractical, but uninhabitable and within 30 years of the bridge opening, the abandonment of the Vaults was more or less complete. The vaults were filled in with rubble, both for security for the businesses still operating above on street level and also to discourage squatters making home in what was effectively a place to die, not to live… and so the vaults fell into the dim distant memory of generations past. However, in 1985, these long, lost, forgotten spaces came to public attention after a chance excavation revealed the labyrinthic network of rooms and dwelling spaces contained within. These spaces have lost none of their original atmosphere. They are still dark, occasionally claustrophobic and, when it rains in Edinburgh they can still be very damp. The Vaults today ooze memories of the past, their stones seep water as well as stories, invoking memory and provoking the imagination.

Over the years visitors who join the many ghost walks and ghost tours have recorded some very curious and unexplained activity.

Further excavation over the last 20 years has revealed more of the Vaults secrets and today, the BBC called it “possibly one of the most haunted places in Britain.” Reposts Of sinister man being seen, Dark shadows, Children’s voices all being heard. Now with Haunting Nights you have the chance to experience Edinburgh Vaults and what exists down there for yourself!

The Haunting Nights team are really looking forward to taking you closer to the Most Haunted stories in history!!! 18 & Over


Event Photos
Event Photos

Advertisement

Where is it happening?

Edinburgh Vaults, Niddry Street, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Event Location & Nearby Stays:

Tickets

GBP 53.42

Haunting Nights Ghost Adventure Ghost Hunts

Host or Publisher Haunting Nights Ghost Adventure Ghost Hunts

It's more fun with friends. Share with friends

Discover More Events in Edinburgh

Canine First Aid Course Edinburgh
Sat Nov 23 2024 at 09:30 am Canine First Aid Course Edinburgh

1 Lochside Court,Edinburgh,EH12 9DT,GB

WORKSHOPS DOG
Pet First Aid  For Pet Professionals Classroom Day Course
Sat Nov 23 2024 at 09:30 am Pet First Aid For Pet Professionals Classroom Day Course

Premier Inn Edinburgh Park (Airport) hotel

WORKSHOPS DOG
Gifford Community Woodland: Rhododendron control
Sat Nov 23 2024 at 09:30 am Gifford Community Woodland: Rhododendron control

St Andrew Square, Edinburgh (North side)

NONPROFIT
Canine First Aid Course Edinburgh
Sat Nov 23 2024 at 09:30 am Canine First Aid Course Edinburgh

Premier Inn Edinburgh Park (Airport) hotel

WORKSHOPS DOG
Certificate in Somatic Transactional Analysis
Sat Nov 23 2024 at 10:00 am Certificate in Somatic Transactional Analysis

4b Randolph Place, Basement Floor, Edinburgh

WORKSHOPS HEALTH-WELLNESS
Needle Book Workshop
Sat Nov 23 2024 at 10:00 am Needle Book Workshop

10 Infirmary Street, EH1 1LT Edinburgh, United Kingdom

WORKSHOPS
National Galleries Scotland: National | Tea Green Winter Market
Sat Nov 23 2024 at 10:00 am National Galleries Scotland: National | Tea Green Winter Market

National Galleries of Scotland

POP-UPS
BEGINNERS KETTLEBELL COMPETITION
Sat Nov 23 2024 at 10:00 am BEGINNERS KETTLEBELL COMPETITION

34 Tennant Street, eh6 5na Edinburgh, United Kingdom

WORKSHOPS
Edinburgh Vaults - The Burke & Hare Ghost Hunt With Haunting Nights
Sat Feb 15 2020 at 11:00 pm Edinburgh Vaults - The Burke & Hare Ghost Hunt With Haunting Nights

Edinburgh Vaults

WORKSHOPS GHOST-HUNTS
Edinburgh Haunting Stories Outdoor Escape Game: A bloody past
Fri Jun 23 2023 at 12:00 pm Edinburgh Haunting Stories Outdoor Escape Game: A bloody past

The Mound

TRIPS-ADVENTURES ENTERTAINMENT
Ash Pryce - Paranormal Illusionist: Ghosts of the Banshee
Sat Jan 06 2024 at 09:00 pm Ash Pryce - Paranormal Illusionist: Ghosts of the Banshee

The Banshee Labyrinth

MAGIC-SHOW ART
Stand Up Horror
Sat Jan 06 2024 at 10:30 pm Stand Up Horror

The Banshee Labyrinth

ART THEATRE
Ash Pryce - Paranormal Illusionist: The Discoverie of Witchcraft
Sat Jan 20 2024 at 09:15 pm Ash Pryce - Paranormal Illusionist: The Discoverie of Witchcraft

The Banshee Labyrinth

MAGIC-SHOW STORYTELLING
Doomed Dead & Buried Guided Tour
Wed Jul 03 2024 Doomed Dead & Buried Guided Tour

Blair Street Underground Vaults

TRIPS-ADVENTURES
Hidden & Haunted Ghost Tour
Wed Jul 03 2024 Hidden & Haunted Ghost Tour

Blair Street Underground Vaults

TRIPS-ADVENTURES
Blithe Spirit
Thu Nov 21 2024 at 07:00 pm Blithe Spirit

Siegfried Room, Edinburgh Napier University, Craiglockhart Campus

ART FINE-ARTS
Queer as Punk: Sister Ghost, The Farting Suffragettes, Affectionate Widows
Fri Nov 22 2024 at 07:00 pm Queer as Punk: Sister Ghost, The Farting Suffragettes, Affectionate Widows

The Wee Red Bar

CONCERTS LIVE-MUSIC
Zed Paysanne Album Launch w\/ Wormhook + Stones
Sat Nov 23 2024 at 07:30 pm Zed Paysanne Album Launch w/ Wormhook + Stones

Settlement Projects

MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT
Beethoven's Sonatas by Candlelight - 'Moonlight Sonata'
Thu Nov 28 2024 at 07:00 pm Beethoven's Sonatas by Candlelight - 'Moonlight Sonata'

St Vincent's Chapel: Scottish Episcopal Church

MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT

What's Happening Next in Edinburgh?

Discover Edinburgh Events