Did you know that Nottingham isn’t just the home of Robin Hood, but also packed with spooky and unusual attractions? From haunted pubs to eerie museums, there are plenty of spooky things to do in Nottingham.
Nottingham is a city in the East Midlands of England that offers culture, history and a lively student scene. But beyond that, it’s also full of dark history and hidden gems waiting to be explored.
As a fan of the macabre, I was genuinely surprised by how much there was to discover on the spooky side. From the oldest inn in England to quirky Gothic-themed bars, I was completely in my element – and don’t get me started on the haunted hot spots…
13 Spooky Things to Do in Nottingham
From ancient caves and cursed inns to chilling legends that date back centuries, Nottingham is bursting with spooky stories just waiting to be uncovered. Here’s my list of the best spooky things to do in Nottingham (including a whole lot of caves..!)
England’s Oldest Inn – Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem
As one of Nottingham’s oldest establishments, Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem is the perfect place to get your spook on. Though it’s small, there’s a whole bunch of historic and snug rooms inside. These include: The Rock Lounge, The Museum Room, The Haunted Snug, The Money Bar, Yorkey’s Lounge, The Ward Room and The Cellars. Unfortunately, you can no longer visit the underground cellars, but they used to be used as an old cock fighting pit and were also supposedly part of Nottingham Castle’s old Gaol. There are still tunnels there today that lead to the castle!
Dating back to 1189, it’s no surprise that you can find a few haunted objects on display in this historic pub. This includes The Cursed Galleon, an old ship model that sits in a dusty glass case in The Rock Lounge. It once belonged to an old sailor who couldn’t afford to pay his debts to the inn, so instead, he left this wooden model of a ship. It’s believed that anyone who cleaned the model ship died a mysterious death. Now it’s encased in glass so that no one can experience the same fate…
Read More: Spooky Things to Do in York
Other creepy objects include an antique pregnancy chair. Supposedly, the chair leads to increased chances of pregnancy for any woman who sits on it. Wisely, this chair is no longer on display.
The pub serves great food and drink too. So whilst you visit for the artefacts, ghost spotting and perhaps a fun game of Bating the Bull, make sure you stick around to enjoy a bite to eat too.
The Original Nottingham Ghost Walk
Nottingham has its very own original ghost walk, which is hugely popular and has been running since 1993! In fact, it was the first ghost walk to take place in Nottingham and has always been the only one. Tours start at Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem and end in the caves beneath Ye Old Salutation Inn. Therefore, you’ll also tick off two other picks from this post when attending. This should be one of your first spooky things to do in Nottingham.
The tour covers the history surrounding some of Nottingham’s oldest pubs, as well as Nottingham Castle and even a plague pit. Oh, and ghosts too, of course…
The City of Caves
Fun fact: Nottingham has the largest network of caves in the UK – more than 800 hidden underground! The City of Caves explores some of them and reveals how the caves were created, who used to live in them and how they were once used during WWII air raids.
Visions of a crying Victorian woman have been seen in the caves, as well as other apparitions and dark shadows. There’s also a young ghost called Rosie that haunts the caves that sit beneath the Ye Old Salutation Inn.
Pit & Pendulum
Nottingham has a lot of cool and quirky bars, but any alt lover needs to visit Pit & Pendulum. This dark and spooky bar is huge, with Victorian and Gothic decor hidden around every corner. Their food and drink offerings are super affordable too, with a vast tasty and funky cocktail menu. I’d recommend their delicious cheese and bacon burger and a night of making your way through their Deadly Sins and Contrary Virtues cocktails – you won’t be disappointed. Once you try all seven, you can swap your loyalty card for a cool 7 Deadly Sins t-shirt.
[Source: Pit & Pendulum’s Facebook page]
New for 2024, you can try one of their Ghostly Spirit shots! Choose from six ghost-themed layered shots for just £2.75 each. My favourite was the Succubus shot.
Bell Inn Caves
Technically, Bell Inn Caves is a pub – but it’s a cool one at that! This 15th-century pub also claims to be Nottingham’s oldest inn and has a labyrinth of caves beneath the beer cellars. The caves have been used in the past as monks’ dormitories and a place for illegal gambling. Although there are no guided tours running at this time, you can peer into the caves via a glass observation window in one of the bars.
Either way, the pub is worth visiting. It offers a welcoming atmosphere inside, with staff serving up tasty pub grub and craft beers.
Church Rock Cemetery
This grade II-listed cemetery is truly beautiful but has a sad history. Public executions once took place on the cemetery grounds and the contrasting graves within it are fascinating to see. The plots range from stunning monuments to simple paupers’ graves. The latter belong to families that could not afford to give their loved ones a proper burial. This instead meant that up to 20 bodies were buried beneath heavy grey slabs in the ground!
The Museum Of Curiosities
If you’re a fan of the paranormal, Nottingham’s haunted museum, The Museum of Curiosities, is a must. It’s one of the most haunted places in Nottingham, and at just an £8 entry fee, it’s well worth the price. It boasts three floors, each filled to the brim with haunted artefacts and relics, plus the opportunity to hold a real human skull (or two). Don’t miss this on your list of spooky things to do in Nottingham.
The Lost Caves
The Lost Caves refer to yet more caves beneath bars – or in this case, a bar INSIDE a cave! This almost hidden gem is found 26 feet below one of Nottingham’s oldest hotels. The quirky and unique gin bar may be hard to find – but that’s part of the fun – and well worth the hunt.
National Justice Museum
Did you know that the National Justice Museum is known as one of England’s most haunted buildings? The former Georgian gaol has a gruesome past of many men, women and children being executed on site. The courtrooms date back to the 14th century, and the gaol to at least 1449! The entrance room, courtroom, caves and pits are all rumoured to be haunted. You can visit any day of the week, and occasionally, they run ghost tours there. Alternatively, you can book an event with an independent paranormal investigation company.
By day, however, the museum is definitely worth visiting. We spent a good few hours exploring the museum and learning about its fascinating history. There’s plenty of dark and macabre stuff to discover there, from an interactive autopsy table to trap doors from Wandsworth Prison’s gallows. You can stand on the exact spot where people were executed – and it’s a pretty harrowing experience. Visiting the basement cells is definitely one of the most scary things to do in Nottingham.
Grave Notes: Save money by buying a joint ticket for entry to both the National Justice Museum and City of Caves!
Nottingham Castle
Nottingham Castle has tons of incredible history to discover – as well as pretty cool views over the city! The castle was built in 1067 as a wooden structure and then rebuilt three years later with stone. When visiting, you can learn about Nottingham’s history and the legend of Robin Hood. Make sure you grab a selfie with his statue right outside too!
In terms of spooky history, the castle is haunted by apparitions such as Mortimer, Earl of March and young boys who were held hostage and executed by King John in 1212. It’s said you can still hear their cries around the castle today.
Other (Slightly Alternative) Quirky Things to Do in Nottingham
If you need something a bit more lighthearted after all that spooky stuff, there are lots of fun and unusual things to do in Nottingham too!
Gloryholes Nottingham
Gloryholes crazy golf is a fun way to let your hair down. This adults-only experience has 18 holes, each with a bonkers theme and tons of photo opportunities. The cocktail menu isn’t half bad either…
Oh and if you still want to get your spook on, one hole is themed like some creepy meat locker, right out of a horror movie. So this still kind of counts as one of many spooky things to do in Nottingham, right?!
Wolf Wytch Apothecary
This magical shop is based within Nottingham’s Sneinton market and offers everything you could possibly need for your alt/witchy bath and candle products. The shop also stocks a bunch of cool dark tourism travel books. So if you’re after even more recommendations of spooky stuff to do in the UK, definitely swing by.
Quirky Bars
I’ve already mentioned some of Nottingham’s most historic drinking spots, but it’s home to lots of offbeat and atmospheric bars too! Check out:
Pitcher & Piano: set inside a stunning old church
Bunk: cocktails and wings in a funky underground setting
Coco Tang Cocktail Bar: an underground bar themed like an old-style Hong Kong alley
Practical Tips for Visiting Nottingham
Getting There: Nottingham is well connected by both road and rail, making it easy to reach from across the UK. Direct trains run regularly from cities like London, Birmingham and Manchester, with Nottingham Station located around a 15-20 minute walk from the city centre. If travelling by car, Nottingham is easily accessible via the M1, though parking in the city centre can be limited and is often best booked in advance.
Getting Around: Nottingham is a very walkable city, with many of its main attractions located close together. For longer distances, the city has an excellent tram network as well as regular bus services, making it easy to explore without a car.
Time Needed: You can see many of Nottingham’s main attractions in a day, but I’d recommend spending at least 1-2 nights here to explore at a more relaxed pace – especially if you want to visit multiple museums and historic sites.
Best Time to Visit: Nottingham is a great destination year-round, but autumn is particularly atmospheric for exploring its darker history. October is especially popular thanks to Halloween events and ghost tours, while summer offers longer days and a livelier city atmosphere.
Budget: Nottingham is generally an affordable city to visit, with a mix of free attractions, reasonably priced museums, and budget-friendly food options. Accommodation prices can vary, but there are plenty of options to suit different budgets.
Map of All the Spooky Things to Do in Nottingham
Final Thoughts from a Morbid Tourist
Every time I visit Nottingham, I find myself surprised at how many spooky and alternative things there are to do. Whether you’re exploring the National Justice Museum by day followed by a ghost tour at night, or enjoying a pint in one of the city’s historic and haunted pubs, you’ll be spoilt for choice here.
For anyone interested in dark tourism, Nottingham offers a fantastic mix of eerie attractions, fascinating history, and unusual experiences. Whether you’re planning a full weekend trip or just passing through, there are plenty of opportunities to explore the city’s darker side.
Save this guide for your next visit – and let me know if I’ve missed any spooky must-dos. Have your own eerie recommendations for Nottingham? Drop them in the comments below!
Last Update: March 2026
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This has been a great help for an upcoming trip to Nottingham! I’ll be looking into some of the London ones too! Thanks for the article
Hi Hannah,
That’s great, I’m glad it’s helped! Nottingham is so great for an alternative break 😀 I’ve not done any London guides yet but it’s on my list (I might have to break it into a few different posts as there are just so many spooky things to do there haha) x
Meeting a very old friend after 10 years so looking for things to do in the city. This guide is spot on so thank you! Looking forward to visiting some of these places!
Hi Helen,
That’s fantastic! I’m so glad you’ve found it useful 🖤