Witching Week at Newcastle Castle is out to chill with dark tales of city's real-life witch trials

The witching hour - in fact a whole spooky week - awaits at Newcastle Castle which from Monday will become the fitting backdrop for some spine-tingling and spellbinding events.

The historic Castle Keep and Black Gate will be hosting a May 27-June 2 programme of crafts, talks and walks including some half-term activities for children and other attraction which are very much for grown-ups, as in the case of a screening of 2015 horror The Witch.

This film, about a Puritan family in 1630s New England who are tormented by an evil force lurking in the woods, will be shown at The Keep - in the Great Hall which is down a flight of spiral steps - on May 31 at 6pm.

The Witch, the 2015 horror film will be screened during Witching Week (CHP)

And anyone keen to see it is reminded that the Keep is unheated so there might be some extra chills adding  to the atmosphere.

Leading up to that, will be two talks, £4 each, including one bringing back to life a gruesome real-life witch hunt in Newcastle .

First, the Gothic surroundings of Black Gate will host a talk by David Silk on Weird and Witchy Folk Tales from the North East from 6pm on May 29.

Then on May 30, at the same time, Dr Jo Bath - an authority on witches and author of Dancing with the Devil and Other True Tales of Northern Witchcraft - will discuss one of the darkest episodes in the city's history: the witch hunt of 1649 which resulted in 15 people being convicted of sorcery and hanged on the Town Moor.

In between, during half-term, Black Gate will be inviting youngsters to 'think bats, rats, spells and potions' and enjoy some some witch-theme free craft sessions.

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Also on the week's programme will be a War, Witches and Wizards history walk at 10am on May 31, costing a £3 and a theatrical weekender between 10am and 4pm on June 1 and 2 when re-enactors from the English Civil War Society will recreate scenes of 1649 Newcastle.

This living history display, capturing the 17th Century height of the 'witch craze', will feature soldiers and civilians alongside witches and the dreaded Witch-finder.

To book tickets, £9.50,  for the film, call 0191 230 6300, email marketing@newcastlecastle.co.uk or see here .

And see the full programme of Witching Week events here .

How 14 witches and a wizard were executed on Newcastle Town Moor