Marc West ventures into the deep, dark depths of Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum where he discovers ghoulish goings-on

The spookiest night of the year stems from the ancient Celtic harvest festival of Samhain – which marked summer’s transition into the following seasons – a time when it was thought the passageway between the dead and living worlds was at its most fluid.

Prayers were offered to the recently departed and role-reversal disguises worn to confuse vindictive spirits – laughing in the face of the Grim Reaper who came with a vengeance during the oncoming winter.

Modern times have seen the pagan pageant loose its religious connotations to morph into an extravaganza celebrating the supernatural.

And, with Oxford still basking in the afterglow of last week’s super moon, the latest instalment of the Ashmausoleum’s programme of LiveFriday evening openings was no exception – with a gathering of lost souls joining the dance macabre in the historic institution.

Just donning a Scream mask simply wouldn’t cut it here – there’s some creations that Dr Frankenstein himself would be proud of.

With the sweet musty smell of patchouli lingering in the dusty air alongside an atmosphere of pure menace, undead ladies of the night float silently around the museum’s dimly lit corridors – their reflections nowhere to be seen in the highly polished glass of the display cabinets. And, deep underground in the creepy crypt, a vampire DJ was spinning that graveyard smash the Monster Mash to stir the spirits – making DeadFriday a total nightmare on Beaumont Street.

Meanwhile, among the shrunken heads and bottled witches of General Pitt Rivers’ collection, another brethren were Hell-raising too... in traditional Mexican style. With origins dating back at least 3,000 years to pre-Hispanic indigenous cultures, Dia de los Muertos honours the deceased, celebrates life and mocks death in it’s own inimitable style with flowers, food and gifts.

Many of the museum’s unusual items relate to the afterlife. But, what may initially appear morbid or gruesome, more often than not speaks of remembrance. Brightly decorated sugar skulls can also acknowledge that death is simply the passing from this life into the next. Moreover, all this symbol-laden merriment serves as a modern day memento mori – an in-your-face reminder to live every given day as if it were your very last.

It’s not always dreams that lie beneath the spires of this most edifying city – as Bill Spectre reveals on his award-winning walking tour.

Leaving at 6.30pm every Friday and Saturday evening from Oxford Castle Unlocked, the Victorian undertaker will leave you with a deliciously scary tingle running down your spine. You’ve been warned!

For all details, visit ghosttrail.org