AFTER successfully re-instating the ‘Wilfra cakes’ tradition, Ripon Museums have turned their attention to a Halloween treat.

In August, staff and volunteers from the Ripon Workhouse Museum revived the tradition of baking Wilfra cakes which celebrated the return from exile of the popular St Wilfrid - or Wilfra - the 7th century bishop who built Ripon’s first cathedral.

Now the Workhouse is continuing to maintain tradition and heritage with a series of All Hallow’s Eve events and the revival of ‘Soul Cakes’.

These were traditionally given out to ‘Soulers’, mostly children and the poor, who went from door to door singing and saying prayers ‘for the souls of the givers and their friends’.

The practice of giving and eating soul cakes is seen as the origin of today’s trick or treating.

Traditionally, each cake eaten would represent a soul being freed from Purgatory – very often a cross shape was drawn into the dough before baking, to show that they were alms for the dead.

The half-term Soul Cakes and Workhouse Ghosts activities at the Workhouse Museum will include soul cake baking; making ghost finger puppets and Punch and Judy - with a special appearance by Punch’s witchy mother-in-law.

There will also be a ghost walk and a Halloween party.