Hex – The Legend of the Towers

Hex – The Legend of the Towers is an intensely psychological, multi-sensory dark ride located inside the historic heart of Alton Towers Resort. Set deep within the Grade II listed Gothic ruins of the original 19th-century mansion house, this world-renowned attraction blends authentic Staffordshire folklore with disorientating physical effects to bring a famous local curse to life.

Hex – The Legend of the Towers at Alton Towers Resort

Unlike high-speed rollercoasters, Hex delivers psychological thrill and suspense that jumps out when you least expect it. Housed within the former seat of the Earls of Shrewsbury, the attraction takes guests on a haunting journey through Augustus Pugin’s restored Picture Gallery, Armoury, and Octagon chambers before leading into a secret vault hidden behind a bookcase that remained sealed for over two centuries.

Theme park fanatics and history lovers alike adore the immersive, story-led atmosphere. For full backstory details, walking maps, and directions to the real 700-year-old tree in Dimmingsdale, explore our dedicated guide to The Legend of the Chained Oak.

Hex – The Legend of the Towers Statistics

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• Theme Park: Alton Towers Resort
• Location in Park: The Towers Ruins
• Year Opened: 2000 (Major Technical & LED Overhaul in 2024)
• Ride System Manufacturer: Vekoma
• Type: Walkthrough & Madhouse Dark Ride
• Development & Creative Concept: Tussauds Studios (Paul Lanham, Candy Holland, Drew Wilson) & John Wardley
• Scenery & Set Design: Drew Wilson
• Musical Score: Crispin Merrell
• Preshow Media & Narration: J. Walter Thompson (Featuring Jim Carter)
• Hourly Capacity: 1,200 riders per hour (78 seats per vault)
• Ride Duration: 5 minutes 25 seconds
• Min Height Requirement: 0.9m (Riders under 1.2m must be accompanied by an adult 16+)

Planning your trip? Make sure to check out our Alton Towers Offers Page to secure discount tickets, or book directly via the Official Alton Towers Hex Page.

The Making of Hex: Restoration & ‘Project Les’

During the late 1990s, the Tussauds Group established a heritage committee to restore the derelict ruins of the Alton Towers mansion house in agreement with local planning authorities. In 1999, a £1 million restoration project revived the crumbling Picture Gallery and Octagon chamber, which had suffered severe dereliction and structural collapse since the 1950s.

To give park guests access to these newly restored architectural treasures, creative director Paul Lanham, Candy Holland, Drew Wilson, and John Wardley sought an appropriate ride concept. Marketing director Glenn Earlham consulted the park’s security manager, Les Davies, whose family had worked on the estate grounds for generations. Davies shared the authentic local legend of the nearby Chained Oak tree in Dimmingsdale. Inspired by the spooky tale, the creative team codenamed the secret development ‘Project Les’ (with the working title The Curse of Alton Towers).

To transition guests from the historic Octagon chamber into the hidden, purpose-built ride vault without damaging the Grade II listed structure, local authorities granted permission to penetrate a single wall section. Every removed stone block was carefully tagged, catalogued, and archived so the wall can be fully restored should the ride ever close.

The Walkthrough Experience & Preshow Rooms

Hex is designed as a multi-stage walkthrough attraction that builds psychological tension before revealing the ride vault:

• The Armoury & Queue: Guests enter the stately Grand Entrance and walk past suits of armour eerily draped in dust sheets, surrounded by stone archways, scaffolding, and flickering work lights that give the feel of an active heritage restoration site.
• The Cinema Preshow: Inside a dark briefing room, guests watch a dramatic, cinematic film produced by J. Walter Thompson and narrated by actor Jim Carter. The film reveals how the arrogant 15th Earl of Shrewsbury was cursed in 1821 by an old beggar woman after refusing her a coin, decreeing that every fallen oak branch would cause a family member’s death.
• The Octagon Chamber: Moving into the vaulted Octagon room, guests observe the Earl’s generator contraption. Distant thunder rumbles as an electric storm over the Churnet Valley causes a power failure, triggering supernatural activity before a secret passage behind a bookcase is revealed.
• The Vault Ride: Guests step into the secret vault where the Earl brought the fallen branch to perform dark alchemy. Once seated on the 78-seat bank, riders experience mind-bending disorientation as the entire room appears to spin 360 degrees around them!

Vekoma Madhouse Technology & Music

The ride system inside the Vault is a custom Vekoma Madhouse. While the central seating bank only sways back and forth by up to 30 degrees, the large cylindrical room surrounding the riders rotates a full 360 degrees. Combined with Crispin Merrell’s dramatic orchestral score and synchronised lighting, this optical illusion tricks the inner ear into believing you are flipping completely upside down.

The Evolution: Version 1 (2000) vs. Version 2

When Hex originally opened in March 2000, it featured a very different “diegetic” preshow. Guests were guided by an Oxbridge academic character named Professor Graham Nicholson via a video feed on the roof, presenting the curse as a working archaeological dig. However, early guest feedback indicated visitors assumed it was a made-up theme park story rather than a real local legend.

In response, Alton Towers quickly commissioned agency J. Walter Thompson to rework the experience for the summer 2000 season. They replaced the professor with the cinematic film narrated by Jim Carter, streamlined the Octagon sequence, and heightened the Gothic atmosphere, transforming Hex into an instant cult classic and a staple of British theme park history.

The 2024 Major Technical & Theatrical Overhaul

Following an extended closure, Alton Towers Resort completed a major engineering and theatrical refurbishment of Hex in 2024. The project replaced obsolete 2000-era show control systems with modern LED lighting, enhanced theatrical effects, updated audio programming, and new smoke and spark effects. This comprehensive overhaul ensures the ride will continue to enchant and disorientate visitors for many years to come.

Behind the Scenes: VIP Hex Walking Tours

For ultimate fans wanting a rare glimpse behind the curtain of this historic attraction, Alton Towers Resort offers an exclusive Hex: The Legend of the Towers Behind the Scenes VIP Experience. Led by expert guides, this hour-long walking tour takes guests aged 12 and over deep into restricted areas of the Grade II listed ruins and show building. Participants get an up-close look inside the Ride Operator Cabin, step inside the iconic Vault with the work lights on, and explore the subterranean Drum Cellar to see the massive motors and drive wheels that rotate the 78-seat Madhouse. The VIP package also includes an exclusive collector’s pin badge, Express Parking, and a single Fastrack pass for the attraction. Book your exclusive tour directly via the Official Alton Towers VIP Experiences Page.

Explore More Dark Rides & Alton Towers Guides

Hex is just one of several world-class indoor rides at the resort. Check out our detailed guides for other Alton Towers attractions and insider tools:

• Alton Towers Resort Directory Guide
• UK Dark Rides Master Directory
• 10 Alton Towers Secrets You Didn’t Know
• Alton Towers Insider Tips & Tricks
• Alton Towers Live Queue Times

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