Reportedly haunted locations in the United Kingdom

From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
Jump to: navigation, search

Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

A 19th-century illustration of Cock Lane. The haunting took place in the three-storey building on the right.

There are a number of reportedly haunted locations in the United Kingdom.

England

  • Airfields around the country are said to have paranormal activity arising from the spirits of airmen who died in World War II.[1] Airfields include:
  • Ancient Ram Inn, a haunted building in Gloucestershire. It has been featured on various paranormal television programmes.
  • Arundel Castle in Sussex is often said to be home to just four ghosts but there are more ghostly goings on between its ancient walls than first meets the visitor. The spirit of the first Earl of Arundel, who originally built the castle, is said to still haunt the Castle's Keep. Another spirit is said to be of a young woman who, stricken with grief from a tragic love affair, took her own life by jumping to her death from one of the towers. Seen by some, she is said to still haunt the castle on moonlit nights dressed in white. Another spirit is that of a 'Blue Man' who has been seen within the library since the 1630s and it is thought that he could be a Cavalier due to his time period seeming to be from King Charles I's reign. Another notable 'spirit' is that strangely of a white owl like bird. Legend tells that if the white bird is seen fluttering in one of the windows, it is an imminent warning of a death of a Castle resident or someone closely associated. It's interesting to note here that Dukes used to keep a colony of white American Owls here at the castle before its restoration. There is also mention of a servant lad who once lived at the castle who was treated very badly until beaten to his death. He is said to now haunt the kitchen area and has been seen scrubbing pots and pans. Another strange sighting was more recent in 1958 by a footman. Working late one night on the ground floor the footman was walking near the servant's quarters and saw what he thought to be a man walking in front of him when he thought he had been alone. As he got closer to the apparition the man faded and then was gone.[6]
  • Bochym Manor is residence to two ghosts, the short pink lady, and an unnamed ghost who stands at one of the bedroom windows.[7]
  • Belgrave Hall in Leicester, attracted attention in 1999 when a white figure was captured on CCTV. One theory is it is the daughter of a former owner.[8]
  • 50 Berkeley Square is reputed to be the most haunted house in London.[9][10]
  • Blue Bell Hill in Kent, specifically the A229. This has been the site of a female phantom hitchhiker. Cars have stopped to pick up a female hitchhiker, only for her to vanish to the drivers' disbelief.[11]
Borley Rectory in 1892
  • Borley Rectory in the village of Borley, Essex, England. Many sightings have been reported since 1885. The house burned down in 1939, and remains a huge source of controversy.[12]
  • The Black Lady of Bradley Woods is supposedly seen near Bradley, Lincolnshire.
  • Brislington, once an attractive Somerset village but now a neighbourhood in Bristol, has many ghosts in pubs and hotels, houses old and new, and public spaces.[13]
  • Brookside Theatre in Romford - Heralded recently in the national press and television as “the UK’s most haunted theatre”, the venue is based within the long-neglected Romford War Memorial, Essex. These historic buildings have an extensive and well documented history of paranormal phenomena and evidence of poltergeist activity.
  • Bruce Castle in Tottenham, North London is haunted by the ghost of a woman who allegedly appears every 3 November. The ghost is thought to be Lady Coleraine, who was kept locked up in a chamber within the castle by her husband.[10]
  • Castle Lodge, Ludlow in Ludlow, Shropshire, is believed by many to be haunted by a young girl in Tudor dress. Some say this is Catherine of Aragon, who lived in Castle Lodge during her marriage to Prince Arthur.
  • Chingle Hall in the village of Goosnargh, near Preston, England. Chingle Hall, previously known as Singleton Hall, was built in 1260 by Sir Adam de Singleton. It is reputably haunted by more than one spirit.[14]
  • Crowley Hall in the north of England, is supposedly haunted by the spirit of Dr. Bernard Leys. Leys ran the hall for a number of years before dying under mysterious circumstances in 1952. Sightings of ghosts have been reported since the 1970s.[15]
  • Dartmouth, Devon, ancient maritime town has many modern and traditional ghost stories including (in its hinterland) some recently discovered spirits from the Bronze Age.[16]
Highwayman, Jamaica Inn, Cornwall
  • Deane Road Cemetery, Liverpool, burial ground for numerous Jewish families dating back to the 17th century[17] After the cemetery fell into disrepair during the 18th century residents of the road have reported hearing children's screams in the middle of the night, doors slamming unexpectedly and furniture seemingly rearranging itself. Some of the older houses on the street which may have been involved in keeping slaves during the slave trade in the latter part of the 19th century have experienced screams, scratching sounds, loud footsteps, doors shutting and locking and supposed possession. During the times of slavery it was not uncommon for slaves to be kept in ill conditions in the large basements of these old homes and it has been speculated that this fact may be central to the hauntings of these particular houses more so than the cemetery itself.[18][19]
  • In Dorset an axe-wielding ghost riding a horse, bareback is described by witnesses as looking like a stone age warrior.[20]
  • Edge Hill, Warwickshire the location of the first battle of the English Civil War, the Battle of Edge Hill. Ghostly sightings and noises of the battle have been reported ever since the war.[unreliable source?]
  • Ettington Park Hotel, a neo-Gothic building in Warwickshire, has many ghost sightings by guests and staff.
  • Footsteps by an unseen pedestrian are said to be heard around 1 a.m. on Gloucester Drive, Finsbury Park, North London. The steps are said to begin outside #7, cross the street and continue through the front gardens, accompanied by the sound of breaking twigs. The Guardian named the street Britain's 5th most haunted road.[21]
  • Hammersmith where there have been multiple sightings, especially of the notorious Hammersmith Ghost.[22]
  • Hampton Court Palace, home of King Henry VIII of England, whose fifth wife, Catherine Howard, is supposed to be heard screaming in the "Haunted Gallery". On 21 December 2003, CCTV footage allegedly showed someone in 16th-century clothes and no face closing a fire door that, though locked, was constantly being opened without anyone near it.[23] Another is the ghost of Jane Seymour, Henry VIII's third wife who died a few days after giving birth to Edward VI.
  • Ingress Abbey, a neo-gothic country house in Greenhithe, Kent, where there have been various sightings including of a servant girl said to have committed suicide in the house.[24][25]
  • The Jamaica Inn in Cornwall is reputed to be haunted by a highwayman, a murdered smuggler, a mother and child, and horses.[26]
  • RAF Metheringham is the location for the phenomenon known as the Metheringham Lass.[27]
  • Minsden Chapel in Hertfordshire is reported to be haunted by a monk climbing stairs which no longer exist.[28][29]
  • The Old Bailey, London's main criminal court. A figure (of unclear sex) supposedly appears in the building during important trials. These appearances have been allegedly witnessed by judges, barristers and policemen.[30]
  • Pluckley in Kent is listed in the 1998 edition of the Guinness Book of Records as the most haunted village in England. Ghosts include a phantom coach and horses, a colonel and a highwayman.[31]
  • The Brown Lady of Raynham Hall has been sighted quite a few times over the years. She is so called because of the brown brocade dress she is supposedly seen wearing while wandering the halls and staircase. In 1849 a Major Loftus and a friend named Hawkins claimed to see the ghost one night after retiring to bed, saying they were amazed by the old-fashioned clothing she wore. The next night Loftus claimed to see the figure once again, saying he took note of her empty eye-sockets. The incident resulted in several members of staff resigning and a full investigation of Raynham Hall involving local detectives.[32]
  • Renishaw Hall, a stately home in Derbyshire where renovations uncovered a coffin built into the floor of a bedroom of the house. Several people who slept there had reported being woken by cold kisses. The ghost of a female servant was also seen.[33]
  • There have been a number of reported sightings at the Royal Albert Hall, including the ghost of Father Willis, walking around inside the organ and two ladies wandering the corridors.[34][35]
  • Samlesbury Hall in Preston, Lancashire, is supposedly haunted by Lady Dorothy Southworth, known as the "White Lady". Weeping is often heard, and her ghost has been seen wandering near where her lover was buried.[36]
  • Residents of a house at 69 Spenser Grove, Stoke Newington, were forced to flee by several ghosts and a poltergeist after a series of fires in 1969.[37][38] The house has since been demolished.[39]
  • Temple Newsam is reported to be the most haunted house in Yorkshire, with the most famous ghost being Mary Ingram, commonly known as "The Blue Lady", who in her life became deranged after an attack by highwaymen. Ghosts linked with the more famous residents of Temple Newsam include "The White Lady": this is said to be the ghost of the "Nine Days Queen", the unfortunate Lady Jane Grey. She was executed by Mary I.[40][41]
  • Tower of London — The fortress has been reported to be one of the most haunted buildings in England, since its construction by King William the Conqueror in 1078. The Wakefield Tower is reportedly to be haunted by Henry VI of England, whose weak and ineffectual reign ended here with his murder "in the hour before midnight" on 21 May 1471, as he knelt at prayer. Lady Jane Grey, Thomas Becket, Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury and The Princes in the Tower the nephew's of Richard III who mysteriously vanished are all said to haunt the vicinity. The whimpering wraiths of two children, Edward V and Richard of Shrewsbury, 1st Duke of York, dressed in white nightgowns, and clutching each other in terror have frequently been seen in the dimly lit rooms of their imprisonment. Sir Walter Raleigh, has been seen frequently near the walls of the Bloody Tower. Catherine Howard has been seen still running down the hallway screaming for help. Queen Anne Boleyn is buried under the Chapel’s altar and reports of her headless body has also been numerously seen walking throughout the corridors of the Tower.[42][43]
  • Ulleskelf, North Yorkshire.This has been the site of a female phantom hitchhiker. Cars have stopped to pick up a female hitchhiker, only for her to vanish to the drivers' disbelief.[11] Ulleskelf, Local legend dictates of a Father whose only son was killed on the local railway line, the apparition can be seen frantically pacing around the station and the adjoining car park . Towton, Ulleskelf, Saxton the location of the first battle of the English Civil War,the Battle of the Roses. Ghostly sightings and noises of the battle have been reported ever since the war.[unreliable source?]
  • Wakefield Kirkgate railway station is believed to be haunted by a ghost that has the appearance of a Victorian woman, who wanders the subway between platforms 1 and 2 at night.[44]
  • Willington Mill — The house and flour mill in Willington, near Wallsend have been reported to have been haunted since 1834.[45][46]
  • Windsor Castle — home of English and British royalty for 1,000 years. Numerous ghosts are supposed to have been seen, including Queen Elizabeth I. Her mother, Anne Boleyn, is also said to haunt Windsor castle and supposedly runs down a corridor screaming. Among those who claimed to have seen the ghost, who sometimes is said to be carrying her head, are King George VI, William Ewart Gladstone and The Duke of York.[47][48]
  • Wysing Arts Centre – An area of farmland in Bourn, Cambridgeshire converted into a museum and performance space. A member of the family whose home stood on the ground now holding the Arts Centre is said to wander the grounds. The Cambridge University Paranormal Society attribute this to the absence of a grave from the collection at the rear of the house. A family member reportedly perished in the fire that destroyed the farm building, and his remains were never recovered.[citation needed]
  • Zurich Office – The site of an old medieval monastery, Farnborough converted into the offices of Zurich Insurance Company. It is said that heretic monks were imprisoned and tortured in the ground-floor cages until as late as the 14th century, when the Black Death wiped out most of the population. The building was unused until being repurposed sometime in the 2000s to house insurance staff working for Zurich. The sounds of monks screaming from the torture can be heard in the vicinity of the ground floor at certain times of the day, and members of staff have reported paperclips being violently hurled across the office.[citation needed]
  • Severalls Hospital, –Psychiatric treatments including lobotomies and electroshock were the norm in Severalls Hospital. The reputation for being extremely haunted, in this context, shouldn't come as a surprise. The hospital was closed down in 1997, but ghost-hunters still visit the place in search of encounters of the memorable kind.[citation needed]

Northern Ireland

  • Ballygally Castle is reputed to be haunted by the ghost of a Madame Nixon who lived there in the 18th century. After she died it was said that she haunted the castle, wandering the passages at night dressed in a silk dress and amusing herself by knocking on the doors of different rooms. Her fleeting appearances have recently been confined to a room in a corner turret.[49]
  • Dobbins Inn Hotel in Carrickfergus is haunted by Elizabeth, the wife of the owner Hugh Dobbins, fell in love with a soldier stationed at Carrickfergus Castle. She used to use a passage at the back of the old stone fireplace to secretly meet with the soldier known simply as "Buttoncap". It wasn’t long before her husband was to discover the affair, and the reports say he murdered both of them with his sword. Elizabeth's ghost is the one that wonders the hotel to this day. In 1946, the Inn underwent a makeover converting what was then an old dilapidated Inn, into a hotel. Elizabeth's spirit (has become known as "Maud") is still said to haunt the rooms and corridors of the Inn, stroking the faces of guests. Several other guests have also reported the sighting of a black mass shooting from the reception area over to the old stone fireplace were the tunnel still resides.[50]
  • Grace Neill's in Donaghadee is haunted by the original pub owner herself.[51]
  • Grand Opera House in Belfast is haunted by a ghostly figure in a long, dark robe roam the stage.[52]
  • HM Prison Crumlin Road – This former prison has paranormal activities of strange sounds. Doors slam shut by themselves and disembodied voices clearly call out for help. An apparitional man who walks down the "C wing" and disappears has been seen by both tourists and investigators.[53]
  • Springhill – the 17th-century Plantation House, home for nearly 300 years of the Lenox-Conyngham family, reputedly plays host to the most-sighted and best documented ghost in Ireland. Site of the tragic suicide of then-master George Lenox-Conyngham in 1816, the Blue Bedroom is the traditional setting for the many well-recorded appearances of the tall lady, dressed in black, always said to be George's widow, Olivia. Although the tale is uncertain, the strange and particular circumstances of her husband's dramatic death has always been the reason given to explain his widow's continued "running" of the corridors of the old mansion. Now owned by the National Trust, Springhill has become infamous for regular sightings of Olivia, historically by the family and their guests, but more recently by those who have visited the property since.[54]

Scotland

<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>

Wales

Baskerville Hall
Bodidris Hall
  • Local legend talks of a ghost ship that haunts the coast near Abergele, North Wales, allegedly Prince Madoc's Gwennan Gorn. Sightings have been reported by present-day locals and tourists.[55] Gwrych Castle has had many reports of ghosts.
  • Baskerville Hall in Powys, Mid Wales was the location in which Sir Arthur Conan Doyle wrote most of his novel The Hound of the Baskervilles. The magnificent mansion was first built back in 1839 and is by no surprise steeped in years of meaningful history. The Hall is well known for its ghostly hounds, but there's far more of the paranormal occurring here, with reported sightings of many spirits including the White Lady.[56]
  • Beaumaris Castle in Anglesey, North Wales is said to be home to strange echoes of chanting which have been caught on audio recording equipment by visitors to the small chapel area. The feeling of being watched has also been felt in the long dark corridors and an over-all sense of loneliness can be felt.[57]
  • Caerphilly Castle in South Wales is said to be haunted by a ghost known as the Green Lady.[58][59][60][61]
  • It is well known that Denbigh Asylum, located in Denbighshire, is haunted by many of its former patients and staff.[62] Built in 1848 and it closed its doors in 1995. It has been featured on Most Haunted Live.[63]
  • The Llindir Inn in Henllan, Denbighshire is said to be haunted by a ghost in a long blue gown named Sylvia, who dates back to the 18th century. Local legend has it that Sylvia and her lover were murdered by her husband, a sea captain, who caught them in bed together.[64]
  • Llandegla's Bodidris Hall is alleged to be haunted by a monk, a soldier, a boy, a well-dressed woman and a dog.[64]
  • It's claimed that Newton House in Dinefwr Park, near Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire is haunted.[65]
  • In Llanfihangel Crucorney, The Skirrid Mountain Inn, one of the oldest public houses in Wales, is reputed to be home to several ghosts. These include the spirit of a 32-year-old woman who died of consumption, and the shade of a man climbing a staircase. The hauntings have been linked to mass executions carried out at the Inn during the 17th century, following the Monmouth Rebellion of 1685.[66]
  • Guests at the Hand Hotel in Llangollen have reported the sensation of being followed during their stay, only to turn around to find no-one there. One room is said to contain the spirit of a lady who died in childbirth, while in another a figure has been seen sitting at an organ. Guests at another hotel in the town, the Britannia Inn (allegedly built in the 13th century), have also reported paranormal activity. In the latter case, the spirits of monks from the nearby Valle Crucis Abbey have been seen walking through the car park, the bar area, and appearing in the bedrooms in the middle of the night.[64]
  • The ruins of Valle Crucis Abbey itself are said to be haunted. Set in the countryside near the River Dee, a number of events are said to have occurred at the Abbey; the manifestation of mysterious floating lights, supernatural voices, and apparitions including Welsh prince Owain Glyndŵr. One report from the 1930s describes the appearance of golden figures bathed in bright light.[64]
  • Llancaiach Fawr, a Tudor manor house near Nelson in the Caerphilly County Borough is allegedly haunted by a number of ghosts. These include a spectre who appears to be a 19th-century housekeeper known as "Mattie", a young boy who fell to his death from one of the upper rooms, a man usually seen in deep contemplation, and a figure who walks the grounds, but not within the Manor.[67] In 2007, the Guardian listed Llancaiach as one of the top ten haunted places in the United Kingdom.[68]
  • The Penrhyn Old Hall in Penrhyn Bay has had many witnesses to paranormal. Many people have claimed to see an old lady sitting by the large fireplace and a feeling of being watched in the functions room. The main building was established in 1590 but the baronial hall which is now the dance floor is believed to originate from the 12th century, which caused much interest from paranormal investigators who claim they experienced fluctuations in temperature and dizzyness.[69]
  • Plas Teg is a Jacobean house located near the village of Pontblyddyn between Wrexham and Mold. The house has featured on Living's Most Haunted programme on two occasions. The second occasion was featured as part of the Halloween Most Haunted Live! series on 31 October 2007. It was also featured in Ghost Hunting With... Girls Aloud in 2006, where the girls visited the house as their first location, where they claimed to have experienced paranormal activity.[70]
  • Port Talbot's Margam Castle is a Victorian mansion house said to be haunted by many spirits including Lord Talbot and his daughter Emily Charlotte.[71]
  • The Town of Llanelli is reputed to be Wales's most haunted town.[72][73]

See also

<templatestyles src="Module:Hatnote/styles.css"></templatestyles>

References

  1. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. Xmotu: Haunted places in Sussex
  7. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. 10.0 10.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  11. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  16. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. http://forum.forteantimes.com/index.php?threads/kooky-kent.9254/page-2 Servant’s Spirit
  25. http://www.servercontent.com/theingressor/main_social_08.htm Haunted Mirror
  26. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  31. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  35. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  36. Samlesbury Hall Ghost - Haunted Britain Archived May 28, 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  37. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  38. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  39. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  40. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  41. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  42. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  43. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  44. http://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/video-test/Who-ya-gonna-call.4649874.jp Wakefield Express article on ghost hunts
  45. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  46. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  47. Castles with Ghosts Archived March 2, 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  48. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  49. Xmotu: Haunted places in Northern Ireland
  50. http://www.hauntedrooms.co.uk/dobbins-inn-hotel
  51. http://www.northern-ghost-investigations.com/haunted-uk/northern-ireland/grace-neills.html
  52. http://www.ghosts.org.uk/ghost/2893/haunted/opera-house/grand-opera-house/belfast.html
  53. http://www.hauntedrooms.co.uk/crumlin-road-jail-belfast
  54. An Old Ulster House, Mina Lenox-Conyngham, UHF Publications (2005), p160
  55. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  56. Haunted Rooms: Haunted Hotels in Wales
  57. Xmotu: Haunted place in Wales
  58. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  59. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  60. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  61. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  62. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  63. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  64. 64.0 64.1 64.2 64.3 "Denbighshire's most haunted", Denbighshire Free Press, 19 February 2009
  65. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  66. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  67. Caerphilly County Borough Council: Llancaiach Fawr Archived September 29, 2009 at the Wayback Machine
  68. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  69. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  70. Morgan, Gareth. "Girls Aloud' haunted mansion ordeal". Western Mail. 25 Nov 2006
  71. Wales Online: Fright night at Margam Castle>
  72. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  73. Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.