10 of The Most Haunted Places in England

It’s hard to distinguish one place as been the most haunted, as many places in the past have gained fame as the top locations for paranormal activity, but to make it easier, here are 10 of the most haunted places in England, based on reports of paranormal activity.

Ghosts of The Tower of London

the most haunted places in England.

The Tower of London is said to be one of the most haunted places in England, and the most haunted castle in Britain. During its 900 years of existence, this fascinating and somewhat terrifying castle has witnessed numerous executions, and the number of spirits that roam its passageways are a testimony to this.

Some of the famous ghostly figures that roam the Tower of London include Anne Boleyn, who was executed by her husband Henry VIII in 1536. The ghost of Anne has been spotted numerously along the corridors. Witness reports say that she carries her severed head. Anne is considered as one of the most persistent ghosts of the Tower of London.

Another famous ghost is Thomas A. Becket. Reports say that he is among one of the first ghosts to be spotted in the tower. Thomas’s death is linked to the grandfather of Henry III because he was against the building of the Inner Curtain Wall.

When you visit the Tower of London, you might also see the ghost of Arbella Stuart roaming the Queen’s House. She was murdered because her marriage with William Seymour was perceived as a threat by King James I. The two had made a plan to run away to France; however, Arbella was spotted during the escape and sent back to the tower where she stayed until her demise in 1615.

The Tower of London isn’t new to gruesome mysteries. It is believed that two princes, Richard and Edward V, were murdered by their uncle, the Duke of Gloucester. The boys were declared illegitimate by the current parliament and resided in the Tower of London. One day they disappeared without a trace, and their skeletons were found beneath a stairway. The ghosts of the two boys are often seen roaming the corridors wearing nightgowns, and echoes of their voices are heard along passageways.

Some guards who work at the tower, during their nightly trips have reported having crushing sensations whenever they visit where King Henry’s VIII armour is stored. There was one guard who reported getting attacked by an unseen figure.

Lots of visitors touring the Tower of London have seen or interacted with some of these ghosts. If you are ever in London and have some spare time, you can check out the Tower of London and get an opportunity to witness the bizarre and terrifying ghostly figures.

Chillingham Castle

the most haunted places in England.

Chillingham Castle can be found in Northumberland, a wild and remote part of north eastern England. The castle, originally a monastery in the 12th century, has been in the hands of the Grey and Bennet families from the 1400’s to this day, and it has the reputation of being one of the most haunted places in Britain.

With its dungeons and torture chamber, one can only imagine the horrible and tragic deaths which took place here, and it’s easy to see how the spirits of the dead might linger, to wreck revenge, or wistfully to cling on to the world of the living which they left before their due time. It’s said that over 7,000 people were tortured and killed here by the notorious torturer, John Sage, in the most horrible ways imaginable.

One of the most famous ghosts is known as the Blue Boy, or sometimes the Radiant Boy, because he is often accompanied by flashes of blue light. People sleeping the in the castle’s Pink Bedroom were woken by a loud and piteous wailing, and saw a halo of blue light around the four poster bed. The hauntings have not been seen since the skeletons of a man and a boy were discovered within an adjoining 10ft thick wall – perhaps their spirits can now rest in peace.

Also seen at Chillingham is a white wraith like figure of a woman. She first appeared in the pantry of the great kitchens to a servant who slept there in order to guard the silver which was kept there, and begged for water. She is still seen on occasion, and it’s thought that she might have been the victim of poisoning, or of a walling up, leaving her with a savage craving for water even in death.

Many of the Chillingham ghosts manifest themselves as an impression, a sound or simply a feeling, rather than an actual ghostly sighting. Footsteps, groans, moans, whispered conversations, the smell of blood, screams, slamming doors, children running, flashing lights, even rumbling stomachs, have all be reported. And of course, as in all great haunted castles there is a Grey Lady who is seen drifting through doors and walls.

Chillingham Castle has a long and at times very tragic history, being the focus of the border wars between the English and the Scots. With such a history, hauntings seem all but inevitable.

Woodchester Mansion

the most haunted places in England.

Woodchester Mansion is one of the oldest and most interesting mansions in England. There have been many stories, some unfounded and others believed to be true, surrounding the mansion.

The theories about the ghosts of Woodchester mansion first came to light in 1840 when the 2nd Earl of Ducie held a party that ended up with his dead father appearing at the dining table. It is believed that the Earl saw his father who had been dead for a while sitting where he had planned to sit, at the head of the table.

Since then there have been other reports of ghosts roaming around the mansion, including a group of soldiers who died during a training session when a bridge they were using fell into the water. Following their deaths, their bodies were brought back into the mansion and their spirits are believed to be some of the ghosts roaming around the building. Some mediums have reported seeing men in uniform and hearing 1940’s music in the corridors.

The chapel of the mansion is also believed to have some ghosts, thanks to the reports of the scent of freshly extinguished candles without the candles being physically lit. There have also been reports of a short man standing at the doors of the chapel gazing at the windows in a concerned manner.

The chapel ghost is believed to be the stonemason showing concern for the way the stones were destroyed by water seeping through the walls.

This ghost is also believed to be responsible for stones that are sometimes thrown inside the chapel without anybody being in the direction of the origin of the stones.

The staircase in the mansion is believed to be haunted by the ghost of a young girl who skips around, while the kitchen is believed to have three ghosts.

One of them is a young woman who is sometimes heard singing an Irish song, while another is a young boy who seems to hide from somebody as shown by his crouching position in one corner.

The other ghost is that is a tall man who seems to be looking for someone given the way he leans over towards the kitchen.

Pluckley Village

the most haunted places in England.

Pluckley village is another site famous for ghost sightings. One of the ghosts of Pluckley Village is found in the Church of St. Nicholas. Many people have reported seeing a dancing light in one of the windows on the right. The light usually appears together with a knocking from the Dering family vault underneath the chapel.

Greystones also has a ghost in the form of a monk who seems to drift among the trees when visitors are around. The monk is rumored to have fallen in love with one of the daughters of a nearby property owner. When she died under mysterious circumstances, he gave in to bitterness and wasn’t able to recover. This led to depression which finally led to death.

Other ghosts of Pluckley Village are found in one of the unnamed roads. The ghosts are believed to be of a woman and man who can be heard chatting happily as well as their dog who can also be heard.

The Rose Court has a ghost in the form of a woman whose believed to have fallen in love with a monk from Greystones. However, the love triangle was too much for her to handle and she ended up drinking poison and dying. Apart from objects moving around, there have also been groans and sighs being heard.

The area around the Pinnock Bridge is the place the ghost of a lady who was killed by an accidental fire roams. The old woman liked to sit on the walls of the bridge smoking her pipe until one day, she fell asleep, when the pipe fell on the gin flask she also carried with her. This set her on fire that ended up killing her. Her ghost lingered in the area as a howling figure in flames but nowadays that figure is believed to be a faint pink figure.

The Fright Corner also has other ghosts of Pluckley Village. These are believed to be spirits of a highwayman and lawmakers who engaged in a fight that ended up with the death of the highwayman. He was chased across the fields and he put up a fight in this location, but he ended up being killed.

There have since been reports of the battle that took place and sometimes the dead body of the man. A schoolmaster who committed suicide is another ghost found on Dick Buss’ lane. The lifeless body of the teacher can sometimes be seen dangling on the tree where he committed suicide.

Pluckley village has gained worldwide fame as one of the most haunted places in England.

Wharram Percy

Wharram Percy is one of the villages in England that is believed to have experienced too many deaths.

One of the ghosts of Wharram Percy is believed to be of a man who was hanged for his crimes. Before his death, he liked to sit in a chair in that same location, but after his death, anyone who dared to sit in that chair met their own untimely death.

Scarborough castle of Wharram Percy is also believed to have another ghost who was beheaded. Many who have had an encounter with him and have reported that he tends to lunge towards them. He is also believed to behave maliciously.

A woman, her son, and stepson are also believed to be ghosts found in Nunnington Hall. The mother was reported to have mistreated her stepson to the extent of locking him up in the attic and starving him. This was until he suddenly disappeared with some reports saying he was murdered and others saying he escaped. The other son soon fell to his death leaving the mother too heartbroken to bear the pain. She lost her sanity and died as well. The spirits of the three are believed to roam the place, sometimes slamming doors. The children’s voices are sometimes heard and other visitors have reported seeing their shadows.

The Chalk Works is another part of Wharram Percy that is believed to have spirits roaming free. There have also been different sounds heard with some people hearing gagging sounds, and others hearing footsteps of someone running.

Pendle Hill, Lancashire

The beautiful green fields and quiet atmosphere makes for attractive countryside, but this hill, which is often laced in a silk-like fog, has a long history of ghost sightings and paranormal activity. These sightings have led to Pendle Hill to become known as one of the most haunted places in England.

One of the most unforgettable events to occur on the Pendle Hill is the execution of ten witches popularly known as the Pendle witches. This event happened in the 1600s and started as a rumour of a family that lived up the hill, that was associated with dark rituals and devil worship.

Later on, the community started observing mysterious occurrences, and some local members succumbed to an unexplainable illness.

All these occurrences led to one of the most notorious witch trials in England. This particular trial was held at Pendle Hill, and 12 witches were accused of ten murders. 10 of them were found guilty, nine women and one man, and they were executed by hanging. Out of the remaining two, one was proclaimed innocent, and the other died while in jail.

The spooky history of Pendle Hill made it a haven for dark rituals and devil worship over the years. And as if that’s not enough, a Bronze Age burial site was discovered at the top.

There have been numerous reports of ghostly sightings and unexplained phenomena. The ghosts of Pendle Hill, Lancashire are closely linked with the Pendle Witches. Visitors have claimed seeing objects resembling women dressed in witch robs. Some people have also reported seeing black witch hats lurking in the fog.

Additionally, other ghost spirits belonging to children have been seen roaming the hill. Though not related to the trial, these ghosts have been linked to other deaths that occurred in the area. There are several photographs online showing ghost apparitions and light anomalies.

For instance, some few years back, Christine Hamlett, a psychic medium, captured on camera a picture of one of the ghosts of the Pendle Hill witches. In the photograph, you can spot a figure of a girl in a white dress. She believes its Jennet Device, who was one of the witches murdered when she was only 12 years old. During the encounter, Christine admits to feeling strange and uneasy.

Pendle Hill is one of the most haunted places in England. Lots of paranormal enthusiasts have reported sighting ghosts and hearing disembodied voices when they visited the hill.

Warwick Castle, Warwickshire

the most haunted places in England.

Warwick Castle in Warwickshire played a pivotal role in English History. It was a home to several noble families. However, within its walls, this great castle witnessed numerous battles, witchcraft, and executions. The dark and looming structure houses souls that were trapped there in the medieval times and continue to roam the corridors to date. It is another of the most haunted places in England.

In 1068, a tower was constructed where Warwick Castle now stands. It was used as a stronghold to protect the communities that resided within that area. As time moved by, the tower was modified. By the 1500s, the castle was fully built. The wood was replaced with stones, and better rooms were added.

The ghosts of Warwick Castle are the families, soldiers, and prisoners that once resided there. The castle is practically a backdrop of haunted tales of murder, execution, and torture. One of the most popular ghosts of Warwick Castle is Sir Fulke Greville. History has it that Sir Fulke was murdered in 1628 by his servant Ralph Haywood.

The reason for his murder was because Ralph wasn’t pleased with what his master had indicated to be left to him in his will. Sir Fulke was stabbed with a knife, but he didn’t die immediately. He suffered excruciating pain for a month before succumbing to an infection. This traumatizing end forced his spirit to roam the castle ever since. Sightings of Sir Fulke’s ghost have been reported on numerous occasions.

His ghost is mostly seen in the corridor next to the chapel, and at the Watergate tower. His apparition has been seen a lot of times at the Watergate Tower to the point that it has been nicknamed Ghost Tower.

Other ghosts have also been spotted at the dungeon. It is believed that these are the spirits of the souls that were tortured and executed there in the medieval period. Visitors have experienced abnormal temperature changes, heard growls and have been scratched by things unseen.

The ghost of Moll Bloxham, a witch who cursed the Castle, has also been seen on numerous occasions roaming the grounds. She has been named the Lady in Gray because of her appearance. She was accused by the owner of the castle, Earl, for stealing and was subjected to humiliating torture.

The number of ghosts whose spirits still live in the Warwick Castle are many. For example, there is a womanly figure that is seen gliding through the castle frequently. She is believed to be Frances Greville, who died in 1938.

An apparition of a young teenage girl is also spotted regularly. And wails of a crying mother and child is mostly heard in the night. At times, visitors hear disembodied footsteps, which are believed to belong to the ghosts of the Castles deceased soldiers.

In March 2009, a group of contractors building a new dungeon in the castle had to stop their work because of a scare by ghosts. The site manager verified these claims by admitting that he saw a strange figure in the hallways. And before that, he had heard strange noises and smelt lavender, which was an odd scent for an old building.

Felbrigg Hall, Norfolk

Located in Norfolk you will find an impressive building that has stood the test of time. Felbrigg Hall has a rich history and is home to one of the most famous hauntings in the history of the UK. The hall which is the former home of William Windham III has been on the radar of ghost hunters from around the country.

Windham was a book obsessed individual who called this hall home back in the 1800’s. In the year 1809, a fire broke out at his friend’s library in London. Windham being such a lover of books risked his life to save as many books as possible. While inside the burning building, Windham was badly burned, and tragically he died only a few days later.

After his death, some very strange things started happening in the hall. Over the years people have reported seeing Windham in his favorite area, the library. He can often be seen standing next to a table that now showcases some of his favorite manuscripts.

Windham may not be the only resident ghost at Felbrigg Hall. In the past, several maids in the home have reported hearing a ghostly voice of a woman. When the ghostly voice appeared several candles that had been lit suddenly went out. This has happened on more than one occasion, but when anyone looks for the woman, there is no one to be found.

Felbrigg Hall is surrounded by dark woods, giving the building and the grounds around it a haunted like feeling. Anyone who has visited this property will tell you just how eerie it is. Adding to the creepiness is the fact that Windham is buried very near the hall. This may be one reason he now haunts his former home.

Felbrigg Hall rightly takes it’s place as one of the most haunted places in England.

Blickling Hall, Norwich

the most haunted places in England.

A list of the most haunted places in England wouldn’t be complete without the addition of Blickling Hall.

Blickling Hall is most famously known as the birthplace of Anne Boleyn. Anne was accused of adultery and high treason. After her trial, she was locked up in the Tower of London and later beheaded alongside her brother who was charged with incest.

On May 19th, 1536 Anne was beheaded two days after her brother. Every year on the anniversary of her death, Anne can be found wondering Blickling Hall holding her decapitated head. It is rumored that she arrives at the hall by a coach that is driven by a headless horseman. The horses that pull the coach are also said to be headless.

Anne is not the only ghost at Blickling Hall. Anne’s own father is said to roam the grounds of the hall scaring anyone that sees him. Some say that when you get near his ghost, he spouts blood from his mouth. Apparently, her father felt very guilty because he arranged the marriage of his daughter to Henry VIII.

Three other ghosts haunt this famous hall. The ghost of two knights Sir Henry Hobart and Sir John Falstofe can be found here. In addition to the knights, there is a lady in grey that wanders the hall. These spirits help make Blickling Hall one of the most haunted places in England.

Ancient Ram Inn, Wotton-under-Edge

One famous legend that surrounds the Ancient Ram Inn is that of the witch who was burned at the stake in the 1500s. Many people believe that the witch’s spirit still haunts one of the rooms of the house to this day. Legend has it that the witch took refuge in one of the rooms before being captured and killed. Currently, the room is known as “The Witches Room”.

One previous owner by the name John Humphries confirmed the abnormal things he experienced here. He attested that during the first night, he was grabbed by a demonic force by the arms and was dragged from the bed across the room, and could not resist it however hard he tried.

One of the rooms that is most haunted is “The Bishop’s Inn”, which is found on the first floor. When this place was in use, many guests would flee at night with claims of being haunted by the ghostly figure of a monk.

Another spirit here is the ghost of a centurion on horseback. There is also the succubus which normally creeps into the beds of sleeping visitors.

These are some of the most haunted places in England, and definitely have some intriguing stories behind them!