If your ideal travel itinerary includes the most haunted places in the UK, you’re in luck. Every inch of these storied isles is dotted with scary locales featuring torrid tales and unusual paranormal activity.
Fan of all things spooky? I’ve rounded up some of the most haunted castles, homes, and hotels in the UK for you to visit (or even stay the night).
What is the most haunted place in the UK?
A castle boasting ghost stories from centuries past? A creepy haunted house that’s remained untouched for decades? An abandoned building associated with a gruesome murder? There are so many places to give yourself a scare in the UK.
Here are 17 of the most haunted places in the UK to avoid visiting this Halloween (unless you love getting a fright.)
The most haunted places in the UK
1. Conjure the Witching Hour in Pendle Hill, Lancashire
Pendle Hill is one of the most haunted places in the UK thanks to the 12 Pendle Witches who were hanged at Lancaster Castle in 1612. After, their bodies were buried on Pendle Hill at a site overlooking the nearby village of Newchurch.
This wild, breathtaking landscape is a brilliant spot for a walk in its own right. Ghost hunters also often climb the hill on Halloween to see if they can witness any ghostly activity.
How to visit: Pendle Hill is crisscrossed with amazing hiking routes. Alternatively, keep an eye out for local ghost tours.
2. Walk in the footsteps of a witchfinder in Manningtree, Essex
Manningtree, a seemingly picturesque village in Essex, played a significant role in the East Anglia witch trials. Why? Due to the activities of Witchfinder General Matthew Hopkins.
In the 1640s, Hopkins and his group accused more than 300 people of practising witchcraft. 100 of them were sentenced to hang.
One significant surviving location in Manningtree is the White Hart pub, which is now a private residence. Back in the 1640s, it served as a planning ground for Witchfinder General Matthew Hopkins. From its bar, he orchestrated numerous persecutions of innocent people.
You can also visit the pond in the nearby village of Mistley, where those found guilty of witchcraft were infamously drowned.
How to visit: Take the self-guided Manningtree Walking with Witches tour. It meanders past numerous sites associated with the village’s historic witch trials.
3. Uncover ghostly horrors at Hampton Court Palace, London
At over 500 years old, Hampton Court Palace is backed up to its medieval rafters with ghouls and ghosts. It’s easily one of the most haunted places in London, with two of King Henry VIII’s wives reportedly among its spectres.
Catherine Howard (his fifth wife) was under house arrest at Hampton Court shortly before she was executed. Some visitors claim to have seen her dressed in white, shrieking while walking the halls.
Jane Seymour, Henry’s third and supposedly most beloved wife, died giving birth. Henry commanded that her heart be buried beneath the palace’s chapel altar. Consequently, many say they’ve seen her at night wandering around the main courtyard clutching a candle…
How to visit: Hampton Court Palace can be visited throughout the year, with tickets costing from £26.30 for adults and £13.10 for kids.
4. Tour Britain’s most haunted castle at Berry Pomeroy, Devon
Once owned by the noble Seymour family, only the shell of this once-great castle remains. While architecturally striking, Berry Pomeroy Castle tends to leave visitors rather unsettled.
You’ll find this haunted castle in Devon, just outside Totnes, and it’s scarily empty besides from a visitor’s cafe. To get a real feel for the horrors of this place, use the audiobook provided by English Heritage as you walk through its ruins.
Allegedly, there’s a ‘Blue Lady’ known for luring in passersby and encouraging them to jump to their deaths. If that wasn’t creepy enough, there’s also a ‘White Lady’. She was once imprisoned in the dungeons and still haunts them today.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Many other spectres are said to inhabit Berry Pomeroy – an abandoned building that has earned the moniker: ‘The Most Haunted Castle in Britain’.
How to visit: Berry Pomeroy Castle is an English Heritage site that’s open to the public throughout the year. Tickets cost £9.50 for adults, £5.50 for kids.
5. Stroll among the gravestones at Glasgow Necropolis
This huge cemetery in the heart of Glasgow was created due to an increased demand for more cemeteries in the 1800s. Around 50,000 people are buried in the Necropolis, but only a small percentage have gravestones – and even fewer have names.
In the 1950s, a police officer was shocked to find hundreds of children armed with knives and sticks patrolling the graveyard. Supposedly, they’d heard that a 7ft vampire had killed and eaten two local boys. Nicknamed the Gorbals Vampire, the rumour still persists.
How to visit: Glasgow Necropolis is a public cemetery and is free to visit. Take a self-guided stroll or book a two-hour walking tour run by The Friends of Glasgow Necropolis.
6. Seek out a murdered Roman soldier in Chester
As one of the oldest cities in the UK, it’s unsurprising that Chester has been the subject of several ghost sightings. One of the most talked about is a Roman soldier spotted wandering along the city walls.
During the city’s Roman heyday, its ancient city walls (the only complete circuit in the UK today) were built for protection. Roman legionnaires were often posted at various points to watch out for enemies. Our ghost in question was the subject of a love story gone wrong.
Supposedly, he had fallen in love with a local girl and would often leave his post to meet her. One night, while the couple were together, her family attacked the post he was supposed to guard. When he returned, he was murdered. His ghost still walks the walls to this day.
How to visit: Chester City Walls are free to visit and is one of the city’s best attractions. Walk the whole circumference and look out for the ghost in the section near the amphitheatre.
7. Visit London’s ancient Highgate Cemetery
Highgate Cemetery is a London institution. Many famous people are buried here, from Douglas Adams to Karl Marx. There are also many more common folk buried in unmarked graves. The long and short of it? No matter where you step, it’s likely lots of souls rest below your feet.
Rumours of occult meetings, Satanists and witches gathering in the cemetery have persisted for years. However, in the 1970s and as recently as 2013, there have been reports of a man dressed in Victorian garb floating around the park. Rumour has it he’s a vampire looking for prey.
How to visit: Highgate Cemetery is open seven days a week and you’ll need a ticket to enter (£10 adults, £6 kids). Alternatively, join a guided tour, some of which take you into the cemetery’s creepy catacombs.
8. Find England’s most famous ghost at Blickling Hall, Norfolk
There’s no denying that this lavish National Trust site 30 minutes from Norwich is haunted. The magnificent red brick building certainly has a commanding and eerie presence.
Legend has it that the ghost of Anne Boleyn, the doomed second wife of King Henry VIII, reappears at this haunted house on May 19th every year – the anniversary of her execution in 1536. A cart drawn by a headless horseman is apparently seen carrying Anne, who is holding her own head in her lap.
It’s believed Anne’s father, Sir Thomas, also haunts Blickling Hall (where Anne was born) after he was cursed for not trying to prevent her death.
How to visit: As a National Trust site, Blickling Hall is open to the public all year round. Tickets cost £15 for adults, £7.50 for kids.
9. Feel a chill in the air at Skye’s eerie Duntulum Castle
This wouldn’t be a list of the most haunted places in the UK without mentioning Scotland. At the top of the list is Duntulum Castle.
Its eerie atmosphere comes down to the location. The crumbling castle is perilously positioned on a cliff on the west coast of the Trotternish Peninsula in Skye. Crashing waves and often stormy skies make it a brilliant setting for all things spooky.
A fortified structure has existed on the site since the Iron Age but the existing castle dates back to the 14th century. The castle was last inhabited by the MacDonald clan in the 1630s and now lies abandoned besides the occasional ghost sighting.
Two ghosts apparently call it home: Hugh MacDonald, who starved to death in the dungeon, and a nursemaid who was killed after accidentally dropping the chieftain’s son from a window.
How to visit: Duntulum is a total ruin and unsafe in places. It’s best viewed from a distance along the path from Duntulum Viewpoint.
10. Discover the scene of a mass murder at Corfe Castle, Dorset
Can’t get enough of creepy castles? Perched high on a hill in the Dorset countryside, this crumbling fortress will unsettle even the most stoic of people.
As you ascend Corfe Castle‘s steps, you’ll learn stories about an 18-year-old future king. Edward the Martyr was killed here by his stepmother Queen Elfrida as she wanted her own son to take his place. In the 13th century, King John also imprisoned 22 French soldiers and let them starve to death in the dungeons. Edward II was also held here in 1326 before he was murdered.
What’s more the headless ghost of a lady in white, allegedly a woman who betrayed the Royalist Bankes family who lived here during the Civil War, has also been spotted at Corfe Castle. Blimey!
How to visit: Corfe Castle is a National Trust site, with tickets starting at £11 for adults and £5.50 for kids.
11. Admire the abandoned Whitby Abbey in North Yorkshire
Eerily abandoned, crumbling Whitby Abbey still commands an enormous presence. Situated on top of a cliff overlooking the sea and the town of Whitby, it’s not hard to see why Bram Stoker used it as inspiration for Dracula.
Thousands of people flock here to feel the ghostly presences that have been widely reported. Two of the most famous are St Hilda, who founded the abbey during the 7th century, and Constance de Beverley, who is believed to have been buried alive within the walls. Eeek.
How to visit: Whitby Abbey is open to the public all year round, plus it often hosts special events (especially around Halloween). There are also ghost walks in the town if you want to discover more about the area.
12. Listen out for the dead at Glencoe in the Highlands
Most famous for being the setting of James Bond’s film, Skyfall, Glencoe in the Highlands has a much bloodier story. 38 people were murdered here in their sleep, and many more perished while trying to escape after Clan MacDonald came under attack in 1692.
On the anniversary of the event (February 13th), it’s said the spirits of the slain return to haunt the area. Over the decades, visitors have reported strange paranormal activity – and even screams – while out walking on the glen.
How to visit: Glencoe is a huge nature reserve with plenty of hiking trails. It also has a visitor’s centre with heaps of information about the infamous massacre.
13. Be terrified at The Ancient Ram Inn, Gloucestershire
The Ancient Ram Inn on the southern fringes of the Cotswolds has been calling itself the most haunted house in the UK for a long time. And it’s hard to dispute the title when you hear its gory history!
Among the supernatural and dark events that have been reported are the burning of a witch, an innkeeper’s daughter hanged in the attic and children buried beneath the floor. While it’s no longer possible to stay overnight at this 872-year-old inn, they do run nighttime ghost-hunting tours you’ll never forget.
How to visit: Check out the Inn’s official website for upcoming open days and ghost tours.
Most haunted places in the UK where you can spend the night
14. St Briavels Castle, Gloucestershire
Britain is so jam-packed with ancient castles, we sometimes turn the ones we’re not using into spooky youth hostels. St Briavels Castle near Chepstow is a Grade I listed building built in the early 12th century that can now be booked out for weddings, school trips and other events – as long as you don’t mind a scary story or two.
Feeling extra brave? Stay in the bed in the oubliette (a secret dungeon with access only through a trapdoor in its ceiling) where a ghost apparently likes to tug at your sheets.
15. Chillingham Castle, Northumberland
”All houses in which men have lived and died Are haunted houses:
Through the open doors The harmless phantoms on their errands glide,
With feet that make no sounds upon the floors.”
Wordsmith Longfellow aptly describes the ghost stories and hauntings at Chillingham Castle in this 19th-century poem. Today, the castle is sought after by film and television studios due to its ornate and mysterious exterior.
For those who dare, it’s possible to stay the night at this haunted hotel in one of the eight coach rooms. Or, why not have your wedding here? Expect to hear whispered voices in the chapel, a pale figure begging for water in the pantry, and, the most famous ghost of all, the ‘blue boy’. He haunts the Pink Room in the castle and creates blue halos of light wherever he goes.
16. Skirrid Mountain Inn, Wales
If you are visiting Wales and looking for the most haunted places in the UK — The Skirrid Mountain Inn is worth a visit. The Inn is situated in the beautiful Brecon Beacons, not far from Abergavenny and Brecon. The area’s beauty is drastically contrasted with the pub’s brutal history as a courthouse where supposedly over 180 criminals were found guilty and hanged.
At over 900 years old, the pub has become infamous for its ghostly visitors. It has a handful of rooms you can stay in too. Keep an eye out for the noose above the bar. You should also ask the staff to show you the oak beam that bears the marks of ropes from centuries past.
17. Ballygalley, Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland has its fair share of places that deserve a spot on the most haunted places in the UK list. But If you want to spend the night somewhere haunted, head to the Ballygally Castle Hotel in Larne, County Antrim. Ask specifically to stay in the ‘ghost room’.
Sightings of the hotel’s resident ghost (a woman who died trying to escape through a window from her husband) are numerous. Her spectre also allegedly floats through the corridors, knocking on guests’ bedroom doors. Slumbering overnight here is definitely not for the faint of heart!
Still eager to find out more? Test your mettle by visiting our pick of the most haunted places in the world.
