The most haunted places to visit this Halloween

As Halloween nears ever closer, you might be wondering which of the nation’s historical attractions are the best to visit for a thrill or two. If you’re hoping to encounter some spirits in the lead up to the spookiest night of the year, here are some of the locations you should definitely visit.

Edinburgh

The Scottish capital is said to be Europe’s most haunted city, from the castle that sits on top a dormant volcano to the vaults that can be found beneath the city, there are supposedly spooky stories at every turn. Aside from the ghostly goings on, Edinburgh is a beautiful city full of diverse heritage attractions and is well worth the visit even if you don’t see any spirits.

Edinburgh Castle is said to be haunted by several spirits including a Grey Lady who has been seen wondering around the older parts of the castle. Some believe that the Grey Lady might be Janet Douglas, who was burned outside the castle in 1537 after being accused of being a witch by King James V. Others say they could be Marie de Guise, Mary Queen of Scot’s mother, who’s body was kept against her will at Edinburgh Castle for months. There have also been reports of a ghostly man who tries to push people from the castle battlements and several soldiers, including a regimental bagpiper and a headless drummer. Apparently you can still hear the faint sound of bagpipes from the tunnels that run underneath Old Town. The vaults on the other hand were originally used as storehouses before being turned into slum housing, which of course, became a melting pot of death and disease. Many people reportedly died there and infamous serial killers, Burke and Hare were said to hide their victims’ bodies there before selling them on for medical experiments.

Culloden Battlefield, Inverness

While we’re in Scotland we’ll stop off at Inverness and this supposedly haunted battle ground. Culloden in Inverness was the site of the last battle of the Jacobite rebellion, where supporters of the former King James’ and his descendants right to the throne, fought the English army fighting for King George II. According to historians, the battle lasted less than an hour with the English winning and around 1,600 men dying. The field is littered with grave markers for the various Scottish warriors who fought that day and there are more stories and documents to be discovered at the Culloden Visitor Centre.

Locals claim that you can still hear the echoes of gunfire, swords clashing and the screams of the soldiers and the figure of a lone Jacobite reportedly roams around the battlefield in his clan tartans. Whether or not the site is haunted remains to be seen, but you will find that there is an eerie air about the place and it is unnaturally quiet.

Pluckley, Kent

While Edinburgh is Europe’s most haunted city, Puckley in Kent is Britain’s most haunted village. There have been reports of at least 12 ghosts over the years, including a poltergeist who is said to haunt the local school. Some of the most often seen ghosts include victims of suicide, a Red Lady who haunts the churchyard at St Nicholas Church with her dog and a White Lady who was apparently buried inside 7 coffins and also haunts the church.

Berry Pomeroy Castle, Devon

Known as Britain’s most haunted castle, Berry Pomeroy near Totnes in South Devon has been the subject of ghost stories for generations, in fact, two of the castle’s ghosts are said to try and lure you to your death, so if you do head over there in the hope of seeing one of them, don’t follow them under any circumstances! Known as the White Lady and the Blue Lady, they are said to former residents of the castle, which was initially built for the prominent Seymour family in the 14^th century. The White Lady is said to be the spirit of Margaret Pomeroy who was starved to death in the dungeons by her own sister, while the Blue Lady’s identity is a continued subject of debate.

The Tower of London, London

Considering that it was most famously used as a prison and the site of executions, it is no surprise that the Tower is home to a number of ghosts – one of them is even said to be a grizzly bear from back when the Tower was the royal menagerie! There are around 13 reported ghouls that are regularly seen around the Tower and all of them have understandably tragic stories. Edward V and Richard Duke of York, otherwise known as the Princes in the Tower are two of the many ghostly residents. The pair were famously locked in the tower by their uncle who went on to become Richard III and never seen again, though the bones of two small children were discovered during the reign of Charles II. The figures of two boys are often seen holding hands in the White Tower or playing together on the battlements, which is where Sir Walter Raleigh has also been spotted. Anne Boleyn can be seen wondering around Tower Green where her execution took place, as can Lady Jane Grey who was only queen for nine days before her cousin, Mary Tudor, had her executed. Her husband Lord Guilford Dudley has also been spotted in his former cell and is believed to have been the cause of some of the Tower’s graffiti. Guy Fawkes is another famous name who is said to still haunt the Tower after he was tortured and executed there as punishment for his role in the gunpowder plot. The ghost of Henry VI is said to haunt the Wakefield Tower and is often spotted at midnight. He was stabbed while praying after being imprisoned by his cousin Edward IV who seized his throne.

Perhaps the most tragic ghost to be seen there is Margaret Pole, the Countess of Salisbury. She was victim of one of the most gruesome executions in history, she proclaimed her innocence until the last and refused to kneel in front of the executioner. Instead she ran and was chased around the scaffold being hacked at until she died. Her screams can be heard on Tower Green.

Pendle Hill, Lancashire

Widely regarded as one of the most haunted places in England, Pendle Hill is also on this list because it’s connection with the Lancashire Witch Trials which saw 12 people accused of being witches. 10 of them were hung, one died during the trial and another was found not guilty. The spirits of all 12 witches are said to haunt the villages and buildings of Pendle Hill and visitors say they feel an angry presence.

Hampton Court Palace, London

It is believed that Henry VIII’s favourite palace is haunted by at least two ghostly women. One is believed to be his former wife Catherine Howard, his teenage bride who was dragged screaming from Hampton Court to her imprisonment. When the guards came for her, young Catherine ran along the corridor to the Chapel Royal, screaming for mercy. She was taken to the Tower of London and executed there.

A former servant also haunts the palace, Sybil Penn caught small pox while nursing Elizabeth I when she was suffering from the pox herself. It is said that she started wondering around the palace after her tomb was disturbed in the 1820s.

Highgate Cemetery, London

Highgate Cemetery in North London is said to be one of the city’s most haunted places. One of the creepiest stories to come from the cemetery is the Highgate Vampire, a tall, dark figure that is said to glide around the graves and causes clocks and watches to stop. He is often blamed for the high number of dead foxes that can be found in the grounds. Another creepy event, though one that can be explained by science is the exploding tombs – some of the rich and famous insisted on being buried above ground and the regulations of the Victorian times meant that as gas was released within the tombs, they began to explode – though this hasn’t happened for years, there are still stories of screams, the ghost of a nun and several other spectres that have been spotted.