The UK government has set the date of its departure from the European Union for Halloween of 2019. Although we don’t necessarily perceive it as scary, we’ve been looking at the most haunted sites in London, and we hope you do, too, since we’re in a ghoulish mood. The city of London has a history dating back more than a millennium.
It’s been a long time since the city’s streets have seen anything like this, not to mention some truly terrifying events. The Great Fire, the Plague, and Jack the Ripper are just a few of the bizarre historical events that have left their marks on the city.
A metropolis the size of London is certain to have its share of ghosts. So today, we’re going to take a look at some of London’s most spooky spots. You’re braver than us if you can make it to all five and tell the story! Let’s dig into the Most Haunted Places in London, shall we?
Bruce Castle one of the haunted places in London:
Both tradition and intrigue surround the spirit of Bruce Castle. In the 17th century, the eminent historian Henry Hare and his wife Constantia purchased and lived in the home. History and folklore collide in the following events.
When Constantia became outraged about an alleged affair, her husband locked her up in one of the house’s uppermost apartments, according to legend. She hurled herself from the window while carrying her infant child from this vantage point. Every year on November 3rd, the anniversary of Constantia’s death, it is reported that her specter roams the grounds.
Hampton Court Palace
The proprietors of Hampton Court Palace in Victorian times were always on the lookout for fresh and innovative methods to raise awareness about British history. They were able to sell tickets in part because they made public accounts of ghost sightings like Liverpool hospital.
Two of Henry VII’s wives, Jane Seymour and Catherine Howard, were said to haunt the palace, as did a Tudor Monarch’s attendant, Sybil Penn. Security cameras at the Palace recently captured images of an enigmatic person opening and closing fire doors.
Brookside Theatre
It was a chilly July night when Brookside Theatre supervisor Jai Sepple discovered a misaligned chair in the auditorium. As the auditorium had already been cleaned for the day’s performance, he reviewed the venue’s CCTV video to see whether anybody had been in. He no longer believed in the supernatural after seeing what he did there. Numerous sparkles of light had been captured by the cameras before the seat and the table next to it moved on their own volition. Very creepy. One wonders whether the ghosts had heard that the Theatre Royal was outselling them.
Theatre Royal
This historic Drury Lane Theater is widely acknowledged as one of the most haunted in the world. According to legend, the Man in Grey, as well as the spirits of two other clowns, roam the halls. Dozens of theater artists have come forward to say that they have seen the enigmatic beings. It’s still a mystery as to who they are and how they perished, however.
No matter how many centuries pass, the theater has seen more than enough spectacular shows to keep any phantom entertained for quite some time!
The Tower of London
There are tales of folklore, history, and pure fiction from the tower. We know for certain that Anne Boleyn, Catherine Howard, Thomas More, and (most certainly) King Edward V perished here, along with many other important historical personalities from Britain.
Since then, the Tower of London has gained a reputation as one of the country’s most haunted locations, with more than 10 different ghosts having been reported as having been seen there, including that of Queen Anne Boleyn.
The Clink Prison
One of the oldest prisons in the country, it was built in the 12th century. It remained open until 1780, holding a wide range of convicts who were subjected to the most harrowing of punishments. Several ghosts are said to linger in this abandoned structure, including a physician from the time of the plague and a gang of murderers and thieves. Find more murder stories here!
Learn about different convicts’ stories as you roam around, or join them for a horror night. Visitors to the horror evenings would be presented to the spirits that live on the property.
50 Berkeley Square
Since the turn of the twentieth century, this iconic residence has been labeled the eeriest house in London. In the attic, they claim, a young lady was tormented and committed suicide. After being abused by her nasty uncle, she pushed herself out of the third-floor window. The ghost is a spiteful and homicidal killer, so stay the night at your own risk. When a housemaid spent the night at a house in 1879, she became mentally ill and died the following day in an insane institution.
A sailor plummeted to his death 8 years later after fleeing in panic from an “unknown monster” that had been living in the home for 8 years. Maggs Bros. booksellers’ offices are housed in a 17th-century building designed by William Kent.
Owners have come and gone, including the enigmatic ‘Mr. Myers,’ throughout time. After being dumped by his fiancée, Mr. Myers retreated into a bitter hermit, roaming the halls of the home at odd hours of the day.
Highgate Cemetery
After becoming the backdrop for many Gothic films in the mid-1960s, Highgate Cemetery has maintained its reputation as a creepy and disturbing location. Several legends surround the burial place, one being that of the “Highgate Vampire”.
This phantom is said to be the ghost of a Romanian aristocrat who was known to engage in witchcraft. A home in London’s West End was chosen as the last resting place for the nobleman’s remains after his death. Highgate Cemetery has been built on this land.
When the nobleman died, a gang of Satanists conducted a ceremony in the graveyard, according to legend. He was awakened by this and has been wandering the graveyard ever since. Visit the cemetery to witness the resting places of famous people including Karl Marx, George Eliot, and George Michael as well as to learn more about the history of London.
Covent Garden
St Paul’s Church, often renowned as the Actor’s Church, is located in Covent Garden. As a result, it’s not surprising to see a few former performers living there. Actor William Terriss was shot by fellow actor Richard Archer Prince on December 16th, 1897.
Prince had been following Terriss for some time, even being evicted from Vaudeville Theatre once. Terriss was scheduled to appear in a play also on the night of the incident. When the actor arrived at the Adelphi Theatre’s stage entrance, he was brutally stabbed five times in the back and chest, putting an end to his career for good. His last words were, “I’ll come back,” and it is rumored that his soul still resides in his old haunts in Covent Garden today.
Royal Arsenal, Woolwich
The Royal Arsenal, originally founded at Woolwich in 1716 and has its roots in the artillery industry dating back to the late 16th century. Workers at the Royal Arsenal have reported seeing a variety of phantoms in various shapes, and it is estimated that there are at least 50 spirits there.
One haunted place in the London story is a soldier’s ghost who hanged himself after failing officer training, while another tells of a prostitute who was dumped in the basement years ago when Prince Arthur visited. Among the undead are the specters of youngsters, retired soldiers, and a former Royal Arsenal manager.
