The UK is rich with frightening folklore and tall tales of supernatural beings who lurk in the shadows.
With spooky season officially upon us, thrill-seekers and paranormal enthusiasts are in their element as they count down the days to Halloween.
To celebrate, Holiday Cottages has compiled a list of eight of the UK’s most haunted places that you can actually visit.
Are you brave enough to venture to one of these venues?
1. Pendle Hill, Lancashire
Renowned for its links to witchcraft and devil worshipping, Pendle Hill in Lancashire was once home to the Pendle witches who were accused of ten murders using witchcraft back in 1612. Of the twelve accused, ten were found guilty and hanged.
It’s said that visitors have noticed an intense feeling of anger when exploring the grounds. One visitor, Christine Hamlett, told the Mirror she believes she snapped a picture of Jennet Preston, 9, one of the “witches” who was hanged.
Comedian Billy Connolly previously visited the site as part of his World Tour of England, Ireland and Wales show in the noughties.
2. Jamaica Inn, Cornwall
Located in Cornwall, the Jamaica Inn is believed to be haunted by a highwayman and a murdered smuggler. It’s believed that the murdered man’s spirit often returns to the bar, and is sometimes spotted sitting on the wall outside the inn.
The inn, which previously featured on Most Haunted, is also home to a strange man in a tricorne hat and cloak who can walk through solid doors, with unexplained sounds such as the clip-clop of horses’ hooves occasionally being heard in the courtyard.
3. Blickling Hall, Norfolk
Henry VIII’s second wife Anne Boleyn was famously beheaded on the grounds of Blickling Hall and it is said that every year on the anniversary of her execution, her headless ghost returns to the medieval manor in a coach drawn by a headless horseman.
It is believed that Anne Boleyn’s, Sir Thomas, father also haunts the grounds according to the National Trust.
4. Berry Pomeroy Castle, Devon
The 15th century fortress is said to be one of the most haunted castles in the UK. From the Blue Lady who wanders the dungeons to the White Lady who has been seen waving to visitors of the castle, leaving them with a feeling of both fear and depression; this location is guaranteed to raise the hairs on the back of your neck.
5. Dunster Castle, Somerset
If it’s ghosts you want to see, Dunster Castle is a must visit. This paranormal hotspot has had many reports of strange experiences, from ghostly appearances to spine-tingling sensations.
Visitors have even witnessed an eerie man in green walking through the castle only to disappear right in front of their eyes. It’s also been said that men’s voices and loud footsteps echo through the castle grounds.
According to the National Trust other eerie sightings include an apparition of a man in a military uniform and a disembodied naked foot. It’s said that the site where the skeletons of prisoners were discovered shackled in a dungeon remains “dark and gloomy”, even when in daylight, and the area particularly bothers dogs.
6. Llancaiach Fawr, Caerphilly
Llancaiach Fawr is a Tudor mansion rife with supernatural activity. The ghastly goings-on regularly spooks its visitors, with people reporting that they can hear children playing on the stairs and one boy in particular known to mischievously tug at visitors’ sleeves and hair.
A visit to a former housekeeper’s room who is said to have died in a fire apparently brings out strange reactions in people, with one of the ghost tour facilitators telling the BBC that he saw a rugby player break down in “floods of tears” while in the haunted room.
7. Mary King’s Close, Edinburgh
Tucked beneath the Royal Mile, Mary King’s Close holds a frightening past. There are many stories to delve into at this horrifying hotspot but one in particular tells the tale of a little girl who lost her life to the plague and was in search of a doll that she had misplaced. Some say her presence can be felt when visiting.
The little girl, whose name is believed to be Annie, communicated with psychic Aiko Gibo in the 90s and told of her missing doll. Gibo brought her another doll, started a tradition where visitors would bring a small gift for Annie. However, in 2019 the doll that started the trend was no longer in her usual spot in the 17th-century house. Staff searched high and low, but the doll was never found.
8. Croft Castle, West Midlands
Croft Castle, also known as the most haunted house in the Midlands, is home to seven spooky spectres.
There have been many reports of unsettling sightings including a seven-foot figure of a man lurking the grounds and a woman gazing from a window. The woman in the window has been seen in various locations around the castle, according to the National Trust. One time she followed someone who was meeting a friend into one of the castle’s rooms. When the friend asked to be introduced to the woman, she disappeared.
Visitors have also heard the sound of a baby crying when exploring the haunted fortress.
If you’re courageous enough to visit these locations, you might also be able to brave some of the 12 most haunted places you can visit in America.
