With such a long and storied history it’s hardly surprising that a number of locations across Greater Manchester are home to some very spooky tales. Many of the region’s renowned sites and Victorian streets come with some horrifying stories that will more than likely send a shiver down your spine.
And even if you’re not convinced by paranormal activity, there’s something about Halloween that reignites the intrigue around these famous sites. Poltergeists in the city and further afield are often reported to the Paranormal Database - on ongoing inventory documenting locations with folkloric or paranormal activity.
Manchester - as expected - even has its own dedicated section and features for more than 13,000 entries. While we couldn't possibly list every one below, we’ve taken a closer look at some of the sightings alongside some of the well-known haunted spots across Greater Manchester.
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Smithills Hall, Bolton
There’s plenty of paranormal activity going on at this Grade II-listed manor house if the reports are to be believed. Staff and visitors - including hosts from the reality TV series Most Haunted - have reported a mischievous spirit that is said to pinch bums, and there’s even talk of visitors being touched, particularly near the stairs between the Bowar and Solar rooms.
And the mysterious happenings don’t stop there. Another lady in a period dress has also been seen to walk the stairs, while a small boy with long, curly black hair had been felt in the Solar room by mediums.
Albert Hall, Manchester
The ground floor of the venue, which also featured on Most Haunted is said to be occupied by a ghost or spirit. Dating back to 1910. The gothic-style building, set over two floors, was the Manchester and Salford Wesleyan Mission Church, but was well-known as the former bar and nightclub Brannigan’s.
When the music venue formerly operated as the bar, staff claimed there was a ghost smashing glasses, fiddling with taps and even pushing people down stairs - far from the hospitable behaviour you would expect.
The Royal Exchange, Manchester
The theatre venue, formerly a cotton trade centre, is reportedly haunted by an actor and founding artistic director James Maxwell. The wig room, meanwhile, is said to be haunted by an unhappy soul - one that is happy to throw things around the room in a fit of rage.
Equally as spooky was when the the building was being rebuilt after the IRA bomb in the 1990s and builders reported hearing a piano playing the distance, but on entering the room where the music was playing - the music stopped, leaving only a decrepit piano and no pianist.
Ordsall Hall, Salford
It wouldn’t be a self-respecting Tudor Manor with a ghost or two right? Many tales surround how the ghost of Ordsall Hall came to haunt the Salford manor, and the ghost in question - The White Lady - has been said to be the maid of honour of Queen Elizabeth I, a jilted bride or Margaret Radclyffe who died of a broken heart in 1599.
She does have company though. A young girl is said to roam the Hall - especially when children and school parties visit. It is said that you can feel her presence by the sweet smell of roses in the air.
Underground Tunnels, Manchester
Deep underneath the city a labyrinth of underground tunnel networks were built during World War Two. The tunnels include the remnants of a tube station that never came to fruition, a communications bunker, air raid shelters, canals and shops.
In the past, there have been a number of tours of the underground system including ghost walks organised by Flecky Bennet who regaled guests with tales about Scary Mary, Maria and Derek who may occupy the tunnels.
Manchester Cathedral
Built in 1421, Manchester Cathedral is a vast Medieval, Gothic structure complete with crypts, stained glass and a vastness that gives it a particularly eerie feeling at times. In the late 1840s a man was visiting the building to pray and is reported to have been haunted by his sister here.
He is reported to have seen his sister standing in the nave of the building and was surprised as he thought she was many miles away. When he called out to the woman, she started walking but suddenly vanished, but the following day, the man received word that his sister had died in a car accident - the timing of which matched his sighting of her in the cathedral.
The Ring O Bells, Middleton
Legend has it that Middleton’s oldest pub is visited by the ghost of cavalier named Edward, who was reputedly murdered by Cromwell’s Army when they passed through the town. The dog is said to appear wearing royalist uniform in front of regulars and landlords, while punters have also reported witnessing glasses sliding along the bar and hearing heavy footsteps and peculiar noises. Those sitting rooms on the upper floors are also said to have sudden temperature drops.
Wardley Hall, Worsley
Built during the short reign of King Edward VI, the house replaced an older residence which dated back from the year 1292. Rebuilt and renovated throughout the 19th and 20th centuries, the Hall is now the official residence of the Roman Catholic bishops of Salford. So what makes it so spooky?
Well, the Hall is actually home to the skull of a Benedictine monk named Edward Ambrose Barlow, our Father Ambrose, who met a gruesome end in 1641 when he was hung, drawn and quartered at Lancaster Castle in 1641. The Hall was subsequently nicknamed Skull House, after the tale that skull resisted all attempts to to be buried, and attempts to throw it in the moat would cause storms.
Manchester Town Hall
Completed in 1877, the Grade I-listed building is home not only to Manchester City Council - and some building works currently - but apparently are few ghostly residents. There’s been a number of reports of ghost sightings within the walls of the historic site over the years, with the spirits of deceased councillors allegedly roaming around.
Alongside spooky councillors, the corridors of the town hall are believed to be haunted by the ghost of a Victorian policeman. The rumour goes that despite his death hundreds of years ago, this ghostly bobby continues to patrol the halls, scaring off visitors and ghost hunters in the process.
The Greengate Brewery
The brewery is still in full swing at the historical site in Middleton, but it isn’t just known for its ale. Spanners and kettles can often be moved around, and moans and odd noises can be heard at all times of the day.
More unsettling sightings include the spirit of a lady who reportedly sits quietly in the boardroom facing away from people, and a woman in a dark dress, who is often seen floating down the halls. Lets not also forget the man in a white cloak who disappears through doors.
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