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Top 5 Haunted Sights in the UK

Hunt for ghosts, spirits and spectres in these spooky UK spots

A narrow dirt path winds through an overgrown graveyard in a forest. Numerous weathered gravestones, some partially covered in ivy, stand among the trees. The scene is serene and shaded by bare branches, suggesting early spring or late autumn.
Image © Tom Bennett via Flickr

Eerie atmospheres, chilling legends, and supernatural sights. With Halloween just one week away, we’ve selected the most haunted sites to visit across the UK. Test your nerve and witness some truly paranormal activity.

Image credit: Andy Rothwell via Flickr

Pendle Hill

Nelson, Lancashire

A popular pilgrimage for ghost hunters, the summit of Pendle Hill in Lancashire is famous for its links to one of the most famous witch trials in English history. In 1612, twelve local peasants were accused of witchcraft after a series of mysterious deaths - all but one was found guilty and sentenced to death. In 2011 engineers found the ruins of a 17th century ‘witch’s cottage’ in the shadow of the hill, complete with cat bones bricked into the walls. The story of the ‘Pendle Witches’ has been the subject of numerous films, plays and documentaries and has even featured in the popular television programme Most Haunted. Unsurprisingly, Pendle Hill attracts hordes of visitors every Halloween, eager to climb up the hill and experience the supernatural.

Image credit: Simon via Flickr

Pluckley

Ashford, Kent

Don’t let the apple orchards and picturesque countryside fool you. In 1989, Pluckley was named by the Guinness World Records as the most haunted village in England. The village and surrounding area is believed to play host to at least a dozen ghosts, which has naturally made it a hotspot of ghost-hunting tours. Visit Fright Corner, where a highwayman is said to have been run through with a sword and pinned to a tree, and the Screaming Woods, a forested area just outside the village rife with the screams of dead men and women. Numerous ghost tours are available in the pretty village, especially in the run up to Halloween!

Image credit: Steve Taylor via Flickr

Prestbury

Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

Vying for the title of the country’s most haunted village is Prestbury. While a pretty quintessential English village by day, come nightfall Prestbury is reportedly home to over a dozen distinctly different apparitions, the most famous of which is the 'Black Abbott.' Regularly sighted during Christmas and Easter, the shadowy figure is said to tread the same path, materializing just before the crossing in the churchyard, and disappearing through the wall on High Street. Sadly, ghost tours in the village have recently ceased due to concerns of the vicar in this so-called haunted church. However, you’re still more than welcome to head down and search for ghosts of your own volition.

Image credit: Bryan Robertson via Flickr

Edinburgh Castle

Castlehill, Edinburgh EH1 2NG

While Scotland may be famous for haggis, kilts and bagpipes, it is also home to Europe’s most haunted city, and one of the country’s most haunted sites - Edinburgh Castle. The historic building is reputed to be home to a phantom piper, a headless drummer and a spectral dog. However, the castle’s most famous story is that of the ghostly bagpiper boy who disappeared without a trace. Many believe he now haunts the castle and claim to have heard the sound of drums within the fortress walls. To this day visitors report witnessing various apparitions and other supernatural forces. Explore the castle to hunt for the spectres yourself, before embarking on one of Edinburgh’s famous ghost tours!

Image credit: Tom Bennett via Flickr

Highgate Cemetery

Swain’s Lane, London, Highgate N6 6PJ

Nestled in the north of London, Highgate Cemetery is easily one of the city’s most haunted sites. With eerie statues and gothic architecture scattered across the burial site, covered in a dense overgrowth, you’d be forgiven for thinking you stepped onto a horror film set. Indeed, the cemetery has been at the centre of one of the country’s most bone-chilling legends - that of the 'Highgate Vampire.' In the 1970s, reports of supernatural activity in the cemetery terrified London and ignited a media sensation as television crews and journalists descended to cover the mass vampire hunt. Although the alleged vampire was never found, the cemetery continues to be one of the most visited places in the UK to investigate or experience the paranormal.