The 20 Most Haunted Places in the UK

With Halloween fast approaching and spooky season well underway, you may be on the search for places to visit that will chill you right to the core upon learning about their legends and the residents that supposedly still haunt them. Ghost hunting tours and walks are popular pastimes ahead of Halloween, and what better way to celebrate the upcoming annual tradition than visiting some of the UK’s most haunted places? We’ve compiled this list of the top 20 most haunted places to help spook up your October, from medieval towers and abbeys to hills and villages, all of which tell their own frightening tales of the past.

20. Wharram Percy — North Yorkshire, England

This ghost town (pun intended) in North Yorkshire is one of the most well-known deserted villages in the UK, with its millennium of history accounting for its apparent ghost population. Once you arrive, an eerie and quiet feeling is said to wash over you, and others have cited feeling a strong paranormal presence here. If you’re looking for somewhere with extensive history, beautiful sights and a strong spooky feeling throughout, look no further.

19. St Fagans Castle – Cardiff, Wales

Considered one of the most haunted castles in Wales, St Fagans Castle and National History Museum holds its fair share of ghostly apparitions that have been reportedly seen. The most common reports are figures being seen in the windows, or objects moving by themselves. If you’re unlucky (or lucky, if you’re interested in the paranormal) enough to see one of these ghosts upon a visit to the castle, you can join one of the ghost tours and spook up your October.

18. Theatre Royal — Glasgow, Scotland

With such modern decor and a strong public presence, reports of hauntings at this theatre can be misleading, as ghosts are normally associated with old buildings with stories to tell. However, despite its popularity and sophisticated design, Theatre Royal is an unsuspecting breeding ground for all things spooky and paranormal. By day, it’s a bustling theatre and performance centre, but by night it’s said to be the home of several ghostly guests, the most famous sighting of which being the ghost of an actress.

17. Bodmin Jail — Cornwall, England

Arguably one of the most haunted jails in England, Bodmin Jail combines chilling tales of the past with interesting stories and a lengthy history that attests to its apparent paranormal reputation. You can experience this for yourself on a ghost tour through the jail, where you’ll learn stories about notorious ghosts that are said to haunt the hallways, and you may even catch a glimpse of one or experience paranormal activity upon your visit.

16. Cardiff Castle — Cardiff, Wales

Wales’ most iconic landmark, Cardiff Castle boasts two millennia of history, so of course, it makes sense that a few of its previous inhabitants still linger to this day. With numerous reported sightings of ghostly figures wandering the castle at night, it’s also a famous spot for ghost tours. Even the most sceptical among us will likely feel or see something unusual when walking the passageways and staircases at night. Whether you’re interested in the paranormal or just curious about the reports and want to discover them for yourself, head to this cultural icon for an ultra-spooky night that you won’t forget.

15. Adelphi Hotel – Liverpool, England

There are many notable haunted hotels across the world – you’ve likely heard of the Stanley Hotel thanks to its association with the famous Stephen King novel The Shining – and this unsuspecting hotel in Liverpool is supposedly rife with the paranormal. With reports of strange noises, guests randomly falling ill and ghostly apparitions by bedsides, this hotel has earned its reputation and ranking among the most haunted places in the UK. Are you brave enough to stay at the Adelphi Hotel where even professional ghost hunters have wanted to leave shortly after arriving? If so, we recommend you avoid the third floor…

14. Berry Pomeroy Castle — Devon, England

Leaving sceptics rattled, paranormal aficionados curious and unsuspecting visitors wanting to flee, Berry Pomeroy Castle in Totnes is not for the faint of heart. Many visitors to the castle have reportedly seen or felt a number of paranormal figures, mainly of previous inhabitants who are said to have died there. Even if you don’t actually see a ghost here, you certainly get the feeling that there’s one nearby, with many visitors to the ruins reported to feel an overwhelming sense of eeriness, dread and foreboding upon entering.

13. South Bridge Vaults — Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh has a rather unfavourable reputation thanks to its brutal history, which makes it an ideal location for fans of the paranormal. One of the city’s most haunted locations is the underground vaults, which are thought to harbour a large collection of ghostly occupants. Visitors can tour the vaults and learn about their history and their most notable ghost sightings, but be warned, as the vaults are not for the faint of heart.

12. Ballygally Castle — Larne, Northern Ireland

This 17th-century castle has housed numerous residents over the centuries, some of which might still occupy certain parts of the castle. Apparently, they are seen wandering the cold hallways. Ballygally is considered to be one of Ireland's most ghost-ridden buildings.

11. Sandwood Bay — Sutherland, Scotland

This may look like your typical Scottish Highland beach, but don’t be fooled. This beautiful, unassuming beach is steeped in history and legends and is notorious for being haunted. The remoteness of Sandwood Bay also exacerbates the bay’s eeriness, and you can only access it by walking across miles of vast open green spaces and moorlands. The beach is known for its history of shipwrecks and sailors meeting their doom. Some say they’ve been seen walking the sandy shores. Despite its somewhat unfavourable reputation, the beach is certainly a hidden gem of Scotland and well worth a visit – ghost hunting or not.

10. Culloden Moor — Inverness, Scotland

One of the most iconic and significant sites in Scottish history, the Battle of Culloden took place on these grounds in 1746, with thousands of Scotsmen being defeated and buried here too. The moor is eerily quiet, and you can hear cries of the defeated soldiers, see ghosts of the Jacobite men and sense spirits lingering in the darkest areas of the moor.

9. Ancient Ram Inn — Wotton-under-Edge, England

Apparently England’s most haunted pub, the Ancient Ram Inn has a history that exceeds 500 years and gives off such intense initial feelings of dread and unease that it’ll send a chill down your spine that will stay with you long after you leave. Throughout the eerie rooms, cries and screams are reported to have been heard and ghostly figures have supposedly been seen in corners. Would you stay the night?

8. Pluckley Village — Kent, England

Cited by many (including the Guinness Book of Records) as the most haunted village in England, Pluckley Village is a haven for those who are curious about the paranormal. There are reportedly around 13 resident ghosts that give this village its accolade, most of whom are said to have been seen in different areas of the village. Such intense paranormal activity and presence in a small space means that this village is not for those who have a nervous disposition, so be warned.

7. Whitby Abbey — North Yorkshire, England

With more than a millennium of history, Whitby Abbey is rife with vampire legends and ghost stories, thanks to it being featured in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. With such a lengthy history, it’s no wonder that the abbey is popular among paranormal enthusiasts. The number of reported ghost sightings in the abbey is in the many. The abbey was founded in the 7th century by an abbess who is suspected to still be roaming the ruins, along with her ghostly friends.

6. Craig y Nos Castle — Swansea, Wales

The reputation Craig y Nos has for being a top wedding venue has forced its spooky reputation into the background. However, the castle is still a haunting ground for many and is considered to be the most haunted castle in Wales. The castle was once a tuberculosis hospital, so it is rife with lost souls. Take a ghost tour around the castle and see if you can spot the spooky inhabitants.

5. Skirrid Mountain Inn — Abergavenny, Wales

The oldest pub in Wales, and of course, the most haunted. Once a jail, now a popular local pub with a dark past, the Skirrid Inn is far more than just a place to enjoy a pint. Guests and visitors have reported hearing and seeing odd and eerie things that they struggle to explain, such as footsteps and whispers among other spooky occurrences.

4. Glamis Castle — Angus, Scotland

Widely believed to be Scotland’s most haunted castle, Glamis is said to be home to around 10 ghosts who wander the hallways and can be seen in certain rooms or lurking in windows. The castle tells a frightening story of the past, with many people having met their doom inside the castle walls, and their souls and spirits have reportedly lingered for centuries. See if you can spot one of the many ghosts that inhabit the castle – if you dare.

3. Chillingham Castle — Northumberland, England

The appropriately named Chillingham Castle (chilling, indeed) is home to many a ghost, with an abnormally large level of paranormal events and occurrences– arguably one of the highest levels in the country. By day, the castle is open to visitors and hosts upscale apartment-style accommodation, but by night the castle doesn’t just host live guests, as there are reports that the ghosts of the past are most active after dark. Perfect for ghost tours!

2. Pendle Hill — Lancashire, England

The site of the most famous witch trials in England, Pendle Hill tells an interesting yet heartbreaking and brutal story of the past, which has carried through into the present day. Pendle Hill is one of the most famously haunted areas in the country and is said to host the ghosts of the Pendle Witches, who were executed for supposedly practising witchcraft in the 17th century. The hill and its surrounding villages have a fearsome reputation, especially after dark, as many people have reported seeing shadowy figures and sensing the presence of malevolent spirits. The site has also been featured on the show ‘Most Haunted’. It’s well worth a visit to the hill and villages – if you’re brave enough.

1. Tower of London — London, England

With London being one of the oldest cities in the world, there are plenty of centuries-old buildings and landmarks with stories to tell. The most notable of which is the Tower of London. One of the city’s most recognisable landmarks, the tower has seen a rather brutal history where famous figures like Anne Boleyn, Lady Jane Grey and Guy Fawkes met their end. It’s said that the most notable ghost reportedly seen by visitors is Anne Boleyn, who was executed in the tower by her husband King Henry VIII. The tower is also said to be home to a further 12 ghosts – one of which is the ghost of Lady Jane Grey.