It’s spooky season! So, without further ado, I thought I’d do a round up of four haunted places that you can visit and experience the paranormal this Halloween!
Muncaster Castle, Cumbria
Do you want to spend a night in a haunted castle? At Muncaster they offer overnight ghost sits, where a small group can spend the night in the Tapestry Room, listening for the sounds of ghosts. The Tapestry Room is where visitors report disturbed nights, hearing footsteps in the corridor outside, and hearing a child crying from an adjoining room before being comforted by a lady singing. The story linked to this is that of Margaret Pennington, who died in the castle during her childhood from a bout of illness.
Golden Fleece Pub, York
The Golden Fleece Pub stands just over the road from York’s most iconic and historic street – The Shambles. Built before 1503 (this is when it first appears in the city records), and initially owned by the Merchant Adventurers’ Hall, functioning as a coaching house. From 1656 it began operating as an inn, but it was not officially licenses until 1668.
The beer garden is named after the most famous ghost of the Fleece; the Lady Alice Peckett, wife of the Lord Mayor of York at the beginning of the eighteenth century; she has been seen walking the hallways and stairways of the pub at night by many guests. Another ghost is reportedly that of a North American airman from World War II, who was staying at the Inn whilst on leave. He leaned out of one of the top floor windows and fell to his death, and there have since been sightings of a ghost wearing Canadian 1940s uniform.
Many of the ghost tours of York feature the Fleece.
Chillingham Castle, Northumberland
The aptly named Chillingham Castle occupied a very strategic position during the bloody border wars between England and Scotland throughout the High and Late Middle Ages, meaning the castle often came under attack, or was raided by invading forces. During his campaign agains the Scots, Edward I stayed at Chillingham in 1298 before continuing on to the battle of Falkirk where the Scottish Leader William Wallace was captured.
Other royals, namely Charles I and Edward VIII, have also stayed at Chillingham.
‘All houses in which men have lived and died are haunted houses. Through the open doors the harmless phantoms on their errands glide, with feet that make no sounds upon the floors.’ – Longfellow, poet, describing Chillingham Castle.
Chillingham offers an array of Ghost Tours and Ghosts Hunts around the castle in the evenings and even overnight. You can see the offers here (although many are already sold out for 2025 – at least you’ll know where to look for next Halloween if it’s your thing!). Will you be (un)fortunate enough to see the pantry ghosts, or hear the spooky voices in the chapel?
The spookiest/grimmest part of Chillingham has got to be the Torture Chamber. A display of medieval implements of punishment and persuasion are on display here, providing brave visitors with information about their grisly purpose and opportunity to thank their lucky stars that such practices are not in use today!
Samlesbury Hall, Lancashire
Samlesbury Hall, located just outside of Blackburn, was built in 1325 by Gilbert de Southworth, and was the primary residence of the Southworth family until the early 17th century. Due to it’s seven hundred year history it’s had plenty of time to collect a few ghosts and spooky stories along the way!
Samlesbury claims that they have thirteen unique ghosts haunting the hall and the grounds. There have been hundreds of spooky reportings from guests, former residents, and staff, across the centuries. The first published account of ghosts at Samlesbury Hall was a book published in 1873, giving the site a long legacy of the paranormal and reporting on it.
The Ghost Room at Samlesbury Hall is located in the attic of the house and was opened in Autumn 2023. This was the first time the room has been open to the public and in use in nearly seven hundred years. Here you can read testimonies, audio stories, and visual media relating to the ghosts that haunt the Hall.
The most famous ghost to haunt the Hall is Lady Dorothea Southworth, often referred to as the ‘Lady In White.’ She has been seen/reported numerous times since Elizabethan times.
Have you ever experienced spooky happenings? Where was it? What was it like? Let me know in the comments below!