Edinburgh Castle is famously known as one of the most haunted places in Scotland. The city of Edinburgh itself is referred to as the “city of ghosts” throughout Europe.
1. Edinburgh Castle – Edinburgh, Scotland
On numerous occasions, visitors to the castle have reported seeing the headless ghost of a piper – the spirit of French prisoners from the Seven Years’ War and colonial prisoners from the American Revolutionary War in the 18th century. There are even tales of the ghost of a dog wandering around the dog cemetery.
2. Whaley House – California, USA
Located in San Diego, California, Whaley House is known as the “most haunted house in America.” Built by Thomas Whaley in 1857 on land that was previously a graveyard, Whaley House has since become a gathering place for spirits.
Author deTraci Regula recalls strange occurrences she witnessed: “Many times, while dining at the Old Town Mexican Cafe across the street, I noticed the shutters on the second floor of the house sometimes flinging open long after Whaley House had closed. On a recent visit, I could feel energy in certain areas of the house, and I smelled a faint scent of cigar smoke, especially in the courtroom. Through the hallway, I caught a whiff of perfume, at first thinking it belonged to a female lecturer accompanying me, only to later learn that Whaley House had no scent at all.”
3. Borley Rectory – Borley, England
Borley Rectory was built by Reverend Henry Dawson Ellis Bull near Borley Church in 1862. He moved in a year after being appointed as the parish vicar.
Ghost hunters often cite a story about a Benedictine monastery, stating that the house was built in 1362. According to this tale, a monk from the monastery had a secret affair with a nun from a nearby convent. When their relationship was discovered, the monk was executed, and the nun was walled up alive in the monastery’s brick wall.
4. Bell Farm – Tennessee, USA
Bell Farm has been mentioned in many books, movies, and television shows. The story behind Bell Farm is particularly famous as it is the only documented case amidst rumors of the supernatural, involving a ghost that allegedly caused the death of a living person.
Between 1817 and 1821, the Bell family was terrorized by a female ghost named “Bell Witch” or “Kate”. They believed that Kate tormented and tortured John Bell (the family patriarch suffering from a neurological disorder), ultimately leading to his death.
John was unable to sleep or recover. A strange black liquid was found on John’s bed after his death. To test the substance, his family dropped a drop on their pet cat’s tongue, which immediately collapsed and died. For the last three years, the community surrounding Bell Farm has remained haunted by this woman, believing that Kate is up to no good.
5. Raynham Hall – Norfolk, England
Raynham Hall is famous for the ghost of “Lady Brown”, captured by two photographers in 1936. It is considered one of the most authentic ghost photographs ever taken.
It is said that the ghost of “Lady Brown” haunts the entire staircase of Raynham Hall. In the early 1800s, King George IV, while residing in this house, claimed to have seen a woman in a brown gown standing beside his bed with a pale face and disheveled hair.
In 1836, Colonel Loftus visited the house during Christmas and happened to see the ghost. A week later, he saw the ghost again, this time dressed in a brown satin gown with hollow eye sockets. A few years later, officer Frederick Marryat and two friends witnessed “Lady Brown” wandering up and down the stairs with a lantern in hand. Marryat attempted to shoot the ghost, but the bullet passed straight through her.
6. Queen Mary – California, USA
According to those who have visited and worked on the Queen Mary, the engine room is the ship’s most haunted area, as a 17-year-old sailor was crushed to death while trying to escape a fire. Many have reported hearing knocking and banging on the water pipes around the doors. In the hotel lobby area, visitors often spot the ghost of a woman in a white dress.
Additionally, numerous child ghosts haunt the Queen Mary’s pool area. Visitors often hear the voice of a little girl calling for her mother and her doll – the girl who fell and broke her neck in a pool accident. Objects in the changing room move on their own, tourists can feel hands touching them, and there are reports of the appearance of souls and the anguished cries of a ghost in the ship’s hull – a sailor who died when the Queen Mary collided with a smaller vessel.
7. The White House – Washington, D.C., USA
Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., the White House is not only the residence of current U.S. presidents but also a “haunted rendezvous” for several former presidents. Some have reported hearing President Harrison rummaging around on the upper floors, while President Andrew Jackson refuses to leave his bedroom, and the ghost of First Lady Abigail Adams flutters through the hallways.
The most frequently seen ghost is that of President Abraham Lincoln. A young secretary during Roosevelt’s administration claimed to have seen Lincoln’s ghost sitting on the bed, taking off his boots. On another occasion, Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands was awakened by knocking at her door, only to find Lincoln staring at her from the hallway.
8. Tower of London – London, England
As one of the most well-preserved historical landmarks in the world, the Tower of London is also among the most famous haunted sites. There is no argument that this is the site of hundreds of executions, murders, and brutal tortures over the past 1,000 years. Numerous encounters with ghosts inside and outside the tower have been documented.
On a cold winter day in 1957, at 3 a.m., a guard was awakened by knocking on the watchtower. When he stepped outside to investigate, he saw a ghostly figure dressed in white at the top of the tower. He later learned that on the very same day, 500 years prior, Lady Jane Grey had been beheaded there (February 12, 1554).
However, perhaps the most famous ghost residing in this tower is that of Anne Boleyn – one of King Henry VIII’s wives, who was also beheaded in 1536. Her ghost has been seen numerous times, sometimes wandering the White Tower and Chapel Royal with her head in her arms.
One of the most chilling ghost stories associated with the Tower of London is that of the execution of Countess Salisbury, who was sentenced to death after being accused of involvement in criminal activities in 1541 (despite public belief in her innocence). While struggling on the scaffold, she escaped and was chased by the executioner, who swung his axe, causing her to lose her head. This horrifying execution is often reenacted by the spirits in the White Tower.
9. Ballygally Castle – Ballygally Bay, Northern Ireland
Located in the village of the same name in County Antrim (Northern Ireland), Ballygally Castle faces the sea at Ballygally Bay. It is the only building from the 17th century still in use as a residence, and it is one of the most haunted places in the area.
A commonly mentioned ghost is that of Isobel Shaw – the former owner of the castle. Locals claim that those living in the house sometimes hear knocking at the door, only for it to disappear immediately. When alive, Isobel was locked in a room by her husband and deprived of food, ultimately dying after jumping from a window. Another ghost often seen wandering the castle in a silk dress is that of Mrs. Nixon, who lived there in the 19th century.
10. Rose Hall – Montego Bay, Jamaica
Rose Hall is the most famous stone castle built in the 1770s in Jamaica. With its upper floor plastered, Rose Hall precariously sits on a hillside, offering visitors a stunning view of the sea.
Rose Hall is known for the story of a woman named Annie Palmer, who arrived here in 1820, along with various mythical legends about underground tunnels, blood stains, and ghost stories. Annie Palmer was reputed to be a witch, believed to have murdered three husbands (by poisoning, stabbing, hanging, and then pouring boiling oil into their ears) and many lovers, including slaves, simply because she grew tired of them. Recently, tourists have captured photographs featuring eerie ghostly faces.
