Haunted York

Ghosts, Ghouls and Spooky Goings On...

The Most Haunted City in The World…

The Paranormal Database – yes, such a thing exists – claims York is the most haunted city in England. The GRFI (Ghost Research Foundation International) has gone one step further, claiming in a survey that they found York to be the most haunted city anywhere in the world with a staggering 140 ghosts and 504 reported ‘hauntings’.

Various explanations have been advanced for York’s other-worldly abundance. Some point to the city’s turbulent and often bloody history, whilst others believe the Romans to have founded the city on a sacred burial site. Whatever the reason, York is certainly not short of a good ghost story or two…

Haunted York

Bedern, a narrow alleyway off of Goodramgate (above), is thought to be haunted by the ghosts of long dead children. In the early nineteenth century it was the site of York Industrial Ragged school, an institution for orphans and children from impoverished families.

The establishment was run for nearly a decade by a violent drunk. Local gossip rumoured that he had beaten more than one child to death and hidden the bodies in a cupboard in his room. It is said that their restless spirits can still be heard here – and you might feel the cold hand of a child clinging to yours.

The ghost of a small girl called Sarah has been reported as wandering the corridors of Micklegate Bar – sometimes accompanied by a sound of jangling keys. After losing the keys to the Bar that were her father’s responsibility, she spent the rest of her life looking for them. When she finally did find them she dropped down dead.

Linking Swinegate with Low Petergate, Lund’s Court – or Mad Alice Lane as it used to be called – is believed to be haunted by a famous former resident. One Alice Smith used to live here but was hanged for the crime of insanity at York Castle in 1825. Her ghost – it is said – can still be seen gliding down the alleyway.

Just south of York in the village of Bishopthorpe, there have been sightings of a headless torso wandering the fields. Back in the eighteenth century, a wealthy women was murdered for her money and the body hidden nearby. By the time she was found the body was in an advanced state of decay and the head had become detached.

If you travel north-east from York toward Malton you might see the ghost of ‘Nance’ on the A64. Due to marry a mail coach driver, she apparently fell for the charms of a highwayman. Her choice proved a bad one unfortunately, for he left her and her child to die of exposure on the lonely road. She is believed to appear when visibility is bad to guide travellers through the mist.

Haunted Houses in York

One of York’s most famous ghost sightings occured in 1953. Apprentice plumber Harry Martindale was working in the cellar of the Treasurer’s House just behind the Minster. Hearing the sound of an approaching horn, Martindale saw a horse with a dishevelled Roman soldier on its back emerge through the wall followed by more legionaries in plumed helmets talking amongst themselves.

They appeared to be walking on their knees as he couldn’t initially make out their feet and lower legs – it turned out that there was a Roman road fifteen inches below the floor of the cellar. His detailed descriptions of the soldiers’ clothing, facts he couldn’t have known previously, seemed to give his story legitimacy. Legend has it that when the young plumber fled upstairs, the buildings curator said to him ‘You’ve seen the Roman soldiers, haven’t you?’ – apparently this wasn’t the first sighting of the legionaries.

A female ghost that has been seen in the Principal’s House – dressed in green and carrying roses – is rumoured to be that of Catherine Howard, the fourth of Henry VIII’s six wives. The building in which she has been seen is built on the site of the old rose garden where the queen apparently liked to spend much of her time when in York. She would later be beheaded – possibly for her infidelity here with her lover Thomas Culpeper.

The King’s Manor, also on Exhibition Square, is frequented by the ghost of a monk and the groans of wounded men can also be heard as it was used as a temporary hospital during the Civil War.

The area around the Minster seems to be a popular hang-out for local ghosts and is home to some of York’s most haunted houses. The house at 5 College Street is reportedly home to a ghost of a young girl who wanders around upstairs. When the Black Death spread across England in the 14th century, a six year old girl was locked in the boarded up house with the bodies of her parents who had died from the disease. She wasn’t infected however, and slowly starved to death.

St. William’s College next door (above) is home to a ghost with a guilty conscience. In the 16th century, two brothers staying here hatched a plan to rob a wealthy priest. They stole his jewellry and purse – but also slit his throat. Fearing his younger brother, who was now overcome with remorse, would get them both caught, the elder reported his brother for the crime. His brother was tried and hanged, but the elder died himself soon after, racked with guilt. It is his spirit that is said to pace the floors of St. William’s college.

Haunted Pubs in York

There are a number of haunted pubs in York – and many lay claim to the city’s ‘most haunted’ title. One of which is The Snickleway Inn on Goodramgate which is apparently frequented by a number of ghostly apparitions. The ghost of a woman killed just outside the pub by a horse and cart delivering beer can be seen waiting on the staircase, there is a sinister presence in the cellar and an elderly man in old-fashioned apparel has been seen walking through the back wall.

A pub I didn’t know until recently was haunted, The Cock and Bottle on Skeldergate is said to be visited by the ghostly figure of one George Villiers who owned a building that was once on the site. A Royalist and alchemist, Villiers can be distinguished by his large nose and wavy black hair.

Now a Wetherspoon’s pub, The Punchbowl on Micklegate is said to be haunted by a former landlord who burnt to death in a fire. He has allegedly been seen in both the cellar and one of the bedrooms upstairs. Other inhabitants include a young woman strangled by a drunk and a woman who died of a broken heart.

On the other side of the city, a bowler hatted Victorian workman is apparently a ‘regular’ in The Black Swan on Peasholme Green (pictured). He gives the impression that he is waiting for someone, and sometimes paces about before gradually fading away. More peculiar perhaps is the pair of legs that have been seen wandering about the staff quarters and going down the stairs.

Used as a hospital during the English Civil War, down in the cellar of Ye Olde Starre Inne on Stonegate you can apparently hear the screams and cries of amputees. The pub also has some feline ghosts as well. Legend has it that two black cats were bricked up between the door and the bar – an attempt to protect the building against bad fortune. Dog owners visiting the pub have reported their animals growling, snarling and throwing themselves toward the place where the cats were said to have been entombed.

Round on High Petergate in the York Arms there is said to be a phantom nun who, like the cats, was bricked up behind a wall many centuries ago (although in her case she wasn’t considered a lucky charm, she had apparently just given birth and was being punished). Although the original building is long gone, the pub stands on the same spot.

Haunted Hotels in York

The Golden Fleece, a pub that also offers lodgings, is reportedly haunted by a ghost from the mid-twentieth century. At the end of the Second World War, a Canadian airman staying here fell from one of the upper windows and broke his neck on the street below. Ever since, his ghost has been said to haunt the bedroom from which he fell.

Guests have also reported seeing the ghostly figure of a woman wandering the corridors. It is said this is Lady Alice Peckitt, a one time resident of the neighbouring building, although it is unclear why she would be haunting next door.

Located on Duncombe Place in view of the Minster, Dean Court is another of York’s haunted hotels and has a number of spooky stories associated with it. One ghost has been recorded as that of a Roman soldier, but it is unclear whether his metal helmet is enough to distinguish him as Roman.

Although this whole area around York Minster was the site of the original Roman garrison, the present building was constructed in the mid-nineteenth century as lodgings for visitors to the Minster and it wouldn’t make sense – according to ghost authorities – to see such an apparition upstairs here.

Although there haven’t been an ghost sightings here, Room 36 is said to have provoked odd sensations in guests, including pressure on the bed and a frequently recorded cold spot that occurs even on warm days. A Victorian cleaning lady is also said to haunt the cellar downstairs. She is thought to have possibly had a room here or possibly just stored her tools and this is why she returns.

Haunted Churches in York

York Minster is the setting to a number of ghostly tales. One such story was recorded by T.M. Jarvis in his ‘Accredited Ghost Stories’ published in 1823. A group of friends were visiting the Minster when some of their party became separated. They were approached by an officer in full naval uniform. He paused for a moment, whispered in the ear of one of the ladies ‘There is a future state’, and then carried on past before disappearing.


The man was the brother of the woman who had been spoken to. The two had made a pact that whoever died first would confirm to the other the existence of an afterlife. The brother had just been killed at sea.

The ghost of one Dean Gale who died at the beginning of the eighteenth century has apparently been sometimes seen sitting at the end of a pew listening to sermons.

The Minster is also said to be haunted by a dog whose barks can be heard echoing at night. The dog, called Seamus, was owned by a stonemason who worked on the Minster during its construction. Due to their being an unpopular pair, the other labourers decided to brick Seamus in behind a wall. The dog died alone in the darkness, his barks unanswered.

The headless ghost of Thomas Percy, Earl of Northumberland has apparently been seen at Holy Trinity Church on Goodramgate. A staunch Catholic he was executed for treason in 1572 for plotting against the Protestant queen Elizabeth I. His head was spiked and placed atop of Micklegate Bar, where it remained for many years before being buried in the church grounds. His body has been seen stumbling between the graves in search of its missing head.

Another haunted church in York is the Church of the Holy Trinity on Micklegate (similar name, different place) where sightings of three ghostly figures have been reported – two adults and one child. There are two different and contradictory stories that explain their appearance. The first is that mother and child were buried apart and the second adult figure is a nanny reuniting them. The second says that the women are unconnected, the mother and child were united in death after the youngster died of plague, whilst the other women is an abbess killed during the Reformation.



CREDITS - York PM

Paranormal Sightings In Surrey

Ghosts of girls, donkey and bus - paranormal sightings in Surrey!

To celebrate everything ghostly and ghoulish we take a look at some of the reported paranormal activities in Surrey over the years.

The ghost of a vengeful donkey, a girl who haunts a car park and the slaying of a dragon are among the paranormal sightings reportedly seen in and around Guildford.

The events which happened as recently as 2012 feature on a paranormal database, with 10,509 sightings recorded across Britain and Ireland.

Ghosts are seen most, complemented by appearances of vampires, werewolves and even a legend about the slaying of a dragon in West Clandon.

Guildford town centre appears repeatedly on the database including a report from the 1960s of a tall girl with grey eyes and grey clothes haunting an unnamed carpark in the town centre, plus a Victorian woman seen walking around Guildford Castle.

Owner of Guildford Ghost Tour, Philip Hutchinson, believes ghost stories are important for preserving traditions and a town’s history – even if some of it may be based on legend.

Mr Hutchinson said: “The most famous stories are the sightings at the Angel Hotel in Guildford which is meant to have lots of ghosts.

“Nuns have been seen walking down staircases, voices have been heard calling names and guests have even claimed their bedroom walls have closed in on them.

“One prominent story from the 1970s is the sighting of a 19th century Eastern European soldier who stared at a couple out of their room’s mirror for 20 minutes.

“He remained within the mirror staring at them for so long the husband actually sketched a picture of the ghost.”

The tour guide claims that the most haunted building in Guildford is not the Angel Hotel but the Kings Head pub on Quarry Street.

“Dogs have been known to bark at one particular spot which used to be an old doorway which is now blocked up," he told Get Surrey. “An old woman has been seen standing watching people in the pub and a young girl in white skips through the pub on occasion too.”

The sightings are not confined to old town centre buildings.

A woman dressed all in white was spotted at the roadside on the A31 Hog’s Back road to Guildford plus the repeated appearance of a horse-drawn box carriage and a motorcycle.

In 1995, a man driving along the A324 towards Pirbright said he drove past a 1920s red double-decker bus, which made no sound or wind turbulence generated as their paths crossed.

The driver later identified it as a 1920’s Dennis J Type of the Aldershot and District bus company.

The ghostly forms of animals have been known to wander around Surrey too, with a cryptozoology sighting of a donkey repeatedly seen in the area around the Donkey pub in Tilford.

Ghost enthusiast Philip Hutchinson said his favourite story was only told to him recently by a customer on one of his ghost tours.

“This lady told me about when she camped on St Catherine’s Hill with friends in the 1970s.

“A steam train went past them and people leant out of the window shouting at them to get off the line but steam trains did not run on that line in the 1970s and I also immediately thought of any accident which occurred in the 1890s.

“A steam train hit a cow on the line and many people on board were killed.

“The lady was unaware of this story so my guess is that it was related to the crash at Peasmarsh as the line went past the hill.”

Mr Hutchinson says he will always remain cynical and will only tell stories he not only believes in but the person who tells him about it seems sincere.

The Guildford Ghost Tour will have a special Halloween event on Friday (October 31). Tickets cost £5 for adults and £4 for concessions with all those wishing to attend needing to meet outside the Holy Trinity Church just before 8pm.

Paranormal sightings:

A31 Hogs Back, Guildford bound (02/01/07)

A driver watched a horse-drawn box carriage cross the road around 100m in front of him. The witness reported that he could not make out too many details as it was raining hard, though he was able to see a dim lantern towards the front of the carriage. As the driver reached the spot where he had seen the vehicle pass, he realised there was no side road where the coach and horses could have crossed.

A31 Hogs Back, Guildford bound (1960s)

A driver spotted a female figure with long hair, wearing a white dress, standing by the roadside. The witness stopped to see if she was lost or needed a lift, but she had vanished.

A324 towards Pirbright (1995)

A driver said he drove past a 1920s red double-decker bus however, no sound came from the bus, and there was no smell of exhaust or wind turbulence generated as their paths crossed. He later identified it as a 1920’s Dennis J Type of the Aldershot and District bus company.

Ash (1938)

The rector at the Ash Rectory wrote that he had been awoken by the sounds of galloping, and opened his eyes just in time to see a phantom coach and a team of horses pass through his bedroom. It was said that the phantom occurrence had also been experienced by previous rectors, and that the rectory was built on top of an old road.

Ash Green (1930s)

An old man in green appeared at Ash Manor in one of the bedrooms and is said to have looked real, though when a witness tried to grab him, he passed through the figure. Described as short, and looking like a tramp, the ghost had what appeared to be a slashed throat. The nearby fields are haunted by the sounds of galloping horses.

Box Hill (Repeated sightings)

Major Peter Labelliere died in 1800 and, following his own request, was buried upside near the summit of the hill. Even though his dying wish was carried out, this has not prevented Labelliere from roaming the area near his grave. A ghostly horse and rider have also been reported.

Bramley (Unknown)

In a former antique shop on the High Street a phantom girl is said to stand in a former doorway out the front which is now sealed up.

Bramley (Unknown)

A crossroads near to the Chinhurst Woods is supposedly haunted by an old female gypsy and her aging mare.

A3 Burpham (01/12/02)

Police were called to the scene after several motorists watched a car crash off the road but they discovered not a fresh accident, but one that had occurred five months previous. The car was in a ditch, making it impossible to see from the road, and the skeletal remains of the driver were recovered.

Cranleigh (Unknown)

A headless Thomas More is said to drift near to Baynard’s Park. After being executed in 1535, Sir Thomas had his head hidden at Baynard Hall until the heat died down but, still not happy, he drifts without the object in the nearby park.

Dunsfold Aerodrome, Cranleigh (2006)

Workers on the 007 film Casino Royale reported seeing the ghost of a woman moving along the aisles of a 747 they used as a set. It is believed the phantom is of a female passenger who died from a heart attack at least thirty years previous.

58 - 60 West Street, Dorking (Unknown)

William Mullins took his wife and child across to the Americas on the Mayflower, however they died soon after. It is believed he now haunts his old home. 

Dorking (Unknown)

A decapitated rider on horseback follows a road that no longer exists through a graveyard where the figure crosses the gravestones and vanishes through a hedge.

Pippbrook House, Dorking (Unknown)

The ghost of a woman wearing a long grey dress is reputed to haunt the staircase in Dorking library, while a phantom butler has also been reported.

Polesden Lacey, Dorking (1980s)

The original house no longer stands, but ghosts such as an apparition of a whirlwind have been seen in the grounds as well as a figure dressed in a brown robe and hood.

White Horse Hotel, Dorking (Unknown)

The ghost of the ninth Duke of Norfolk remains in the inn rumoured to be too drunk to depart the land of the living.

King’s Arms Royal Hotel, Godalming (Unknown)

The sound of boots and clothing being removed in a bedroom in the early hours of the morning.

Westbrook Place, Godalming (Unknown)

Figure dressed in a cloak only seen by moon light.

Great Bookham (03/08/10)

A shaggy brown creature was seen in the middle of a track between Polesden Lane and Admiral Walk. The blurry ’Shuck’ was around a metre high, very shaggy looking and had brown fur then vanished.

High Street, Guildford (Unknown)

In one of the buildings echoing footsteps, slowly traversing the first floor, can be heard by people on the ground, though no one can be found when the area is searched.

Angel Hotel, Guildford (01/01/70)

The spirit of a nineteenth century military man was seen gazing back at two witnesses as they looked into a mirror in room one.

Guildford Castle, Guildford (Unknown)

A Victorian woman see walking around the grounds of the castle who is rumoured to not realise she is dead. Other ghostly figures have been seen around the castle.

Losely House, Guildford (Unknown)

Woman in brown seen repeatedly on or near the staircase of the old house, often staring with wide black eyes but many have said they felt unthreatened by her.

Guildford (1700s)

Christopher Slaughterford was hanged in 1709 for murdering his girlfriend though he said he was not guilty. This was the last public hanging in Guildford and his ghost was reportedly seen years later with a roper dangling from his neck, burning torch in hand and screaming ‘vengeance!’

Sutton Place, Guildford (1900s)

The sounds of furniture being smashed can be heard here, though investigations can never find anything broken. Glimpses of a woman in white have been reported by staff, though she quickly vanishes.

Guildford (1969)

A car park was built on the site of a house where a Quaker’s daughter died. The workmen briefly saw her before she faded away.

Guildford (Unknown)

Shadows of three women supposedly killed for the crime of witchcraft.

Car park, Guildford (1960s)

A tall girl with grey eyes and long grey clothing is said to haunt a car park in the town.

Hindhead Close, Devil’s Punchbowl (24/09/71)

A man spotted a figure in tattered clothing staggered across the beam of the car’s headlights and disappeared into the punchbowl. The witness later returned to the area and found a memorial stone to the unknown sailor, who was murdered in the area in September 1786.

Devil’s Punchbowl (Unknown)

One legend says that the punchbowl was created after the Devil leapt into Surrey to avoid sunrise. Another story says Old Nick accidentally created the punchbowl while throwing clods of earth at Thor, while a third tale states that the Isle of Wight was created after a giant scooped out the punchbowl and threw the earth at a rival (who he missed).

Leatherhead (1950s)

A spectral figure of a monk wearing what appears to be long brown sackcloth has been seen by staff at the St Mary and St Nicholas church.

Leatherhead (1930/1)

A tall phantom woman was seen by several drivers as she stood in the middle of the road. She would vanish a few seconds later. One speeding truck driver was convinced he had hit and killed a real woman, until he stopped and searched the area for a body - there was none. A few months later, this woman was replaced by a ghostly nurse who lay sprawled out in the road. As with the previous phantom, she would disappear a few seconds after being seen.

Leith Hill (Unknown) 

The site of a battle where the Saxons engaged the Danes is said to be haunted by matching soldiers from both camps.

A3, Milford (06/11/10)

An off duty police officer driving home was forced to brake and swerve to avoid an oncoming motorcycle on the wrong side of the road. Seconds after stopping the driver looked into his mirrors but there was nothing to be seen. The driver also remembered looking to the right as he swerved, seeing the headlight from the side but the rest of the bike was not visible.

Hound House, Peaslake (1900s)

A friendly little ghost was often seen sitting around the kitchen and former servants' quarters.

White Hart, Pirbright (1963)

This figure, seen briefly in a bedroom before it vanished, was described as dark and hairy, with a black hat.

Boughton Hall, Send (Unknown)

A phantom old man walks the upper parts of the building while smoking a pipe. It is more likely that the smell of smoke be perceived than the apparition.

Silent Pool, Shere (Unknown) 

A woman is said to have drowned after swimming out too far to see Prince John. Her naked ghost has been seen there.

Tilford (Unknown)

The area around the Donkey pub and inn is haunted by a donkey that was beaten to death by its owner.

Waverley Abbey (Unknown)

A Cardinal has been seen on a number of occasions in the old dining hall. It is believed that he could stand guard over a hoard of hidden treasure.

West Clandon (Unknown)

Woman dressed in satin seen at Clandon House walking the grounds and sometimes through the house. A male ghost also haunts the area, recognised by his overgrown facial hair.

West Clandon (Unknown)

A dragon which was giving the locals a hard time was killed by an ex-soldier and his dog, the dog leapt onto the creature’s face, while the man decapitated it.

West Clandon (1896)

The ghost of Elizabeth Knight, the demented wife of a former owner of the park, was seen by twenty people running across the grass waving a knife in the air. When they shot at her, the figure vanished through a nearby brick wall. The presence has also been observed in the house, though much calmer in nature.

CREDITS - Get Surrey

Nick’s paranormal encounter at the North Hertfordshire Homes office....

Nick’s paranormal encounter at the North Hertfordshire Homes office......

Not only do most organisations treat the paranormal with an open mind, but several even report ghostly goings on at their own buildings. Lambeth says that Lambeth Town Hall is allegedly haunted, while according to local folk law, One Housing Group’s Arlington centre, in Camden which is a combination of accommodation for homeless people, local facilities and a conference centre, is also haunted.

Circle Group and North Hertfordshire Homes even have offices which staff claim are haunted.

Indeed, this very piece is being written from a housing association’s haunted meeting room. Specifically, I am sitting in the Salisbury room of North Hertfordshire Homes Georgian office in Baldock. The office – previously the home of Mary Graves, the mistress of Lord Salisbury – was been long-rumoured to be haunted before North Hertfordshire Homes moved into the refurbished property in 2005. However, some years ago, local medium John Aitkin visited the property and said he sensed four ghostly presences. These were an 18 year old serving girl called Elisabeth, a house keeper called Isobel, a small child called William and Mary Graves herself.

Curious staff have since held a sleep in, and occasionally reporting ‘weird sensations’ and witnessing the image of a woman by the window. As a result, one colleague has even moved desks. Mostly, though, talk of ghosts provokes jovial skepticism.

Typing alone at the board table, the wind howls outside causing the windows fidget against the shutters, and brittle Autumn leaves to tinker against the aging panes. There are no visions, flying objects, changes of temperature or strange presences. It is actually quite cosy. But nonetheless, it is easy to see how the building, with its alcoves, cellars and staircases could set the mind racing alone at night.

Indeed, the cleaners, who occupy the building alone at night were the first to report things going bump in the night. Steve Foulds, building technician at North Hertfordshire Homes, shows me the cleaners’ log of complains which reveals over series of dates in September 2006 ‘a chair spun round twice’, ‘the apparition of a young girl who smiled and then vanished’, hoovers turned off and on and the disabled toilet locking itself.

‘I thought they were real characters [a husband and wife cleaning duo],’ recalls Mr Foulds. ‘They were certainly very sincere in their belief that is what they saw – and sometimes I bump into them in the street and they ask if there have been further instances. Personally, I think it is a very warm, welcoming place to work.’

6 DIY Ways To Tell If Your House Is Haunted

 When it's time for spiritual house cleaning, keep these techniques in mind.

Being a first-time home owner can be an absolutely terrifying experience. And needless to say, things can only get more terrifying if after moving into the fixer-upper of your dreams your 5-year-old daughter makes a new imaginary friend prone to dressing in turn-of-the-century garb, your ottoman starts levitating, and you find a bunch of weird symbols scratched into your bedroom wall.

Do you have reason to believe that you’re sharing your home with the spirits of its past inhabitants? You could simply ask them to give all that moaning and slamming of doors a rest and to kindly chip in with the mortgage payments. That may do the trick. Or you can review these six methods in which to detect and to dispel any unwanted housemates of the supernatural variety. Most are of the DIY variety — after all, you want to be perfectly certain that something is going on before you call in the big guns or go on a spending spree at GhostStop.com — and most have beneficial side effects such as saving on energy bills, getting to better know your neighbors and clearing out boxes of junk from your garage.

Have you ever suspected that your house was haunted? What were the symptoms? And what did you do to clean house?

Grill the neighbors
Excuse me, I realize I’ve never properly introduced myself, but I was wondering if you happened to know if anyone was brutally ax-murdered in my basement within the past 60 years?

Just an FYI, but I have reason to believe that the closet in our master bedroom is a portal to hell. Have any insights? Oh, and here’s that Tupperware I borrowed over the summer. Sorry, I didn’t return it earlier. I’ve been preoccupied.
Grilling your neighbors — particularly ones who have lived in your neighborhood for eons and may be familiar with the history of your home and its past inhabitants — about supernatural goings-on in your home requires finesse and tact. Whatever you do, don’t start in with “I think my house is haunted and need more info” approach as that may only raise eyebrows, not yield answers.


Play the part of detective and start in with your research in a subtle manner. Don’t act panicked, scared or desperate. Perhaps buzz up the 85-year-old woman who lives across the street and tell her you found some sort of valuable antique hidden away in the attic and want to know more the folks who lived in the home previously (if said antique doesn’t exist, hit up a local estate sale so you have something to show for it). Better yet, tell her that you are starting some sort of blog (you can just refer to it as a “project” if said neighbor is truly an octogenarian) documenting the rich history of the neighborhood and would love for her invaluable insight. The deeper you delve into the past, the more unsavory truths about your home you may (or may not) uncover. (Try watching the excellent 1980 haunted house flick, “The Changeling” on the right and wrong ways to go about this). And if horror films have taught us anything, it is that any haunted house reconnaissance work should also involve spending endless hours at the local library poring over old newspapers with the assistance of a microfilm reader.

If your research doesn’t turn up an gruesome revelations about your home that support your haunted hypothesis, at least you’ve established some type of rapport with the neighbors. And you may as well kill two birds with one stone and talk to them about that neighborhood clean-up day or recycling effort that you’ve been plotting.


Call up your real estate agent
Like tactfully gathering information from your neighbors about the history of your home,

calling up the real estate agent who sold it to you and urging them to spill the beans about whether or not your house is haunted can also be helpful. That said, it varies from state to state as to whether sellers are required to disclose if a house is a “stigmatized property” that falls under the haunted category (but hey, it never hurts to ask).

Steven J.J. Weisman, a professor of business law at Bentley University, explains the basics of selling allegedly haunted houses to RealtorMag: “Haunted properties fall within the category of stigmatized properties, or real estate that is not defective in any physical manner, but due to psychological or emotional factors may have a reduced value. Among the situations covered under the title of stigmatized is a property that was the site of a murder, suicide, alleged haunting, or other parapsychological phenomenon.” Weisman adds: “In one well-documented New York case from 1991, the sale was voided due to the seller not informing the buyer of the house’s reputation for being haunted. The same reasoning could also be used in other states if there aren’t clear laws about disclosing paranormal activity.” You can read more about that case here.

So there’s that. Hopefully, like leaky faucets and creaky floorboards, anything that could potentially go-bump-in-the-night will present itself during a showing so that you don’t have to make any freaked-out late night calls to the realtor a couple on months after move in. But, really, pity the beleaguered agent whose showings keep on getting interrupted by massive fly infestations, slime-oozing toilets and a red-eyed pig demon named Jody.

Planning on moving to Hong Kong? In one of the most exorbitantly priced real estate markets in the world, you can actually score quite a deal by moving into a hongza, a deeply discounted home that’s been legally declared haunted and that the superstitious locals wouldn’t dare set foot in.

Conduct an energy audit
Unless you have Tangina Barrons or Peter Vankman on speed dial, you may want to consider bringing in a completely different type of outside professional help when confronted with possible supernatural activity: an energy auditor. Subjecting your home to a full energy assessment may be something that you’ve considered doing for a while now but have balked for some reason or another. A suspected haunting is an excellent reason to finally get ‘er done. Click here to find an energy auditor near you and remember to take advantage of any weatherization-related rebates or incentives. DIY energy audits are also a fine alternative if you’d rather not bring in outside help.


In addition to blower door tests, most professional energy audits include the use of a thermal imaging camera to pinpoint sources of heat loss around the home. This is extremely helpful if you ultimately decide to “button-up” your abode and improve its overall energy performance. It could also be effective in locating, you know, any heat-generating spectres or spooky “cold spots.” That said, when you hire an energy auditing team for an appointment you probably shouldn’t mention that you think your house is haunted. I realize that you’re busy detecting air leaks, but could you spend some extra time in the guest bedroom with that fancy infrared camera? We’re trying to figure out if a woman named Rebecca hung herself in there in the late 1930s. And if the offending ghost has a penchant for fiddling with light fixtures, you should probably bring in an electrician to investigate.

If anything, conducting an energy audit and making the recommended improvements to increase your home’s efficiency can eliminate sources of any unnerving, ghost-like activity: mysterious drafts, slamming doors, banging noises, rattling windows, etc. (keep in mind that your home might just be old and leaky, not old and haunted). Added bonus: You’ll save on monthly energy costs. However, if you seal up any leaks and further invest in home weatherization projects and still find yourself being plagued by phantom footsteps and the wail of a banshee at 12 a.m. on the dot, than you’re dealing with something that can’t be remedied by a new furnace and a caulk gun.


Smudge ‘em out
Remember that scene from the second “Paranormal Activity” film when Martine, the housekeeper, is caught — and subsequently fired by her doomed employers for — burning sage? Well, she was on to something. Smudging is an ancient purifying ritual that involves burning bundles of pungent dried herbs — usually white sage but sometimes cedar, sweetgrass or tobacco — to cast out existing negative energy from a home and further keep bad mojo at bay. A smudge bowl, commonly a simple earthenware bowl or an abalone shell, is used to catch the embers and ashes from the smudge stick and a feather is used to distribute the smoke to every nook and cranny of a home. Incantations, whether elaborate and read from a book or simple and improvised (please leave, please leave, please leave) generally accompany the burning of a smudge stick.

This may seem all rather stinky and esoteric — the spiritual equivalent of opening up a can of Glade and spraying it all over the place — but performing a simple yet sacred smudge ceremony is often the first line of defense when combating a pesky supernatural presence. The burning of sage also comes up several times in a 2008 New York Times article addressing the fine art of “Supernatural cleaning methods.” However, in that article, San Diego-based medium Bonnie Vent offers this, ahem, sage advice: “There are people who will take advantage of others by using holy water, burning sage and spreading salt around the perimeter of the house. Spirit people are people — these things have no effect in the long term. You really have to get to the root cause.” Vent also mentions that communication is key during supernatural cleaning sessions and that while they don’t always exactly make the ghosts pack up and leave, they do result in a more “livable situation.” Hey, a little compromise ending up working for the Deetz and Maitland families after a bit of comedic trial and error.

Above all, just remember to be civil and not to taunt the spirits. Politeness is key. In the aforementioned article, interior designer Guy Clark reveals the low-key manner in which he banished a ghostly interloper from his home in Bullville, N.Y. He simply said aloud: “O.K., this is my house. If you need anything, I’m here, but you don’t live here anymore, move on.” Apparently, it did the trick.


Focus on critters
So yeah, those unexplained scratching and bumping noises, the inhuman wailing, the mysterious stains on the floor and the fact that your beloved antique vase that was found broken when you woke in the morning? It could end being the handiwork of a mischievous pet, not a vengeful poltergeist, so don’t be quick to rule your beloved kitty or pooch out of the equation.

Don’t have a pet? Well, a critter of another sort could be responsible for the disturbances — a squirrel in the attic, a family of mice living in the basement, etc.

If you come to the conclusion that ghostly goings-on are not stemming for your pets or another type of animal that may be taking up residence in your home, it may help to observe your cat or dog’s behavior. Has it changed? Have they become suddenly more aggressive or high-strung? Does Princess Muffincakes growl at one certain wall in the home and then run under your bed and hide and whimper? Does she refuse to enter a room that she normally hangs out in? Has she been levitating and speaking in Hebrew? Animals are thought to be more sensitive to supernatural activity than humans, so watching your pet and taking note of any strange behavior is a vital step in evaluating the haunted-ness or non-haunted-ness or your home. Or, their behavior may have nothing to do with a haunting. They could be upset by the presence of a new baby or another animal or the fact you’ve been listening to Barry Manilow again.


Hold a garage sale
Thinking about holding a séance? Try holding a garage sale first.

By unearthing boxes of crap from your basement or garage in preparation for a yard sale or a run to the Salvation Army, you may stumble upon some forgotten-about relics that could prove to be useful in the quest to find out whether your home is populated by spirits. Key items to look for: old VHS camcorders, baby monitors, motion sensors, Ouija Boards or, umm, EMF detectors. If you eventually decide to employ any of these items, keep in mind that politeness and keeping an open line of communication is key when hunting for and/or trying to contact ghosts.

Purging your home of unwanted material possessions is also an opportunity to cast out any objects that you suspect may have something to do with a haunting (particularly objects that came with the house like photos, paintings and keepsakes). After all, ghosts can have sentimental attachments, too. And if you’ve recently moved into a home and find something hidden away in the basement or attic that resembles a wine cabinet, a box of rather disturbing home video reels or a weird puzzle-like contraption called a Lament Configuration, put ‘em in the garage sale pile post-haste. On second thought, just bury them deep in the ground or burn them and don’t look back.

Get In The Exorcist! Ghost of Dead Roman Soldier Seen Near Brand New Hospital's Morgue!

Inside the shiny new hospital, a tormented soul stalks the wards and corridors.

Yet this is no ill patient, overworked junior doctor or beleaguered NHS trust executive. 
It is a ghost – or so says a leaked memo from a manager. 

Several workers at the £334million Royal Hospital in Derby have apparently been scared witless by the apparition, which they describe as a man dressed in black and wearing a cloak, who can walk through walls.

Such sightings are not unusual in Derby, which is known as the ghost capital of England, so the matter is being treated with a degree of gravitas.

The memo, written to colleagues by senior manager Debbie Butler, said: ‘I’m not sure how many of you are aware that some members of staff have reported seeing a ghost.

‘I’m taking it seriously as the last thing I want is staff feeling uneasy at work.’

She added: ‘I don’t want to scare anyone any more than necessary, but felt it was best I made you all aware of the situation and what we are doing about it.

‘I’ve spoken to the Trust’s chaplain and she is going to arrange for someone from the cathedral to exorcise the department.’

Yesterday, the talk among workers arriving for their afternoon shifts was that the spirit, if there is one, had emerged from the hospital's Level O - the mortuary.

One, a cleaner who asked not to be named, said: ‘My husband phoned me up as I was on my way in and told me not to go and not to be frightened. He’d just heard about it on the radio.

‘But it hasn’t put me off. In fact, I’d quite like to see a ghost. Perhaps it could help out when we’re understaffed.’

Some believe the visitor is the ghost of a Roman soldier. The site used to be occupied by Derby’s City General Hospital, which was controversially built over one of Ancient Britain’s main Roman roads.

Ian Wilce, co-founder of the Ghost-finder Paranormal Society, said: ‘Generally, spirits we see are those of people who have died suddenly or who frequent a place where they enjoyed being.

‘Wherever this one came from, it doesn’t sound like an evil spirit – if it was, it would be wreaking havoc and throwing things around.  

‘It sounds more like a spirit that has been laying dormant and been disturbed by the building development.’ 

Mr Wilce added: ‘Many sightings can traced back to logical explanations, such as shadows, or psychological factors – if people think there may be something there, they are more likely to imagine they have seen something.’

Benedictine monk Dom Anthony Sutch agreed that the spirit did not sound like a demon, and therefore exorcism was not necessary. The hospital’s PR department said there was ‘absolutely no truth’ in reports that an exorcism will be arranged.  

Derby won its title of most haunted in the Supernatural Britain Report by Lionel Fanthorpe, an expert on the paranormal.

Mr Fanthorpe found there had been 315 reported ghosts, poltergeists, werewolves and vampires in Derby throughout history.

Ghost-Hunting In Devon!

Ghost-hunting's not for wimps, as we find out on hair-raising tour of a haunted Devon manor house!

Kate Wallace's death wasn't peaceful. Legend has it she was shipwrecked off the coast of Ilfracombe, north Devon, when returning to the town in 1695. She was nursed, coincidentally, by her parents, but was so badly bruised that they did not recognise her. Three days later, she died, but only after her father, William – who, as a shipwrecker, had lured her ship to its doom in the first place – relieved the unknown woman of all her valuables. Upon realising who she was, the poor man was so overcome he entombed her body in a room in his house, Chambercombe Manor, where she stayed until 1865 when her dusty skeleton was discovered by some unsuspecting tenants.

So between her and Lady Jane Grey – another former visitor at Chambercombe who met a similarly grisly end – it's not surprising that ghost-hunters here get pelted with stones, pushed into corners by freezing blasts of air and are run out of the house by moaning voices.

"I don't believe in demons," says head ghost-hunter Jayne Hendy. "But I do believe in demonic spirits. They're like people, you just need to know how to handle them." She says this as I clutch two dousing rods, metal apparatus used to locate spirits and other paranormal activity. It is stage one of our paranormal training with Haunted Happenings, which throughout the evening will see us conducting lone ghost vigils in a scullery, having a séance in a spooky bedroom and taking a ghostly tour of the grounds. My rods and I don't communicate well. If there are any currents of unearthly radiation in Chambercombe, I'm the human equivalent of a nuclear bunker. It's not a situation I am keen to remedy. Despite the cheery gingham and bright lights of the Lady Jane's tearooms where we begin our night, there's little getting away from the fact that Chambercombe is creepy.

"Don't worry," says Jayne cheerfully as we skulk into the house behind her. "If you're scared, first look for a logical explanation for the sensations you're feeling, such as a massive spider climbing over your face. Something like that." After some consideration I decide that yes, this is a marginally preferable outcome to meeting a disgruntled member of the undead.

Jayne is a medium and a paranormal investigator with 25 years of spirit experience behind her. Together with Haunted Happenings founder Hazel Ford, who runs similar events up and down the country, she will be chaperoning us through the night. Some of the group are old hands, discussing recent sightings of spirits and whole tables shaking. But most of us are just curious first- or second-timers. One man wears an expression of bored disbelief and carries a very scientific-looking instrument which resembles a Geiger counter. I resolve to stay near him.

We begin our hunting in the main bedroom – a room dominated by an oppressive, intricately carved four-poster bed and a baby's cradle which has been known to rock by itself. Next door is where Kate Wallace's body was bricked up. I can't decide which part of the room scares me least, so I hover uncertainly by the end of the bed. Error. Jayne elects me to feel a certain part of the air near her which is icy cold. The whole room is icy cold. But this bit is definitely colder. According to Jayne, it is also five foot seven. I withdraw my hand and scuttle off to a corner, fearful of having groped Kate Wallace.

Sitting on the floor we begin the séance, and after 10 or so minutes there is a faint knock coming from outside the door. Jayne urges the assumed spirit to come in; I urge it to stay put. More minutes pass, during which time floorboards creak and other members of the group report feeling cold air blowing on their hands. Later on, I return in a smaller group with a spirit board (like a Ouija board) and we try to communicate with whoever was looming around the room earlier. The board spells out "Sofia" who says she is seven. I'm so interested in what Sofia is doing up at 2am talking with us that I forget to be freaked out by the fact that the planchette is moving apparently of its own accord. The guys at Haunted Happenings do this well: there is very little sensationalism in their actions, keen as they are to manage expectations.

Dissatisfied with Sofia, who bade us farewell pretty swiftly, confirming that child attention spans have not changed much over the centuries, we move to the Great Hall and sit quietly around a large, heavy wood table. A glass in the centre of the table begins to move. Whoever is guiding it seems keen to talk to one member of our group. Suddenly some pebbles come skittering across the floor. I jump out of my skin as we clatter around trying to find an explanation. No large spiders are apparent. But the house used to be inhabited by violent smugglers and shipwreckers – tunnels from the beach coming right into the room where I sit. I reckon they must have quite a good throwing arm.

By now it is 4am, and being on edge for eight hours is taking its toll. Yet clearly the spirits are not in the mood for talking or scaring the bejesus out of us tonight, which in many ways adds some authenticity to the proceedings. The part of me which wanted to believe is unsatisfied. The part of me which likes being able to sleep soundly at night most certainly is. And the cheery breakfast back in Lady Jane's tearooms does a lot to make me rationalise events. Pebbles? I muse while I scoff croissants: obviously it was just the wind. Yes, that makes sense. Doesn't it?

County Durham's Haunted History

County Durham is one of the UK's most hanuted places according to local ghost hunter Rob Kirkup.

There are 569 listed buildings in Durham city-centre

Steeped in history - archaeological evidence from the region dates back to 2000BC.

There are 569 listed buildings in Durham city centre alone - Rob believes it's this rich history that makes it so ghostly.

According to Rob - the county's most haunted places include Lumley Castle, Crook Hall and the Ancient Unicorn Inn.

Author of the new book Ghostly County Durham - Rob said: "There's been some horrible things that have happened in the county - murder, plagues.

"In my book there's 28 places I've written about - but I could have wrote about 100."

Lily of Lumley

Rob believes that Lumley Castle is probably the most haunted site in County Durham.

It hit the headlines in 2005 when members of the Australian cricket team were so scared that some refused to sleep alone.

Legend has it that the castle is haunted by the ghost of Lily of Lumley - a 14th Century lady of the manor, who was thrown down a well in the castle grounds by two priests after rejecting the Catholic Church.

Ghostly Figure

Making up the rest of the top five are Durham Castle, Crook Hall, the North of England Lead Mining Museum and the Ancient Unicorn Inn.

At Durham Castle the ghostly figure of a woman has been witnessed gliding up one of its staircases since the 17th Century.

Local legend claims that this is the spirit of Isabella Van Mildert who fell down the staircase, breaking her neck.

The castle is also said to be haunted by the ghost of Frederick Copeman, one of Durham University's first ever students - who threw himself from the tower of the cathedral after failing his exams.

Ghost hunters

So what is it that makes some places haunted?

Rob explained that many believe in the stone tape theory - if something truly awful happens then it stays in the fabric of the land or building and gets replayed over and over again.

Rob said: "There generally does tend to be some kind of horrible murder or something like the plague involved.

"But then again there's places like the North of England Lead Mine Museum - during the time it was open only three people were killed there, but it's one of the most haunted places in County Durham."

The North of England Lead Mining Museum is a favourite of ghost hunters as footsteps and hushed voices are believed to be heard coming from the mine even when it's empty.

It's also said to be haunted by a miner who died violently there.

Local legend has it that the scream of a miner's wife who was never seen again after going looking for her husband, can be heard in nearby woods.

North East

But Rob knows that many people are sceptical about the existence of ghosts.

He said: "What I'd say to them is have you ever taken the time to see if you can find a ghost?

"When I got into this I wasn't a 100% convinced I believed in ghosts - but if you look back over the centuries that have passed - there could genuinely be something to it."

Ghostly County Durham is Rob's third book - he's previously written Ghostly Northumberland and Ghostly Tyne and Wear.

Rob believes that north-east England is a particularly haunted place.

He said: "York and Edinburgh are often considered the most haunted places in the UK - but the North East has to be up there.

"Look at the number of castles there are and the history - I don't think there's another region that can touch us."