Nothing screams Halloween like a pulse-raising wander around a spooky spot. And thanks to London’s impressive history, the city has no shortage of buildings with a haunted past. If you fancy investigating some seriously spooky supernatural sightings, here are 20 haunted places in and around London that won’t disappoint! From children’s hospitals to pubs and the Tower of London itself, there are plenty of eerie locations to check out. Just remember to let your friends and family know you love them beforehand – just in case…
1. The Langham Hotel, Marylebone
You may not want to live the suite life after hearing about this haunted hotel’s terrifying past. The Langham was Europe’s first Grand Hotel. When it opened in 1895, it completely stunned European royalty. It was one of the first hotels to feature air conditioning, electric lights and hydraulic lifts; it was a pretty big deal. And it still is! But something else entirely garnered it even more attention and popularity: news of poltergeist activity taking place in the hotel. Room 333 was purportedly the centre of all activity, and brave souls travelled from far and wide to encounter the spectres. The room is supposedly frequented by a man dressed in Victorian clothing. Meanwhile, other ghouls roam the hotel’s corridors.
📍 1C Portland Place, Marylebone, W1B 1JA.
🚇 Nearest station is Oxford Circus.
2. City of London Cemetery and Crematorium, Manor Park
Most cemeteries are pretty eerie spots to begin with, but the City of London Cemetery takes the cake. Aside from the towering tombstones and angel statues, this cemetery has also had its fair share of supernatural sightings. In the mid-1970s, for example, dozens of people complained of a brilliant orange light emerging from inside one of the tombstones. Attempts to find a light source and an explanation for the light proved fruitless. Lord knows what is going on in that grave.
📍 Aldersbrook Road, Manor Park, E12 5DQ.
🚇 Nearest station is Manor Park.
3. The Spaniard’s Inn, Hampstead
This 16th-century boozer is one of the oldest pubs in London and Charles Dickens himself was a regular! But what many of its punters probably don’t know is what this Hampstead pub hides in its chilling past. The legend goes that co-owners Francesco and Juan Porero fought over the affection of a woman, and Juan was murdered as a result. He was buried in the garden of the Inn, and his ghost has supposedly haunted the building ever since. So be careful when you tuck into your fish and chips or Sunday roast, you might have an unexpected dinner guest. As if that wasn’t enough, the legendary highwayman Dick Turpin is supposed to make his presence known here, too!
📍 Spaniards Road, Hampstead, NW3 7JJ.
🚇 Nearest station is Golders Green.
4. 50 Berkeley Square, Mayfair
Image: @greenbadgeguide, via IG
Supposedly the most haunted place in London, the townhouse at 50 Berkeley Square was once home to PM George Canning. However, it’s a Mr Meyers who is said to haunt the building. The story – well, one story among many – goes that after being jilted by his fiancée, Mr Meyers became a recluse. He locked himself inside the attic and only left to wander the halls at night by candlelight. He lived this way until he died and has since had quite an impact on subsequent visitors and inhabitants. A number of tenants have reported a putrid smell in the halls and the presence of an ominous spirit. Many have even claimed to actually witness Mr Meyers roaming the halls at night.
📍 50 Berkeley Square, Mayfair, W1J 5BA.
🚇 Nearest stations are Bond Street and Green Park.
5. Tower of London, Tower Hill
This 900-year-old fortress is the first place that comes to mind when we think of haunted London. Could that be down to the thousands of executions linked to the Tower? Or perhaps it’s the ten ghosts that have been spotted roaming the halls over the years, including Anne Boleyn herself? Either way, the Tower of London is a seriously spooky venue, and for those brave enough to venture inside, you’re in for a real (trick or) treat.
One of the most historically famous tales of murder and foul play associated with the building is the story of the Princes in the Tower. The royal brothers Edward V and Richard Shrewsbury were locked in the tower by Richard III and left to die, as a plot to seize the throne. Supposedly, the ghosts of the murdered boys have wandered the fortress ever since, looking for revenge. Let’s just hope they don’t find you during your visit! The Tower is also said to be home to the ghost of Margaret Pole, the Countess of Salisbury, whose execution in 1541 supposedly took eleven blows of the axe.
📍 The Tower of London, St Katherine’s & Wapping, EC3N 4AB.
🚇 Nearest station is Tower Hill.
6. Greenwich Foot Tunnel, Greenwich
Ever wondered what it would feel like to star in a horror movie? Head to the Greenwich foot tunnel and you’ll soon find out. This creepy cast-iron tunnel runs beneath the River Thames and connects the Isle of Dogs to Greenwich. It opened in 1902 and has since served as a spook-tacular way to cross the river. Although there are no known (official) ghosts pacing this tunnel, you definitely wouldn’t want to find yourself here alone. The tunnel is 370 meters long with dim lighting, leaky ceilings and echoing footsteps that could easily be mistaken for the Grim Reaper. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!
📍 The Isle of Dogs / Greenwich, SE10 9HT.
🚇 Nearest station is Cutty Sark.
7. Hyde Park Pet Cemetery, Hyde Park
If you thought human ghosts were bad, then just wait until you hear about this haunted hideaway. The Secret Pet Cemetery of Hyde Park dates back to the 1880s and houses the remains of over 300 pets. The ghastly graveyard is filled with tiny headstones and the spirits of animals supposedly looking for affection a la Pet Sematary,
📍 Victoria Gate Lodge, W2 2LU.
🚇 Nearest station is Paddington.
8. The Ten Bells, Spitalfields
The Ten Bells, formerly known as The Jack the Ripper, has a horrifying past. In 1888, Annie Chapman was murdered and mutilated by London’s most notorious serial killer, Jack the Ripper. In 1996, the pub’s landlord claimed that the building had been taken over by her ghost – and it’s been haunted ever since. If that’s not terrifying enough, ghostly activity has been reported by the staff over the years. These include sightings of an elderly man in Victorian clothing walking the halls, and some staff members say they’ve even been shoved down the stairs. Maybe the spirits felt they’d been waiting too long for a pint?
📍 84 Commercial Street, Spitalfields, E1 6LY.
🚇 Nearest station is Liverpool Street.
9. Bank Underground Station, Bank
Bank Underground Station is an undoubtedly scary place. Ever tried to change platforms in the middle of rush hour? Utterly terrifying. And the station’s past is even more harrowing (if that’s possible). Since the late 1800s, there have been numerous sightings of a tall figure dressed in black, working its way through the tunnels. Turns out she has a name, and she is none other than The Black Nun. Legend has it that she is haunting the site and mourning her executed brother, who used to work at the former bank.
📍 Princes Street, EC3V 3LA.
🚇 Nearest station is Bank.
10. Queen Elizabeth Hospital for Children, Hackney
After the cholera outbreak in 1866, Queen Elizabeth’s Hospital opened in East London to treat hundreds of children and adolescents with the disease. The hospital is no longer functioning, but the building itself still looks as if it has come straight out of an episode of American Horror Story. Perhaps haunted by the ghosts of its young patients, this hospital is certainly enough to keep you awake at night.
📍 Charles Hayward, Goldsmiths Row, E2 8FU.
🚇 Nearest station is Cambridge Heath.
11. Bleeding Heart Yard, Farringdon
Image: @lundonlens, via IG
Bleeding Heart Yard is a small London courtyard that may look harmless, but is in fact one of the capital’s most haunted places. Back in 1626, the mutilated body of socialite Lady Elizabeth Hatton was found strewn across the courtyard. Her limbs were completely detached from her body, and her heart was supposedly still beating, hence the name. They say Lady Elizabeth still haunts the place where she died all these years later, which is enough to send chills down anybody’s spine.
📍Bleeding Heart Yard, EC1N 8SJ.
🚇 Nearest station is Farringdon.
12. The Flask, Highgate
As well as boasting a gorgeous roasting fireplace, this north London pub is home to a few creepier tenants. Not one but two spectres have been said to haunt The Flask. Apparently, a young Spanish barmaid who hanged herself haunts the seating area, whilst a male ghoul sporting a Cavalier uniform lingers around the bar. To make matters even worse, the pub’s committee room is where one of the first-ever autopsies took place. Enter at your own risk.
📍 77 Highgate West Hill, Highgate, N6 6BU.
🚇 Nearest station is Highgate.
13. Highgate Cemetery, Highgate
And one more cemetery for luck! Highgate Cemetery is notoriously one of the most haunted graveyards in Britain. If that’s not enough to give you nightmares, the half-buried gothic tombstones and headless angel statues may do the trick. It is also home to famous figures like Karl Marx and Douglas Adams, as well as a tall, sinister ghoul with bright red eyes that wanders the cemetery at night. There have even been reported encounters with vampires!
📍 Swain’s Lane, Highgate, N6 6PJ.
🚇 Nearest station is Highgate.
14. The Old Queen’s Head, Islington
Islington’s Old Queen’s Head is one of the prettiest pubs around, making for an unexpectedly haunting spot for a pint. With sculptures and plinths on show behind the bar and ornately-detailed walls, it’s an absolutely gorgeous place to unwind or party the night away at their many, regular events – including karaoke nights, gigs, and even neon life-drawing! But don’t be deceived, this boozer has a hidden dark side. Rumour has it that this spot is haunted by a woman and a young girl dressed in Tudor clothing. The girl apparently runs ahead of people up the stairs, crying and slamming the pub’s doors. So, just your average Friday night then…
📍 44 Essex Road, N1 8LN.
🚇 Nearest station is Essex Road.
15. West Norwood Cemetery Catacombs, West Norwood
When it comes to haunted places in London, you really can’t get much creepier than this one. The West Norwood Catacombs is a network of subterranean vaults and dark passages, which serve as the final resting place for around 90 souls who died in the Victorian era. As you can imagine, it’s a fairly creepy place which is rarely open to the public. It is a burial place after all. The cemetery, however, which is a part of London’s ‘Magnificent Seven’, is open to the public for occasional guided walking tours, and there are numerous spooky-looking Grade I and Grade II-listed structures, tombs and mausoleums here.
📍 Norwood Road, West Norwood, London, SE27 9JU.
🚇 Nearest station is West Norwood.
16. Bruce Castle, Tottenham
So, cards on the table: this 16th-century, Grade I-listed former manor house isn’t technically a castle. However, it is one of the two largest and most important Tudor houses remaining in the Greater London area. Dating back to the time of Robert the Bruce, the house and museum is surrounded by 20 acres of parkland and is rumoured to be haunted by Lady Constantina Lucy, who met her end here back in 1680. Stuck in a loveless marriage, she was locked away in a tiny room under the clock tower by her husband, Lord Coleraine. Driven mad by the noise, she managed to escape before sadly hurling herself off the balcony to her demise.
📍 Lordship Lane, London, N17 8NU.
🚇 Nearest station is Bruce Grove.
17. Hampton Court Palace, Hampton Court
The magnificent, Grade I-listed Hampton Court Palace was created back in the early 1500s and was home to Britain’s monarchs for well over 200 years. It was then opened to the public back in the early 19th century. Notably, the palace was home to all-round bad egg Henry VIII, who quite liked playing tennis here, in-between executing or divorcing his wives. One of those wives, poor Catherine Howard, is believed to scream her way down the aptly-named ‘Haunted Gallery’ at night. There have also been sightings of ‘The Grey Lady’ and a shadowy man in a mask, too.
📍 Hampton Court Way, Molesey, East Molesey, KT8 9AU.
🚇 Nearest station is Hampton Court.
18. Epping Forest, Theydon Bois
This north-east London forest spreads well into Essex and boasts over 6,000 acres of space to explore. Plus, it’s one of the haunted places near London for sure. The area has a rich history, with records dating all the way back to the Iron Age. And you know what that means; plenty of history means plenty of ghosts, ghouls, and spectres to encounter. It’s actually billed as the ‘UK’s most haunted forest‘, with rumours of headless bikers, poltergeists, notorious highwaymen, and even Boudicca herself haunting this vast and shadowy spot.
📍You’ll find Epping Forest at CM16 in Essex.
🚇 Nearest stations are Loughton and Theydon Bois.
19. Hindhead Commons, Surrey
Hindhead Commons and the Devil’s Punch Bowl in Surrey are home to wildlife-rich heathland, Europe’s largest spring-eroded valley and Gibbet’s Hill – the second highest spot in the county. While all that sounds lovely, it’s also supposedly the spot where a sailor was brutally murdered by three highwaymen. Those same highwaymen were then hanged from a gibbet on – yep, you guessed it – Gibbet’s Hill. Since then, rumours of haunting spectres and shadowy figures have become commonplace.
📍 London Road, Hindhead, GU26 6AG.
🚇 Nearest station is Haslemere.
20. Pluckley, Kent
Rounding off this list of the most haunted places near London is the quaint and picturesque village of Pluckley in Kent. You actually may have heard of this one, as it’s previously been named in the Guinness Book of World Records as the “most haunted village in England” with twelve official ghosts! These include the phantom of an elderly woman, a screaming man, a ‘red lady’, a schoolmaster who hanged himself, and a shadowy figure who is believed to be a highwayman who was run through with a sword at the aptly-named ‘Fright Corner’. Luckily, there’s a pub called ‘The Black Horse’ where you can relax with a pint and some tasty grub. And, naturally, that’s purportedly haunted too!
📍 Pluckley, Ashford, Kent, TN27 0QS.
🚇 Nearest station is Charing, but we’d recommend driving to this one.
So there you have it – a roundup of 20 of the most haunted places in and near London. If you want to up the fear factor this Halloween, now you know where to head! Just don’t get caught out when darkness falls…