Famous British Hauntings

There are many famous ghosts in Britain. One of them is found at the Borley Rectory that was built in 1863 in London.  However it was not until 1927 when the wife of a Reverend discovered a skull in a cupboard that the real hauntings started. Once the Mrs. Reverend Smith unwrapped the skull from its brown paper strange things started to happen in the home.  Lights were seen in windows, servant bells began ringing and footsteps were heard. Writing began appearing on the walls and innocent people were locked in rooms.  Spirit messages appeared to be tapped out on a mirror frame.  The goings on in the home captured the imagination of a journalist name Harry Price who recorded the goings on in the home for a decade in three separately published books. This includes the book that made the house famous – The Most Haunted House in England. It was eventually destroyed by a deliberately set fire in 1937.

Another famous ghost is Anne Boleyn. Her wraith is seen near the King’s House and on the Tower Green near the Tower of London. She was one of the many unfortunate wives of King Henry VIII who imprisoned her in the Tower and had her beheaded. In 1933 the ghost was stabbed by Tower Guard but the bayonet went right through her.  A similar thing happened to a Tower Guard in 1864.  Her ghost is also seen in the Chapel of St. Peter, at Hever Castle in Kent and in Blickling Hall in Norfolk – all places that she frequented when she was alive.

The Ghost of Threadneedle Street is a woman who hangs out at the Bank of England near Bank Tube Station in London.  She was the sister of a forger who was executed in 1812.  Her ghost is often seen harassing customers at the bank and riders in the Bank Underground Station. She wears a black dress and has thoroughly rouged red cheeks.  She always asks the same question:  “Have you seen my brother?”

There is also a lot of paranormal activity around Cleopatra’s needle in London. This is a 3,500 year old 68 foot tall monument that was a gift from the Egypt government to Britain in 1819.  The monument on the Thames Enbankment is said to be home to ghosts that laugh and emit unearthly screams.  It is thought that the famous obelisk might be haunted by the many sailors that drowned trying to transport the big stone by sea to England.