When I was in primary school, our teachers told us that there was a girl who died in one of the restrooms. Naturally, we were terrified—until we found out they made it up to keep us from hanging around in there too long.
Then came another rumour: our school was a former cemetery. That one turned out to be false too. It was just a big market that went bankrupt.
Looking back, it’s silly how the adults used spooky stories to keep us in line. But somewhere along the way, all those creepy tales stuck with me. What started as a childhood fear turned into a genuine fascination.
That fascination eventually led me here: diving into some of the most haunted places in London. Whether you’re a believer or just love a good scare, these eerie spots might have you sleeping with lights on.
1. Bruce Castle Museum & Archive
Media credit: gjc04
Website: https://www.brucecastle.org/
Address: Lordship Ln
Contact Details: +44 20 8489 4250 and [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Wednesday to Sunday – 1 PM to 5 PM
Pricing: Free
Before becoming a place where the local history is stored, Bruce Castle Museum was once the house of a feudal lord. Its current name is based on the Bruce clan, who formerly owned the land where it stands.
One of the interesting tales I discovered here is about the ghost of Lady Constantia. Most historians claim that she lived a sad life because of her abusive husband and allegedly committed suicide by leaping from a balcony, also killing her unborn child.
There are reports that some museum visitors saw an apparition of what people believe to be Lady Constantia. Some museum staff have also allegedly heard strange wailing noises and saw a shadowy figure in the tower’s top window.
Pro Tip:
The museum’s archive search room is open every Wednesday to Friday from 10 AM to 12:30 PM and 1:30 PM to 4 PM. It’s also open every second Saturday of the month with the same opening hours as its regular operation.
2. The 50 Berkeley Square Townhouse
Media credit: historicalrunner
Address: 50 Berkeley Square
Pricing: Free
The infamous 50 Berkeley Square Townhouse in Mayfair was once home to former Prime Minister George Canning. It’s said to have been built around the 18th century and is now considered one of the city’s most haunted places.
Some residents who live near the townhouse told me that people who stay there at night have been found mad and paralysed due to fear. The sad thing is that some of them have been found dead.
I did some research and discovered that the strange incidents are rumoured to have happened because of the haunted attic room. There was a young woman who allegedly jumped from a window in the attic room to escape from her uncle.
Pro Tip:
The townhouse is now private property and is permanently closed to the public. Nonetheless, you are still welcome to see it from the outside.
3. The Langham, London – Room 333
Media credit: langham_london
Website: https://www.langhamhotels.com/en/the-langham/london
Address: 1C Portland Pl, Regent St
Contact Details: +44 20 7636 1000, +44 20 7636 1000, and [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Check-in time: 3 PM
- Check-out time: 12 PM
Pricing: £
The Langham is one of the luxurious hotels in Marylebone, erected in 1865. Numerous celebrities and politicians have stayed at this lavish hotel since the time it was built.
This is why I can’t believe a beautiful establishment like this has spooky stories, particularly in room 333.
There are stories of a man who appears at the foot of the bed. The man is believed to be a Victorian doctor who reportedly killed his wife in the room and committed suicide afterwards. To think that it happened during their honeymoon (yikes!).
Pro Tip:
Room 333 is always sought out by locals and tourists, so it’s often subject to availability. Booking a reservation during working days is the best option.
4. The Ten Bells
Media credit: thetenbellse1
Website: https://tenbells.com/
Address: 84 Commercial St
Contact Details: [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Sunday – 12 PM to 12 AM
Pricing: £
The Ten Bells is an 18th-century Victorian pub in Spitalfields that is now a classy booze-drinking spot. My friends and I drank here once and were able to learn its dark history, thanks to their trivia night.
It’s hard to digest that we were standing in a place where Jack the Ripper’s victims once stood. Annie Chapman and Mary Kelly frequented the pub before their tragic deaths.
Until now, staff and visitors have heard unexplained noises and experienced sudden temperature drops at the pub.
Aside from that, there are also sightings of Victorian men who they believe to be former patrons.
Pro Tip:
Visit on Tuesday so you can watch or even join their trivia night that starts at 7 PM.
5. Tower of London
Media credit: anneboleynsociety
Website: https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/#gs.luguke
Contact Details: +44 333 320 6000
Operating Hours:
- Tuesday to Saturday – 9 AM to 5:30 PM
- Sunday and Monday – 10 AM to 5:30 PM
Pricing: £
There was a time when I saw the Tower of London as a majestic castle along the River Thames. But not everything indeed is what it seems. This almost-millennium-old, eye-catching citadel has its own share of London’s dark history.
Who would’ve thought that it was used as a prison for centuries? Aside from that, many executions took place at the tower grounds.
One of the well-known executions is that of Anne Boleyn. This makes her one of the most famous ghostly figures of the castle. It’s said that she still roams the tower grounds to this day while carrying her severed head.
The eerie story I love most about this tower is the mysterious disappearance of King Edward V and his younger brother, Prince Richard. They were never found and are said to be haunting the tower up to this time.
Pro Tip:
Visit early to avoid the large crowds and enjoy the tower’s quiet atmosphere.
6. Highgate Cemetery
Media credit: notsosecretnldn and somefantasticplace
Website: https://highgatecemetery.org/
Address: Swain’s Ln
Contact Details: +44 20 8340 1834 and [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- March to October – open daily from 10 AM to 5 PM (last entry 4:30 PM)
- November to February – open daily from 10 AM to 4 PM (last entry 3:30 PM)
Pricing: £
I understand that cemeteries might be naturally scary for most of us, but Highgate Cemetery is different. Its tale, “Highgate Vampire,” really sparks my interest.
There are legends that a dark figure roams the cemetery grounds, causing clocks and watches to stop ticking. The figure is said to be a vampire because of its red eyes. They reportedly saw this tall, terrifying creature every twilight hour.
I was sad to know that its prominence caused the cemetery’s destruction. Since it was televised in the 1970s, many people went there to hunt the said creature, destroying graves.
Apart from the vampire lore, I also discovered that there are rumours of paranormal activities that happen at the cemetery. Some are unexplained cold spots, shadowy figures, and the feeling of being watched by someone.
Pro Tip:
You can book a guided tour of the cemetery. Join it if you’re too afraid to join on your own!
7. The Viaduct Tavern, EC1
Media credit: beautifulboozers and theviaducttavernec1
Website: https://www.viaducttavern.co.uk/
Address: 126 Newgate St
Contact Details: +44 20 7600 1863 and [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Friday – 12 PM to 11 PM
- Saturday – 12 PM to 8 PM
Pricing: £
Before becoming a pub, The Viaduct Tavern was a prison and a gin palace. Specifically, it was the former grounds of Newgate Prison. For your information, Newgate Prison was notorious for executions.
I promised myself that I’d never go here because of the taps on the shoulders. The staff, visitors, and residents believe that the spirits of the executed prisoners are the masterminds behind the shoulder taps.
Other unexplained happenings in the pub include sudden temperature drops, lights switching off on their own, and slamming doors.
Another eerie story I found out was about the spirit of a woman who worked as a prostitute at the tavern and was murdered there.
Pro Tip:
Avoid visiting on Thursday as it’s the most crowded day in the pub.
8. The London Dungeon
Media credit: londondungeon
Website: https://www.thedungeons.com/london/
Address: Riverside Building, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Rd
Contact Details: +44 20 7967 8022 and [email protected]
Pricing: £
Although not technically a haunted place, you will discover London’s witchcraft history in The London Dungeon. They have an attraction where they roleplay the execution of Elizabeth Sawyer at Newgate Prison during the Stuart age.
Elizabeth Sawyer was rumoured to be a witch long before her execution. I was a bit upset when I learned she was accused of being a witch merely because of her strange physical appearance. She had a hunched, crooked back and only had one eye.
During her trial, many people described her as a woman who resembled a ghost. She died in April 1621.
Pro Tip:
Before you visit, check their website for operating hours. Their opening and closing times vary each day. You may also try other attractions like Sweeney Todd, Mitre Square, and more.
9. The Grenadier
Media credit: londonsquarespirits
Website: https://www.grenadierbelgravia.com/
Address: 18 Wilton Row
Contact Details: +44 20 3205 2905 and [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Saturday – 12 PM to 11 PM
- Sunday – 12 PM to 10 PM
Pricing: £
The Grenadier pub is known not only for its tasty food and drink but also for its ceiling full of money. At first, I thought it was the pub’s way to make them stand out from competitors. But I found out that there’s a dark story behind it.
The pub is allegedly haunted by the spirit of Cedric, a young officer who was beaten to death for cheating at a card game. He crawled his way back inside the pub before dying.
To this day, unexplained whispers and moving objects happen inside the pub.
I smiled a bit when I discovered that the visitors were the ones who placed money on the pub’s ceiling. This is their way of helping Cedric pay his debt and possibly leave this world for good.
Pro Tip:
Visit in September as numerous ghost happenings in the pub occur during this month. It’s also believed that Cedric died during the said month.
10. Horniman Museum & Gardens
Media credit: hornimanmuseumgardens
Website: https://www.horniman.ac.uk/
Address: 100 London Rd, Forest Hill
Contact Details: +44 20 8699 1872 and [email protected]
Operating Hours:
- Monday to Sunday – 10 AM to 5:30 PM
Pricing: Free
Horniman Museum & Gardens is another museum with a dark past. It was once a collection room of Frederick John Horniman, a Victorian tea merchant. One of its famous artefacts today is a stuffed walrus.
There were reports of sightings of a ghostly man and woman who seemed to be a couple on the museum’s terrace here, both dressed in 1920s attire.
No one knows who they are, but there are rumours that they were party attendants who disappeared into the trees for an unknown reason.
Pro Tip:
Some attractions are not free, such as the Aquarium and Butterfly House. Book tickets in advance if you want to visit them, as they sell out quickly daily.
