28 Historic British Haunted Houses Open for Exploration

From shadowy histories and spectral apparitions to unexplained noises and phantom footsteps, Britain’s historic estates and manors are rife with supernatural activity. For the brave-hearted, the Historic Houses Association in London offers tours of these purportedly haunted properties. Proceed with caution.

1. Athelhampton House // Dorset

This renowned haunted residence is believed to be inhabited by the spirit of a 16th-century ape, with eerie scratching sounds emanating from the hidden staircase and cellar where the creature is said to be confined. Additional apparitions, such as two duelists and the enigmatic Gray Lady of Athelhampton, have also been sighted throughout the property.

2. Longleat House // Wiltshire

Longleat House is rumored to be haunted by Lady Louisa, whose husband, Thomas Thynne, murdered a footman he believed was involved with her. Thynne concealed the footman’s body in the basement, claiming the man had abruptly departed. Consumed by suspicion, Lady Louisa tirelessly scoured the house for days, eventually falling ill with pneumonia and passing away during childbirth. Her restless spirit is said to continue her search within the house to this day.

3. Tiverton Castle // Devon

One of the spirits haunting Tiverton Castle is believed to be a young bride who, during a game of hide-and-seek on her wedding day, concealed herself in a chest and tragically became trapped. Discovered years later as nothing more than a skeleton and a dress, her ghost is said to roam the castle’s halls, often appearing to visitors unaware of the tragic tale.

4. Prideaux Place // Cornwall

Guests staying in the Stair Room at Prideaux Place have recounted eerie experiences, including sightings of a ferocious dog, visions of blood cascading down walls, a decapitation, and spectral monks congregating—perhaps linked to the property’s history as a former monastery. The ghost of a past inhabitant roams the halls, while a tunnel beneath the road is said to be haunted by a “white lady” who appears to terrify children.

5. Old Bowlish House // Somerset

During World War II, naval officers frequently lodged at Old Bowlish House, where they often encountered apparitions of a well-dressed woman and a young girl. The girl was reportedly seen firing a pistol at her head before vanishing. One officer allegedly attempted to shoot at one of the figures, leaving a bullet hole in a bedroom wall, though it has since been concealed or lost.

6. Peto Garden at Iford Manor // Wiltshire

This haunted manor and garden is known for strange occurrences, including the scent of incense, sightings of a monk, a child’s humming, candles extinguishing on their own, and unexplained noises like thumps and bumps.

7. Chavenage House // Gloucestershire

This house is rumored to be haunted by a headless king and a gray lady, with one bedroom so unsettling that an exorcism was reportedly conducted to dispel the eerie presence.

8. Powderham Castle // Devon

One of England’s oldest family homes is said to be inhabited by supernatural forces that prevent dogs from entering a specific landing. These same forces also make photography in the area notoriously difficult, if not entirely impossible.

9. Samlesbury Hall // Lancashire

This troubled place is said to be haunted by the spirits of Lady Dorothy Southworth, a decapitated Catholic priest, and a man who took his own life in the Long Gallery due to overwhelming debts.

10. Astley Hall // Lancashire

A gentleman resembling an early 20th-century countryman and a young girl have been sighted so frequently at Astley Hall that staff no longer attempt to charge them entry. A woman in Tudor attire has also been spotted throughout the house and grounds. Additionally, ghostly laughter of children and the sound of Mozart played on the grand piano have been reported.

11. Levens Hall // Cumbria

Legend has it that a dying woman placed a curse on this house, which is now haunted by a small black spectral dog seen both on the grounds and inside the property.

12. Muncaster Castle // Cumbria

The Tapestry Room in the castle has been closed to guests due to numerous reports of eerie phenomena, including the sound of a weeping child, rattling doors and handles, and an overwhelming sensation of chest pain. It is also haunted by Tom Skelton, the court jester, who is rumored to have killed a carpenter for inappropriate behavior with his employer's daughter.

13. Hoghton Tower // Lancashire

Numerous supernatural occurrences have been documented here, and since 1955, ghost tours have been guiding visitors through the spectral history of the resident spirits.

14. Ripley Castle // Yorkshire

The castle is believed to be haunted by the ghosts of the Ingleby family, who resided in and owned the property for centuries, dating back to the 1500s.

15. Newby Hall and Gardens // Yorkshire

The Church of Christ the Consoler, located on the estate of Newby Hall, is famous for a ghostly photograph. Some believe the image was staged by the reverend or resulted from water damage, while others insist it captures a genuine and chilling apparition from the afterlife.

16. Kiplin Hall // Yorkshire

Kiplin Hall served as a base for Army and Royal Air Force officers during World War II. Since then, visitors have reported the lingering scent of cigar and pipe smoke, with paranormal investigators claiming to have witnessed apparitions of men and detecting the same mysterious odors.

17. Burton Agnes Hall // Yorkshire

Anne Griffith, daughter of Sir Henry Griffith, the builder of the hall, was assaulted and robbed before the construction was finished. As she lay dying from her wounds, she pleaded for her head to stay within the house after her death. Her family buried her in the churchyard, but the haunting reportedly started right away, with frequent reports of doors slamming and the sound of footsteps racing through the halls. Her skull was eventually brought into the house, where it is believed to remain, though its exact location is unknown.

18. Norton Conyers // Yorkshire

Legend has it that a woman referred to as “Mad Mary” was confined in the attic here during the 18th century. Her ghost is said to still linger within the house.

19. Inveraray Castle and Garden // Argyll

This Scottish castle is rumored to be haunted by numerous spirits, but the most peculiar is the ghostly vision of the Galley of Lorne, a spectral ship that allegedly travels over land to reach the castle and claim its victims.

20. Glamis Castle // Angus

The hauntings at this Scottish castle are believed to stem from an ancient curse caused by Sir John Lyon, who removed a family chalice from its eternal resting place, unleashing a host of spirits. Among them are a tongueless woman who gestures frantically at her face and another woman who was executed by burning for alleged witchcraft.

21. Dorney Court // Berkshire

A ghostly bald woman is said to appear exclusively to men in this residence, which is renowned for its frequent paranormal activity.

22. Beaulieu // Hampshire

In 1928, four coffins were unearthed on the abbey grounds, one holding the skeleton of a man with a hole in his skull and a crown on his head. Arthur Conan Doyle conducted a séance there with a psychic, during which the crowned figure's spirit allegedly manifested. This is just a glimpse into Beaulieu's extensive and eerie history of supernatural events.

23. Knebworth House // Hertfordshire

This Gothic mansion is rumored to be haunted by Jenny Spinner, who was confined to the east wing by Lady Lytton after her son became enamored with her. The house is also said to host other apparitions that have been witnessed by visitors over the years.

24. Harlington Manor // Bedfordshire

A ghostly woman dressed in a silk gown—believed to be an acquaintance of Lady Anne, the daughter of the first Earl of Anglesey—is said to wander the residence.

25. Woburn Abbey // Bedfordshire

Robert Hobbes, the final abbot of Woburn Abbey, was executed by hanging from a large oak tree outside the abbey during King Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries. His ghost is said to roam the grounds alongside the spirits of 1920s explorer Lady Mary Tribe and a 19th-century duchess who once resided at Woburn.

26. Tissington Hall // Derbyshire

Wilhelmina FitzHerbert, an ancestor of the current owners of Tissington Hall, met a tragic end in 1862 and is said to haunt her former bedroom. The library is also home to spirits, while a shadowy figure in black is believed to linger in the cellar.

27. Fulham Palace // London

Fulham Palace served as the country residence for the Bishop of London for over 1,200 years and is reportedly still haunted by one of its former inhabitants.

28. Chillingham Castle // Northumberland

Numerous supernatural occurrences have been documented at Chillingham Castle, with sightings of former prisoners, a notorious torturer, a woman in white, and Lady Mary Berkeley, among other spirits.