Supernatural East
Send a shiver down your spine with all things spooky and strange in
the East of England - haunted houses, witches and demon dogs
Haunted Houses
18th C. Woburn Abbey, home of the Dukes of
Bedford is built on the site of a Cistercian monastery.
Look out for a figure in a brown habit and doors that
mysteriously open and shut on their own accord.
Magnificent Blickling Hall (nr. Aylsham) is the haunt
of Henry VIII's second wife Anne Boleyn. Her father's
former home stood on the site of the current building.
Each year on the 19 May (the anniversary of her
execution in 1536), her ghost returns in a coach
driven by headless horses.
Knebworth House (nr. Stevenage) was re-fashioned
in gothic style in the 19th C. with turrets and
gargoyles. This was the work of Edward
Bulwer-Lytton, who had a keen interest in the
occult. The sound of 'Jenny' working on her spinning
wheel is a sign of a forthcoming death in the house.
On the border of Essex and Suffolk (nr. Sudbury) is
the village of Borley - once home of Britain's most
haunted house. Built in 1863, the rectory was
reputed to have several different ghosts - the most
famous being the phantom nun. It was later
investigated by the paranormal expert Harry Price. The rectory was destroyed by fire
in 1939, but ghostly activities are still reported at the neighbouring church.
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Watery Wraiths
Don't be fooled by the peaceful charm and beauty of
The Broads - these man-made waterways hide
some chilling tales.
Watch out for a coach driven by skeletons on the
bridge at Potter Heigham on May 31 - they are
taking Lady Carew to meet the devil. She sold
her soul to him, and he demanded his prize on
her wedding day. Whilst at nearby Hickling
Broad, a local girl used to secretly meet her
true love - a drummer boy home on leave during
the Napoleonic Wars. He used to skate across the
frozen broad, banging his drum to announce his
arrival. But one day the ice gave way, and
he plunged to his death in the frozen waters. Today
on certain nights you can reputedly still hear
the beating of his drum.
The former watery wilderness of The Fens are full of
mysterious tales. Take a walk and loose yourself
amongst the reeds and open fields. Watch out for
Jack o' Lantern, a highly dangerous fairy whose
hypnotic glowing lights guide unwary travellers to
their doom in the treacherous marshes.
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Historical Horrors
The University city of Cambridge is full of ghosts. At Corpus Christi College, look out
for Dr Henry Butts staring mournfully from a window. He was a former master who
hanged himself in 1632. In the same street, the stone lions outside the Fitzwilliam
Museum are said to come alive at midnight. The Abbey House at Barnwell is
reputedly haunted by several spectres - including a grey lady and former 18th C.
squire. Finally, great statesman Oliver Cromwell haunts his old college at Sidney
Sussex - where his skull was buried in 1960.
St. Albans has been welcoming visitors for over 2,000 years. Listen out for the
phantom warriors as they recreate the first 'Wars of the Roses' in 1455; whilst the
magnificent Cathedral and Abbey Church is the haunt of ghostly monks. Watch out
on Holywell Hill for a coach with headless horses.
Mersea Island (nr. Colchester) is the scene of one of England's oldest ghost
stories. Here a phantom army of Roman soldiers has been seen marching across
the causeway at dusk. On Boxmoor Common (nr. Hemel Hempstead) is a stone
marking the grave of Robert Snooks - the last highwayman to be hanged in
England in 1802. Reputedly if you dance around his grave three times at midnight,
he is said to join you for the final waltz. Listen for the shrieks of Queen Isabella
at Castle Rising Castle (nr. King's Lynn) where she was imprisoned by her son in
1331. Seek out the cannons on Gun Hill at Southwold - the area haunted by a
headless man who literally lost his head when one of them exploded.
Coggeshall is said to be the most unluckiest place in Britain. It sits on ley lines
(powerful beams of energy linked to the earth's magnetic pull) that cross here
creating friction. Black cats have been found bricked up in walls and several
ghosts haunt the place, such as a 16th C. woodcutter called 'Robin'.
Click here for our full listing of ghost walks in our historic cities and towns.
The former watery wilderness of The
Fens are full of mysterious tales. Take
a walk and loose yourself amongst
the reeds and open fields. Watch out
for Jack o' Lantern
A Spirit or Two...
Enjoy a drink in our haunted inns - why not stay
overnight if you dare?
The Old Ferry Boat Inn at Holywell (nr. St. Ives) is the
haunt of 11th C. Juliet who hung herself from a
riverside tree following an unsuccessful love affair.
Buried at this spot - the site later became the location
for the inn - where you can see a slab marking her
grave. Every year on the 17 March her ghost returns.
Norwich is the most complete medieval city in
Britain - visit the 14th C. Adam and Eve, where
the headless phantom of Lord Sheffield may join
you for a pint. Heading south, 17th C. Scole
Inn (nr. Diss) is haunted by a White Lady who
was killed by her jealous husband. The village of
Bildeston (nr. Hadleigh) is home to the Crown Inn,
noted for its poltergeist phenomena. Another spook
resides at the Bull Hotel in Long Melford, probably
connected to the murder of Richard Evered in 1648.
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In the Footsteps of Shuck
Demon dogs have haunted the East of England for centuries - the most famous is
Black Shuck or Old Shuck. He is described as being the size of a large dog, with a
thick shaggy coat and flaming eyes. There is a popular belief, that if you come
face-to-face with him you will be dead within the year. His origins are not clear, but
may be connected to a shipwreck off the North Norfolk Coast which saw the
captain and his pet wolfhound washed up dead on the beach.
The area around Cromer and Overstrand is one of Shuck's favourite haunts. In
August 1577, he crossed into Suffolk to cause chaos at two churches - St. Mary's at
Bungay and Holy Trinity at Blythburgh (nr. Southwold). At the latter, a great storm
arose and brought down the steeple. Along with the rubble came Shuck who
rampaged through the building trying to escape. Today you can see his scorch
marks on the door. In Bungay, Shuck is depicted on the town centre weathercock.
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Double, Double Toil and Trouble
Essex hanged more witches than any other English
county. The town of Manningtree was the home of
Matthew Hopkins. During the English Civil War, he
found fame as the notorious Witchfinder
General (1645-46) - travelling throughout the
eastern counties hunting out suspected witches.
The Mistley Thorn stands on the site of an earlier
pub where Hopkins would meet and plot. He
was probably responsible for the death of at least
200 people during his lifetime. Visit the Castle
Museum at Colchester where they were
imprisoned and interrogated by Hopkins.
The village of Warboys (nr. Huntingdon) was the
scene of one of the most notable events in English
witch-hunting. Alice, Agnes and John Samuel were
hanged in 1593 for casting a spell on the children of
the local Throgmorton family. Margaret Read was
one of the few witches in Britain to suffer death by fire
in 1590. Tied to a stake in the Tuesday Market Place
at King's Lynn, it is said that her heart literally burst
from her chest and hit a nearby wall. The spot is
marked on a house by a diamond shaped brick, with
a heart carved in the centre. The historic city of Norwich used to duck their
witches in the river at Fye Bridge - where today a plaque marks the spot. In
the Castle Museum is a ducking stool that you can try out for size. Learn
more about witches at the Tales of the Old Gaolhouse in King's Lynn.
