Looking for a frighteningly fun day out? Read on to discover our pick of London’s creepiest locations…
If you crave creepiness all year round then you’re in luck as London is full of frights (and not just the things you encounter on the night tube), and if the past few years haven’t caused enough of a scare for you then read on to discover our top selections for London’s creepiest locations…
Highgate Cemetery
Swain’s Lane, London, N6 6PJ
With over 170,000 people buried in the hauntingly beautiful Highgate Cemetery, it’s easy to see why it has more than its fair share of cryptic tales from the crypts. Having opened in 1839, Highgate was the height of fashion when it came to the final resting place for the famous and wealthy of Victorian London and there have been countless reports of ghastly goings-on ever since. Popular ghosts include the Mad Old Woman found running amongst the gravestones, the red-eyed Devil Ghoul known to prefer darkness, and the Highgate Vampire, a tale that led to much media speculation and a mob storming the cemetery to hunt for the creature back in the 1970s.
There are even guided cemetery tours for those that wish to explore the great names buried on the grounds and the history of the cemetery. They can be booked here.
The cemetery is open from 10am-5pm, more information can be found here.
The Flask, Highgate
77 Highgate W Hill, London, N6 6BU
Ever fancied a pint with a phantom? A shot with a spook? A beverage with a banshee? Well, you may be in luck with a visit to The Flask. With parts of the pub dating back to 1663, it’s widely believed to have its own ghostly patron in the form of a Spanish barmaid who hanged herself in the cellar. The cellar is now a seating area, so, y'know, maybe save a space for her in case she plans on joining you. There are also reports of a creepy Cavalier, who has been spotted crossing the bar and disappearing into a pillar. Apparitions aside, The Flask is apparently the site for one of the first autopsies thanks to a spot of grave robbing from the nearby cemetery. Hopefully the thought of that hasn’t put you off your drink!
50 Berkeley Square
50 Berkeley Square, London, W1J 5BA
Though not currently open to the public, we most certainly thought that this listed, most haunted house in London, deserved a mention. Imagine seeing something so terrifying that you could die of fright... In the late 1800s this was the popular description of what haunted this townhouse in Mayfair. Whilst many of the stories are now thought to be exaggerated (funny that), at the time it was widely thought of as being the most haunted house in London. Legends range from the ghost of a young woman who threw herself out of a fourth story window to escape the clutches of an abusive uncle, to a young man locked in the attic until he went mad, or even that the attic is actually haunted by a little girl who was murdered by one of the houses servants. A more concrete story of the house’s history is of a Mr Myers, who, after being rejected in a marriage proposal, became a recluse and locked himself away in the house until his death in 1874, only opening the door to his room to receive food. From that time there were then multiple stories of ghostly goings-on in the house, with people who stayed for the night meeting a mysterious untimely end. Whether you believe the terrifying tales or you suspect it was down to a little over imagination, we don’t imagine you’d want to stay the night.
The Tower of London
EC3N 4AB
It’s no secret that The Tower is home to many spooky spectres, after witnessing many executions, plots and mysteries within its walls. For years there have been numerous ghost sightings, including Plantagenet and Tudor royalty in the shape of Henry VI, nine day queen Lady Jane Grey and the mysterious princes in the tower. The most famous to haunt the corridors of the tower though is Anne Boleyn, our personal favourite of Henry VIII’/s six wives, who was, as the famous rhyme reminds us, beheaded for so-called treason against the king. Anne is said to wander her burial place, the Church of St Peter as Vincula in the Tower, as well as the White Tower with, as the popular song suggests ‘her head tucked underneath her arm.’ Let’s just say that as fantastic as Anne was, we wouldn’t want to trade places with the night staff at the Tower to catch a glimpse.
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Catherine Street, London, WC2B 5JF
The Theatre Royal has been reincarnated a few times, with the first theatre there dating back to 1663, making it the oldest theatre site in London still in use. It’s no surprise then, that at over 350 years old, the theatre has its fair share of history and mystery linked to its stage and is known as one of the world’s most haunted theatres. However, although not quite Casper levels of friendly, it’s said that seeing one of the ghosts here is a lucky sign for the performers and production at the time, with one of the more famous apparitions, the clown Joseph Grimaldi, said to have helped guide nervous actors around the stage. Alongside Grimaldi is the spirit of Charles Macklin who appears backstage where he was killed after a fight with another actor over a wig (yes, really) in 1735, and the most famous ghost of Drury Lane being the Man in Grey, an 18th century nobleman who wanders the aisles near where his stabbed skeleton was discovered hidden in a walled-up passage. This definitely gives a whole new meaning to dying a death on stage.