HAUNTED PLACES IN THIS WORLD

Edinburgh Castle - Edinburgh, Scotland

Edinburgh Castle, suspected to be one the most haunted spots in Scotland, is appropriately judged considering Edinburgh has been said to be the most haunted city in all of Europe, and possibly the world. The castle is a historical fortress and parts of it have withstood its 900 year history. A battleground of countless deaths, Edinburgh Castle can easily be thought of as an eternal spot of unrest for fallen soldiers. Other ghosts said to haunt the castle are a phantom piper, a headless drummer, the spirits of French prisoners from the Seven Years War and colonial prisoners from the American Revolutionary War and even a dog that wanders the castle's cemetery. Other areas of Edinburgh also have ghostly reputations: the subterranean vaults of South Bridge and a disused street called Mary Kings Close where victims of the Black Death plague were sealed up to die. What also makes Edinburgh Castle so noteworthy among the paranormal community is that in 2001, Dr. Richard Weisman took a group of 240 volunteers, ignorant of the castle's past, on a walk-through of the castle and its surroundings in order to gather paranormal data. Armed with every ghost busting tool imaginable, almost all the volunteers reported experiences such as drops in temperature, shadowy figures, burning sensations in the limbs, physical touching, and tugging at clothes. One woman was even brave enough to stay the night alone in a South Bridge vault. She reported hearing heaving breathing from the corner of the cell that got louder throughout the night and she saw strange flashes of light. What is most intriguing about the whole experiment is that even though none of the volunteers had any previous knowledge of what rooms had haunted reputations and which ones didn't, they reported the most amount of activity from the reputed locations and saw many of the same things as other tourists.

The Whaley House - San Diego, California, USA

Said to be the most haunted place in the United States, the Whaley House was built in 1857 by Thomas Whaley on land that was partially a cemetery. Nothing gets the ghouls stirring like invading their home. Ghosts that inhabit the home include a young girl who was accidentally hanged on the property, the ghost of the thief Yankee Jim Robinson who was clubbed to death and can be heard on the stairway where he died, and the young red-headed Whaley daughter who is claimed to sometimes appear in such realistic form that visitors think she is a real child. Author deTraci Regula has had her fare share of experiences there as well: "Over the years, while dining across the street at the Old Town Mexican Cafe, I became accustomed to noticing that the shutters of the second-story windows [of the Whaley House] would sometimes open while we ate dinner, long after the house was closed for the day. On a recent visit, I could feel the energy in several spots in the house, particularly in the courtroom, where I also smelled the faint scent of a cigar, supposedly Whaley's calling card. In the hallway, I smelled perfume, initially attributing that to the young woman acting as docent, but some later surreptitious sniffing in her direction as I talked to her about the house revealed her to be scent-free." Furthermore, famed psychic Sybil Leek claimed to have sensed several spirits there, and world renowned ghost hunger Hanz Holzer considers it one of the true haunted spots in the United States.


The Borley Rectory - Borley, England

England is widely known as a land haunted by spirits, and the Borley Rectory claims to be the most haunted place in England. The rectory was built in 1863 next to the Borley Church as a home for Reverend Henry Bull. After its construction it became the site of intense poltergeist activity such as spontaneous displacement of objects, strange odors, cold spots, the sound of galloping horses and ghostly apparitions. The rectory was destroyed by fire in 1939 but photos of the ruins still contained odd images and unexplained elements. Captain W. H. Gregson, one of the last residents there, reported seeing the ghost of a nun wondering the grounds. People even reported seeing Gregson being accompanied by a lady in a gray cloak and a bald man in a long black jacket. Perhaps the most disturbing activity occurred around Marianne, the wife of Reverend Lionel Foster, who took residence in the house in 1930. An entity of some kind tried to communicate with Marianne through scratching messages on walls and the whole episode was captured on camera. Also photographed was a floating brick and a floating ribbon-like apparition. To this day odd images show up in photographs and as recently as 2000 a photo was taken with a mysterious orb floating in the background.


The Bell Farm - Adams, Tennessee, USA

The Bell Farm has been made notorious through books, TV specials and movies. Most recently the events at this small Tennessee farm were dramatized in the 2005 movie An American Haunting. The story behind the Bell Farm haunting is so notable and recognized because it is said to be the only documented account in paranormal history when a ghost caused the death of a living person. Between the years of 1817 and 1821, the Bell Family was terrorized by some sort of entity, mostly said to be a woman, who became known as the Bell Witch or, more personally, "Kate." She is said to have perturbed and tortured John Bell (the father of the family and victim of a nervous system disorder) so much that it lead to his inevitable death. He was unable to sleep or recuperate and the ghost's antics worsened his condition. It is also said that a vile with a strange black liquid was found at John Bell's deathbed and that Kate herself claimed she gave it to him. Supposedly, in order to test the liquids validity, a drop was placed on the family cat's tongue and it immediately killed the animal. Though the haunting of the Bell Farm has been sensationalized many times over, it is still inarguable that something happened there during those three years. A family and a community were terrorized by an entity of some kind, and residents still believe Kate is up to no good.

Raynham Hall - Norfolk, England

Raynham Hall is one of the most famous haunted places in the world due largely in part to its most famous ghost, the Brown Lady, who was captured on film in 1936 in what is said to be one of the most authentic ghost photos every taken. The Unexplained Site describes one of the first encounters with the spirit: "The first known sighting happened during the 1835 Christmas season. Colonel Loftus, who happened to be visiting for the holidays, was walking to his room late one night when he saw a strange figure ahead of him. As he tried to gain a better look, the figure promptly disappeared. The next week, the Colonel again came upon the woman. He described her as a noble woman who wore a brown satin dress. Her face seemed to glow, which highlighted her empty eye sockets." The photo has been examined multiple times by experts who all confirm it is authentic and untouched. The Brown Lady is said to have been confined in a room by her husband, unable to see her children. She soon perished in the room and has continued to haunt Raynham Hall clad in her brown dress.

The Queen Mary - Long Beach, California, USA

This once famous luxury cruise liner was purchased by the city of Long Beach and converted in a hotel in 1967, but many passengers and crew members from its sailing days still haunt the ship. The most haunted room is said to be the engine room where a 17-year-old sailor was crushed trying to escape a fire. It has been numerously reported that he bangs on pipes throughout the room. There have also been reports of a "lady in white" around the front desk of the hotel and the ghosts of children haunting the pool area. Many visitors claims to hear the ghost of a little girl, who reportedly broke her neck while swimming, asking her mommy for her doll. In the pool's changing room, there has been plenty of strange activity. Furniture is said to move by itself and unseen figures touch hotel guests. In the front hull of the ship, there is a ghost that some guest say they can hear screaming. He is said to be a sailor who was killed when the Queen Mary collided with another, smaller ship. Click here to read more and even watch a live ghost cam on the ship.



Changi Beach, Singapore

Changi Beach served as a popular killing ground for the Japanese during the Sook Ching massacre of The Second World War. Thousands of Chinese were tortured and killed during this Operation as they were suspected of being anti-Japanese. Strange crying and screaming are reported by people. The heads of the Chinese dead bodies are sometimes seen flying everywhere and headless bodies walk around the beach. The scariest thing is that the ghosts leave blood stains. During nights people observe dug holes that appear as if they were used for burying bodies.



Ohio University,  Athens, America

Ohio University is known in state folklore as the most haunted college campus. A large number of places on campus are said to be haunted, and numerous other popular tales are told about the university across Athens county. The British Society for Psychical Research claims that Athens, Ohio, is one of the most haunted places in the world. Wilson Hall, famous for a girl (a supposed witch)who killed herself moments after writing satanic and supernatural things on the wall in her own blood. The five cemetaries that form a pentagram that surrounds the campus, with the administrative building being in the center of the devil’s sign. Washington Hall, which is famous for housing a team of basketball players who all died in a terrible crashm their ghosts still haunt the hall, and you can sometimes hear them dribbling. The catacombs of Jefferson Hall, where numerous ghost sightings have occurred. And finally, for The Ridges, an abandoned insane asylum that was known for thousands of labotamies and electro shock treatments. Also, a patient who disappeared, and was found five weeks later, her body decomposed onto the floor and left a stain that outlines her body. This stain can still be seen today.

Screaming Tunnel, Niagara Falls, Ontario

The haunting of the Screaming Tunnel is one of Niagara Falls’ most enduring legends. Located off Warner Road, the tunnel runs under the railway tracks that link Niagara Falls to Toronto and New York City. According to local legend, over a century ago, a farm house located just past the south entrance to the tunnel caught fire one night. A young girl, her clothes engulfed in flames, fled screaming from the house. She ran through the tunnel in an attempt to extinguish her garments but collapsed and died on the tunnel floor. A variation of this story has the girl set ablaze in the tunnel by her enraged father when he learned his wife had won custody of their children during an nasty divorce battle. Another version tells of a young girl who was raped inside the tunnel and her body burned to cover the evidence. All these stories allege that if you stand in the middle of the dark tunnel at midnight and light a match, the flame will go out and a girl’s screams will be heard.

Bhangarh Fort, India

Bhangarh Fort is on way from Jaipur to Alwar in Rajasthan, India. According to a legend, Singhia, a black magic tantrik cursed the palace that everybody would die in the palace and their souls will stay there for centuries without rebirth. Another interesting point is, all the houses in this area are without roofs because whenever a house is built with roof, the roof collapses. This is the called most haunting place in India. People who visit this place experience anxiety and restlessness. It is said that nobody returns from this place that stays there after dark. Government prohibited this area from staying after sunset. You will find a board installed by Archaeological Survey of India displaying “Staying after sunset is strictly prohibited in this area”.

Highgate Cemetery, North London, England

By night, Highgate Cemetery is like something out of a horror movie. Eerie crooked gravestones, headless angles covered in ivy, dark overgrown passages between the tombs, it’s no wonder this is Britain’s number-one ghost spot. Despite it’s chilling atmosphere, by day Highgate Cemetery showcases some of the Britain’s most spectacular Gothic architecture, offers fascinating guided tours. It’s also the burial place of Karl Marx.

Ancient Ram Inn, Gloucestershire, England

Whether you believe in ghosts or not, a trip to the Ancient Ram Inn is an unsettling experience. Its creaky floorboards, cold bare walls, musty smells and dimly lit nooks and crannies epitomise everything a haunted house should be. And the stories attached to this creepy building are not for the fainthearted: Murder, satanism and child sacrifice are just a few of the dark deeds said to have occurred here, oh and did we mention apparently it’s built on a pagan burial ground?

Monte Cristo, New South Wales, Australia

Monte Cristo, Australia’s most haunted mansion is located in Junee, New South Wales. Mrs Crawley, the owner of the house never came out of her home after the death of her husband in 23 years of her remaining life except for two times. After her death her ghost haunts the place particularly her former room. Bodiless ghost, phantom face in the window, floating apparition, strange and ghostly voices, automatic turning on and off lights are some haunting experiences of the people. Some people reported that when they entered the boy’s bed room they were breathless and turned purple and almost died, they became normal after coming out from the room.

Dominican Hill, Baguio City, Philippines.

According to some people the ghosts of people who were killed during the war haunt this place. Some say the patients who died here despite having the hope to be alive turned into ghosts. Hearing the banging of doors, windows, clattering of dishes and screaming voices during night are reported by people.

Berry Pomeroy Castle, Totness

There are a number of legends associated with this 14th-century castle, and it has a reputation of being haunted. It has 2 famous female ghosts; the White Lady and the Blue Lady. According to legend the White Lady is the spirit of Margaret Pomeroy, who starved to death while imprisoned in the dungeons by her jealous sister. Apparently she haunts the dark dungeons, and rises from St Margaret’s Tower to the castle walls. The Blue Lady is not confined to specific areas and is supposed to lure people into parts of the ruin. Apparently it’s a very bad idea to follow her!