The most haunted places to visit in UK revealed including pub where ghost 'terrifies punters'
The spookiest time of the year is upon us, which for many will mean pulling out the fancy dress or spending cosy nights in waiting for trick-or-treaters to knock on the door.
But for real thrill seekers, there are places to visit up and down the UK which purport to have a number of eerie backstories and tales of being haunted by the spirits or ghosts of the past.
From pubs terrifying punters, Henry VIII's haunted former home and one of the creepiest and atmospheric burial grounds, those with a love of all things paranormal could pay a visit to experience it all for themselves.
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Speaking to LADbible, author Peter Naldrett has lifted the lid some of the top haunted places to visit in the UK after the release of book Spooky Britain.
After touring many of the eeriest spots in every corner of the UK, he created a full guide for those with an interest in the supernatural world, listing 100 areas in Britain famed for their sinister backstories and mysterious myths.
This also includes more well known and iconic experiences, like Edinburgh's ghost tours and Whitby's Dracula experiences, and also lesser-known haunted spots only known to locals.
York Treasurer's House
Naldrett listed the York Treasurers House as one of the top three most haunted places to visit.
Its foundations are built upon the remains of the ancient Roman city, and it was later the site of the mansion of the medieval Treasurers of York Minster.
However there is a story about a young plumber in 1953 called Harry Martindale, who was working in the cellar when he witnessed a Roman soldier emerge through the wall and go past on a horse and then a legion of soldiers marching two abreast.
It became one of the most well-known ghost stories in York. In the house, people have also reported cuddling a 'cat' in the cafe - despite there not being one.
Naldrett told LADbible: “I’ve spoken to people who knew the workmen involved and they say there is no way they would make this up.
"Whatever happened down there in the cellar, it scared the hell out of him and has become the most famous ghost story in York, which is a city where ghost stories ooze out of every building.
"When I stood in the Treasurer’s House and heard this story for the first time, I went cold.
"It was eerie being there. When he saw the soldiers, they only appeared from the knee up. That’s because the ground in Roman times was slightly lower down that it is now.”
Highgate Cemetery
Highgate Cemetery is hailed as one of the ‘magnificent seven’ cemeteries in London, and opened back in 1839.
Now beautifully restored, visitors can head there to see the graves of Karl Marx, Michael Faraday, George Elliot and Jeremy Beadle.
It was also the location which was used to film gothic horror films in the 1960s and 70s because it was so eerie including Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell.
The cemetery, featuring Victorian gothic architecture, overgrown ivy, winding paths, and massive stone vaults is reportedly home to a floating nun, a raving grey-haired woman, a ghostly cyclist, and dark shrouded figures, according to visitors.
But as Naldrett describes, one incident in 1970 involved two paranormal experts.
"They started to make claims in the newspapers about the undead there," he explained. "And a moral panic ensued when David Farrant and Sean Manchester started discussing the possibility of the King of Vampires living there."
The 1970s 'Highgate Vampire' panic was a massive media sensation and case of public mass hysteria surrounding reported supernatural activity at the historical graveyard.
"When news of an upcoming exorcism was broadcast, a mob scaled walls and entered the cemetery.
"Tombs were smashed and bodies mutilated. Later in the year, one body was decapitated as they thought that was the vampire.
"It really is a grim, gruesome tale from the centre of London and many still see this as a particularly spooky place."
Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem
Naldrett told LADbible the third most-haunted place to visit in the UK is one of the oldest pub in the UK, based in Nottingham.
Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem opened in 1189 and according to folklore is one of the most haunted.
But not everyone supping on a pint and pork scratchings necessarily thinks a medieval spirit will start tampering with their visit.
The public house is one of England's most haunted historic inns, and is built directly into the sandstone caves beneath Nottingham Castle.
The spirit of a local drinker known as 'Yorkie' is the main common sighting for visitors, who reportedly plays tricks on people and tugs at their clothes.
There’s also a figure in black, thought to possibly be a knight, who terrifies customers.
“This pub is so old and atmospheric, I defy anybody to enter and not feel spooked," Naldrett explained.
"It’s built into the side of a rock and has lots of nooks and crannies. There’s a model of a galleon on the wall that’s covered in dust.
"The Legend goes that anybody who cleans it meets an untimely death. At least four people in the pub’s past have been struck down soon after cleaning the ship. I gave it a wide berth.”
James Holt