Where to visit whether you believe in the paranormal or not…
Where is the most haunted place in the UK? The towns where things go bump in the night come witching hour, when creaky floorboards may signal something more sinister and spectral visitors are encountered over late-night pints in historic taverns. According to Dataintelo, global ghost tourism spending reached $2.9 billion (around £2.2 billion) in 2025 – and many towns and villages benefit from this intriguing sub-category of dark tourism. Additionally, a YouGov survey revealed that 38 per cent of Britons believe that ghosts could exist – with 20 per cent open to the idea that you can communicate with the dead. As we look to expand our horizons on our adventures, it’s easier than ever to do so beyond the realm of the living. In the southeast, ghost hunters flock to the ancient city of Canterbury, where the slain 12th-century Archbishop Thomas Becket is said to wander the cathedral and the olde-world pubs surrounding it each have their own ghoulish tales. In Bodmin, it’s more a case of things that go slam in the night, as mysterious sounds are heard in the famous jail – not far from where the legendary Beast of Bodmin Moor is said to roam. Meanwhile, the Welsh medieval walled town of Conwy is steeped in ghostly lore; we’re unsure if we’d like to encounter the hooded monks who float through the castle. From towns where you may spot eerie figures passing through crumbling battlements to bucolic villages where the mood shifts after sunset, this is the ultimate UK bucket list for fans of all things paranormal.
What is the most haunted village in Britain?
The Kent village of Pluckley is widely recognised as the most haunted village in England, and more widely the most haunted place in the UK. The charming countryside hideout is said to be home to up to 16 ghosts who haunt places including St Nicholas's Church, Dicky Buss's Lane and The Black Horse Inn.
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Canterbury, England
It’s tricky to know where to start when talking about Canterbury’s ghostly residents. Perhaps among those who wander the Cathedral grounds and halls after dark is one of the most famous: the 12th-century Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket. Thomas was murdered by four knights at twilight who, as the story goes, took an impatient remark from Henry II as an order to kill him – the king performed public penance after Thomas’ death. He’s not the only Archbishop who has stuck around after his passing, as the grey-robed ghost of Simon Sudbury has also been spotted since his murder during the Peasants' Revolt in 1381. A short walk away, Tiny Tim's Tearoom on St Margaret's Street offers a wide selection of teas by day and disembodied whispers by night, with the cosy café reportedly haunted by medieval children. According to Kent Live, there are plenty more paranormal sights to see across the ancient city. A ghostly figure has been spotted in the audience of the Marlowe Theatre, a building on Hawks Lane is haunted by the spirit of Abigail who committed suicide after several years of being beaten by her husband, and the Bishop's Finger on St Dunstans Street is said to be among the spookiest drinking dens in town.
Take a tour: thecanterburytours.com
Where to stay: The Pig at Bridge Place offers one of the fanciest stays in the county – check-in for an indulgent weekend a short drive outside of the city.
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Bodmin, England
Bodmin Moor is home to more than just lost spirits. The green expanses are surrounded by mystery and folklore, and it’s said a phantom cat stalks through the low cloud. Over the past half a century, residents and visitors have issued dozens of reports of a puma-sized animal, some even claiming they’ve been chased by the “Beast of Bodmin Moor”. Some have theorised it’s a large animal that has escaped, while others turn to supernatural explanations, claiming the creature is a ghostly apparition.
Bodmin’s main tourist attraction is also home to some supernatural residents, albeit of the (previously) human type. Built to house prisoners of the Napoleonic Wars under the rule of King George III in the late eighteenth century, it’s said many of the unfortunate souls never left. Listen out for the cries of Matthew Weeks as he pleads his innocence after being executed for the murder of his lover, or keep an eye out for a spectral priest in the chapel.
Take a tour: bodminjail.org
Where to stay: Stay at Bodmin Jail Hotel for an eerie sleepover; each room is three former prison cells, but you’ll be living much more lavishly than the former inmates.
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Stirling, Scotland
William Wallace and Robert the Bruce won battles here, Mary Queen of Scots sat on the Stuart throne here, and prisoners were once shackled and brought to what was believed, even in Victorian times, to be the worst prison in the United Kingdom. No wonder ghosts abound in Stirling, particularly in that medieval prison known as Tolbooth.
Now a music and arts centre, a complete skeleton was found recently during renovations which also unearthed a secret staircase. The body is reputed to be that of the last man publicly hanged in Stirling. Elsewhere, Stirling Castle itself is said to be haunted by a Highlander in full traditional kilted splendour who approaches visitors and then disappears.
Most infamous of all is the ‘Green Lady’ of Stirling Castle. Believed to be a servant of Mary Queen of Scots, the girl had a premonition that there would be a terrible fire so resolved to stay awake all night to protect her regal boss. Drowsy from her efforts she dropped a candle which set the castle ablaze on 13 September 1561. The Queen survived but the servant girl perished and her ghost is said to have roamed the castle ever since, always wearing a flowery, green dress.
Website: stirlingghostwalk.com
Where to stay: Book into Voco Grand Central Glasgow, approximately 40 minutes away from Stirling, for a high-quality stay full of character. Or head 20 minutes further to Edinburgh for family-friendly apartments at Cheval The Edinburgh Grand Hotel.
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Pluckley, England
Included in the Guinness Book of Records as the most haunted place in Britain, the Kentish village of Pluckley’s popularity among ghosts and ghouls is perhaps for subversive reasons; who wouldn’t want to bring a little darkness to the absurdly Pollyanna-ish bucolic idyll?
Wandering monks, decapitated highwaymen and all manner of Central Casting spirits reside here, but special attention should be paid to the particularly gruesome story of the Pluckley Watercress Lady. Smoking a clay pipe and living on the banks of the river a century ago, the woman would sell watercress to locals and drink gin from a flask. Falling asleep one evening, it is believed that her pipe scattered ashes onto her rags and she burnt to death. Now a pink glowing spectre can allegedly be spotted at the exact location where she went up in flames.
Take a tour: pluckleyghostwalk.co.uk
Where to stay: Boys Hall is one of the best hotels in Kent, a historic and pretty property just 15 minutes from the spooky village.
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Chester, England
Roman gladiatorial bouts and Roundhead sieges, both point to Chester having major ghoulish potential; nowhere more so than on Watergate Street where what is now a Sofa Workshop was, in the 1700s, a tavern called the Hand And Snake. Boys were employed here to take the wigs of the upper-class dandies that would frequent the pub and wash them with arsenic in the basement. This dangerous job resulted in many deaths and today it’s said that, even from the street outside, you can sometimes hear screams and the sound of a toddler playing with a toy car.
Over on Lower Bridge Street, Ye Olde Kings Head has appeared on several ‘paranormal investigation’ TV shows, and with cause; an 18th-century sword discovered under the floorboards (along with a pair of slippers) is believed to have been used during a duel, after which the weapon was apparently buried afterwards to ward off evil spirits. It seems to have done the trick as far as return visits from the murder victim, but it’s done nothing to quell the knocks and noises of women chattering which plague the pub at night after last orders. The sounds are believed to be spirits of 18th-century sex workers who previously worked in the establishment.
Take a tour: chesterghosttour.co.uk
Where to stay: Liverpool is just under an hour’s drive away, so why not head over and explore the city by day, then check into one of its cool hotels by night. Read our insider guide to Liverpool for more ideas.
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Conwy, Wales
Mussel foraging on the beach and monasteries form the historical backbone to this ancient seaside town in North Wales, but the ghostly presences seem to prefer the gargantuan Conwy Castle as their residence of choice. Built by King Edward and with eight intact towers, it’s believed to be the most haunted castle in Britain.
Begin your search for the spirits in the prison (built by Henry VIII) where, in 2016, paranormal investigators claimed to have recorded the voice of a girl spirit saying ‘don’t tell them’. One former member of the Cistercian monastery upon which the castle was built is said to still roam the castle corridors in a black cloak at night, wailing about the loss of his home. Over the years, locals who are too fearful to go inside the castle itself have claimed to spot silhouettes standing sentry in the battlements at night.
Website: cadw.gov.wales
Where to stay: Just a 15-minute drive away from Conwy town, Bodysgallen Hall in Llandudno has cosy rooms in an old-fashioned country house set on a 200-acre National Trust site. Or make it a road trip and travel further afield across the country to one of our other favourite hotels in Wales.
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Manningtree, England
Active during the 1640s, self-proclaimed ‘Witchfinder General’, Matthew Hopkins, used his (said to be spurious) legal background to hunt down those believed to be carrying out witchcraft throughout East Anglia. He sent around 300 to 400 women to the gallows and his spectre continues the hunt to this day, particularly around Mistley Pond on a full moon – the location where he drowned numerous women for witchcraft through what he called the ‘truth’ method.
This involved tying a suspect’s limbs together, then lowering them into the water by ropes. Hopkins believed that if the accused woman drowned they were innocent and now in heaven, while if they floated they were witches and would be tried. So regardless of the ‘verdict’, the woman would die while Hopkins would retire to his home in what is now the Red Lion pub. in 1647, he died of Tuberculosis there in what is now the pub garden.
Take a tour: hauntingnightsghostwalks.co.uk
Where to stay: Drive along the Suffolk coast and bed down in Brudenell Hotel in Aldeburgh. Book into a sea-facing room and treat yourself to a delicious seafood supper.
Rob is a freelance writer, broadcaster and playwright who lives in Brixton, South London. He regularly contributes to publications, including the Daily Telegraph, Mail on Sunday, Country Life, and Luxury London magazine, where he is the associate editor. Rob is the Special Correspondent for the BBC Radio Four programme 'Feedback'. He can often be heard on the From ... Read More
Connor Sturges is the digital writer at Condé Nast Traveller, where he covers topics ranging from the latest hotel openings around the world to what’s hot in London. After a childhood in London’s leafy southwest suburbs, he attended the University of Kent in Canterbury with a degree in English and ... Read More