Shadows in the Nave: A Guide to the Haunted Churches of England

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But its remoteness in marshland and corpse-shrouded eerie setting seem to have made it the focal point for gatherings of a sinister kind. Built in 1796 by General David Bradford, Myrtles Plantation is considered to be one of America’s most haunted sites. According to the Newcastle Guardian, Alderson broke open “no less than five vaults”, reporting that “nine leaden coffins enclosing shells in which dead bodies were deposited had been forcibly removed” (1854: 4). In one raid, a fireman dashed in to rescue the man who refused to leave the church…before he faded from sight (St James Garlickhythe 2022).

It's now thought this misalignment has led to some very unfortunate events at the church over the years. It also saw the building of mighty castles, churches and mass burial sites that still exist in Britain today. This snap was captured at the Church of Christ the Consoler, a Grade I listed Victorian Gothic Revival built in the 1870s on the grounds of Newby Hall in North Yorkshire.Known as the Spectre of Newby Church, this eerie photograph might be one of the most famous instances of an alleged ghost caught on camera.

In 1900 he kept a group of visitors entertained for a good twenty-five minutes as he drifted around the cloisters and then backed slowly towards a wall where he melted into the fabric. A new vicar arrived in Derwent Woodlands in Derbyshire, and was none too pleased to discover the tradition of the Sermon for the Dead. The most common story involves a woman dressed in white (as most good ghost stories do) strolling around the grounds and sobbing. To this day, St Mary’s Church in Bottesford hosts the only known tomb in England to determine witchcraft as a cause of death.During the war, many harsh interrogations, tortures, and violent executions occurred within the building’s walls—all of which contribute to its current status as one of Indonesia’s most haunted landmarks, says the country’s Ministry of Tourism. He refused right up until the point he had to give it…and then he found himself giving the sermon anyway. A soldier in the uniform of a World War One infantryman appears beside the grave of the Unknown Warrior.

Locals still claim to hear echoing chimes from the island—even though the bell was removed decades ago.

A simple tin tabernacle structure, it is well-known for a ghostly story involving two builders, who were repairing the corrugated iron roof in 1980. While it might look more like a horror movie set, the chinampa (akin to an artificial island) used to be the residence of a now-deceased man named Julian Santa Barrera.

This involved people sitting in the church porch on 24 April between 11 pm and 1 am to see a procession of those who would die the following year. The Great Fire gutted the building, destroying the records, so there’s no way to know who the corpse might be. During a storm in 1577, he appeared in Bungay and Blythburgh churches, killing three parishioners in each and leaving a scorch mark on the door of Blythburgh.If your interest lies in the history of the Inn and the scurvy sea dogs that haunt it, make sure to visit the museum. Follow HertsLive on Facebook - Like our Facebook page to get the latest news in your feed and join in the lively discussions in the comments.