More than a third of people in the UK believe in ghosts and supernatural beings [1], and experts say sightings aren’t limited to Halloween. With tourist season starting to pick up over Easter and the bank holidays, encounters at the UK’s top attractions may become more frequent.
Online psychic chat company Psychic World analysed thousands of ghost reports across the UK, mapping haunted sites within the local area and ranking by both the number of nearby hauntings and the frequency of chilling encounters in visitor reports.
Which UK attraction is most haunted?
| Attraction name | Location | Haunted sites within 500m | Supernatural mentions | Spooky Score / 10 | |
| 1 | Mary King’s Close | Edinburgh, Scotland | 28 | 26 | 9.75 |
| 2 | Theatre Royal, Drury Lane | London, England | 9 | 9 | 9.22 |
| 3 | York Minster | York, England | 39 | 39 | 8.95 |
| 4 | Gloucester Cathedral | Gloucestershire, England | 16 | 16 | 8.65 |
| 5 | Pluckley Village | Kent, England | 2 | 1 | 8.38 |
| 6 | Newcastle Castle | Newcastle, England | 16 | 21 | 8.27 |
| 7 | Edinburgh Dungeon | Edinburgh, Scotland | 24 | 18 | 8.17 |
| 8 | Dudley Castle | West Midlands, England | 8 | 3 | 7.85 |
| 9 | Shepton Mallet Prison | Shepton Mallet, England | 2 | 9 | 7.84 |
| 10 | Edinburgh Castle | Edinburgh, Scotland | 14 | 13 | 7.64 |
| 11 | Chislehurst Caves | Kent, England | 2 | 3 | 7.45 |
| 12 | Warwick Castle | Warwickshire, England | 3 | 11 | 7.39 |
| 13 | Arundel Castle | West Sussex, England | 6 | 5 | 7.17 |
| 14 | Stirling Castle | Stirling, Scotland | 7 | 4 | 6.30 |
| 15 | Margam Castle | Port Talbot, Wales | 2 | 7 | 6.23 |
Scotland’s capital is now home to the UK’s most haunted attraction, Mary King’s Close.
Mary King’s Close in Scotland earns a spooky score of 9.75 out of 10 thanks to the many haunted sites within 300m of the historical landmark.
The historic close has had a reputation for hauntings since the 17th century, with the most famous story of a little girl nicknamed Annie, a melancholy, lonely ghost.
Additionally, noises, doors slamming by themselves, oranges cutting themselves in half, and a clock repeatedly stopping working at 4.15 am have been noted.
True to its reputation, Edinburgh ranks three times within the top 10, more than any other UK city, while Scotland is mentioned four times in the top 15.
The second most haunted attraction in the UK is Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in London. A West End theatre home to some of the world’s most exciting musicals now has a spooky score of 9.22 out of 10.
It’s said that actor William Terriss’ ghost has been seen at the theatre in a grey suit and white gloves, following his murder in 1897, alongside others in the area.
Frequently named the most haunted city in Europe, York is still worthy of its title, according to Psychic World’s analysis. With an estimated 600,000 people buried in church graveyards and other sites under its streets,
York Minster, the Anglican cathedral in North Yorkshire, has a spooky score of 8.95 out of 10 and 39 haunted sites nearby.
The sound of children singing and laughing has been heard coming from a nearby passage, and one witness reported the feeling of a small hand placing itself in his, although no one was visible.
Fourth is Gloucester Cathedral, with a spooky score of 8.65, with 16 haunted sites within 500m of the attraction. A ghost with a hunched back is said to wander around the pub and cellar, knocking the elbows of people as they raise their glass for a drink, and sometimes the furniture in the pub is found to have been rearranged overnight.
Rounding out the top five is Pluckley Village in Kent, which earns a spooky score of 8.38 out of 10. This historic village is known as one of the most haunted in England, being home to 12 ‘official’ ghosts. One of the most famous is Lady Dering, who is sometimes sighted in the churchyard of St Nicholas following her death in the 12th century.-
