In the world of all things related to the paranormal, the world is generally divided into two separate groups – those who are scared and do not want to find out any more details about the ghost or unexplainable activity and those who whilst being somewhat scared, can not help but want to find every piece of information on the haunting.
The following places are said to be some of the most haunted places on the earth and have been researched extensively over the years. Not only has their been many different sightings of ghosts, but there has been paranormal activity linked to real life events in the past that simply cannot be explained.
Tower of London, London, UK
Located on the banks of the River Thames, the Tower of London looks as prestigious and powerful today as it did when it was first built in 1078.
Used for various reasons throughout its illustrious history, there have been sightings and reports of numerous ghosts and unexplainable events, from Ann Boleyn, the wife of Henry VII (that should be Henry VIII – thanks Chris!) who lived in the tower and was beheaded in 1536, to dozens of prisoners who were held in the prison and dungeons of the tower and left to die a slow and painful death.
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London, UK
One of two Theatre Royal’s in London (and one of many located throughout the country), it is the one on Drury Lane that is infamous for being haunted by both good and bad spirits.
For some actors who are apprehensive about taking to stage or are struggling to remember where to be when in the middle of a play, for example, they have reported a strange sense of calming coming over them and this is said to be due to the famous clown, Grimaldi, who worked for years in the Theatre Royal throughout the 19th century.
Others including many members of the audience, however, have witnessed eerie shadows and unnerving movements, said to be the ghost of Charles Mackin, an actor who killed a colleague in 1735 for the somewhat minor offence of apparently stealing his wig.
Waverly Hill Sanatorium, Louisville-Jefferson County, Kentucky, USA
Cited as one of the most haunted places in America, Waverly Hills Sanatorium has played host to many ghost hunters over the years, the vast majority of which have reported some substantial paranormal findings.
Opened originally in 1883 as a family home, the land was purchased and turned into a sanatorium in the early 20th century when there was somewhat of a serious outbreak of tuberculosis in Jefferson County.
With reports of several thousand deaths in the property throughout the time it was opened, it remained as sanatorium hospital until the early 1960s when it was turned into a hospital for the elderly, but was closed once again in 1981 due to cases of serious abuse.
Borley Rectory, Borley, Essex, UK
Constructed in 1862 by Reverend Henry Bull next to Borley Church, Borley Rectory was a mansion that was lived in until it was destroyed by fire in 1939.
Throughout its time, it gained notoriety throughout the UK as being one of the most haunted houses in Britain, peaking in popularity in the 1930s when much research and several experiments were carried out by Harry Price, a popular psychic and author.
Whaley House, San Diego, California, USA
Built in 1867, Whaley House was occupied by solely by a descendant of the original owner, Thomas Whaley, all throughout its entirety of being a residential a building.
Turned into a museum that displayed the actual building and the general history of San Diego in 1960, Whaley House is different to other haunted buildings around the world in that it has no substantial history of gruesome murders, with regularly sightings being seen of one of the many different Whaley family members who have occupied the building.
Myrtles Plantation, St Francisville, Louisiana, USA
Whilst the Myrtles Plantation is now open as a bed and breakfast hotel and offers both haunted and historic tours, for many, the actual appearance of the building is haunting enough.
Throughout its years as a plantation and home, there were said to have been several murders, including the unnecessary deaths of various slaves and the killing of young lady called Chloe, said to have herself killed two young children.
Similar to Waverly Hills Sanatoriums, Myrtles Plantation has gained notoriety throughout the USA as being one of the most haunted places that can be visited.
Catacombs, Paris, France
Situated in the south of the French capital city, the Catacombs are an underground ossuary that began to be used in the late 18th century, previously being disused mines.
Whilst in theory the Catacombs are nothing more than an underground burial site and follow the same purpose as a standard cemetery, entering the Catacombs is an extremely chilling experience – especially when you first see the piles and piles of skulls and bones.
Rookwood Cemetery, Sydney, Australia
By far the largest cemetery for a range of different cultures in the southern hemisphere, it covers in excess of 300,000 square feet.
Divided into various different areas for religious denominations, it was created in 1868 and has some of the most prestigious, if not somewhat haunting, family vaults anywhere in the world.
There have been many different sightings of ghosts and apparitions in Rookwood Cemetery, by both people who work there and members of the public and it has been at the centre of much paranormal speculation for decades.
