When it comes to spooky locations, nothing quite sets the scene like an ancient, dark castle.
So you can imagine the spine–tingling moment staff at the medieval Chester Castle discovered they had an ‘unexplained’ visitor.
English Heritage has shared an image of a ghostly apparition – a pale figure wearing dark clothing and a hood – that was captured on CCTV in front of the main gates.
Staff were alerted in the middle of the night when motion–detecting cameras picked up ‘unusual movement’.
When a security guard went to investigate, the area was empty and, even more unsettling, his usually fearless dog refused to enter.
A full search of the locked compound was carried out but no intruder was ever found. The castle is protected by large spikes in the battlements and further cameras to detect anyone climbing over the gates.
The sighting is just one of dozens reported by staff based in the charity’s castles, abbeys and historic houses across the country.
From whispers of ghostly piano music to figures fading in the mist, nearly half of staff surveyed said they have witnessed something they couldn’t explain.
The unexplained figure captured on camera at Chester Castle. A full search of the compound was carried out but no intruder was ever found
Chester Castle is protected by large spikes in the battlements and further cameras to detect anyone climbing over the gates
‘Chilling tales of the returning dead have been told since the dawn of recorded history and provide a way of understanding our relationship with the dead and the past,’ Dr Michael Carter, Curator of History at English Heritage, said.
‘They captivate and intrigue us, and there’s nothing like the delicious excitement of sharing a spooky tale with friends and family.
‘These “new” spine chillers from our colleagues at English Heritage properties leave little doubt that the English ghost story tradition — the finest in the world — continues to thrive.’
At Belsay Hall in Northumberland reports tell of firmly closed bedroom doors opening on their own, a spectral hand appearing on an armchair and ghostly children seen playing among the gardens.
Visitors have even reported seeing Victorian–clad figures wandering through the Quarry Garden — despite no actors being present.
Meanwhile, at Battle Abbey in Sussex, the team recount a chilling encounter during an after–hours tour, when an unidentified ‘visitor’ appeared to join the group—only to vanish without explanation.
At Wrest Park in Bedfordshire, whilst locking up for the night staff reported unexplained sightings near the pavilion, including figures resembling soldiers vanishing into the surrounding woodlands. Inside the historic mansion, the eerie sound of a ball bouncing in the staircase hall has been heard long after visitors have departed.
And at Bolsover Castle in Derbyshire, witnesses tell of ghostly piano music echoing through the halls, while some visitors claim to have felt the hand of a phantom child guiding them through the Venus Garden.
Inside Wrest Park in Bedfordshire, the eerie sound of a ball bouncing in the staircase hall has been heard long after visitors have departed
At Belsay Hall in Northumberland reports tell of a spectral hand appearing on an armchair. One member of the Belsay team, inspired by the disembodied hand, recreated the report in a photograph
Ghostly children have also been spotted playing among the gardens at Belsay Hall. These sightings are just some of dozens reported by staff and visitors across English Heritage sites
One of the most striking reports comes from a fog–shrouded evening at Scarborough Castle around 6pm.
With just one family confirmed still on site, two staff members began their routine walk of the grounds.
While making his way from King John’s Hall, a staff member spotted what appeared to be a pair of legs moving through the mist towards the sea.
After radioing the gift shop, he was assured that the family had already returned inside—yet the mysterious figure continued ahead, always just out of reach. The figure appeared to drift toward the Sally Port gate before vanishing completely.
When the staff member reached the brow of the hill seconds later, the path was empty, and no one had passed his colleague on the opposite route.
With no place to hide and the perimeter fence in clear view, the sighting remained unexplained. Years later, when recounting the experience to a former custodian, he was met with a chilling reply: ‘Oh yes, that would have been Piers Gaveston, luring you off the cliff in the fog.’
Staff at Framlingham Castle in Suffolk have reported an eerie encounter in the potwash area, where one employee claims to have heard their name whispered mysteriously.
And a visitor to Gainsborough Old Hall in Lincolnshire reported a spooky experience while chatting with a volunteer in the Clerk’s Room. He suddenly felt a gentle hand rub the back of his head—each finger distinct, the touch delicate and unmistakably feminine.
Scarborough Castle, where one staff member claims he saw a mysterious figure walking through the mist towards the sea
Staff at Furness Abbey have reported a curious phenomenon in the undercroft. One groundskeeper recalls feeling a strong presence following just behind her — always to her left — while locking up each evening in winter
At Helmsley Castle in North Yorkshire, team members have described shadowy figures at the windows and disembodied voices in deserted rooms.
Staff at Furness Abbey have reported a curious phenomenon in the undercroft. One groundskeeper recalls feeling a strong presence following just behind her — always to her left — while locking up each evening in winter.
Remarkably, a former maintenance contractor later revealed he’d experienced the exact same sensation in the very same spot, early in the morning.
During the end–of–day cash–up at the Great Yarmouth Row Houses, staff witnessed an unusual sight – a solitary boot appeared to move on its own, walking from the bakehouse door straight into the fireplace.
