THIS IS A QUICK GUIDE TO SOME OF THE MORE HAUNTED PLACES IN THE UK------------------------
- SOUTH WEST ENGLAND
BATH--AVON
The figure of a man in a black hat has haunted the Assembly Rooms almost since they opened in 1771. He has also been seen in Saville Row.
Predictably it is a homosexual ghost that has been reported from Gay Street, the apparition of a man with white hair tied back into a pony tail, who appears only to men and boys.
A 'misty figure', taken to be that of a lady, haunts the hotel and leaves the air feeling icy cold as she passes.
2. GREATER LONDON
Hall place, the headquaters of the local library, is the ancient manor house dating from 1537. Its ghosts pre-date this, however, ne of them being the Black Prince who appears at dusk in shiny black armour (fortunatley only rarely) to fortell death and destruction.
The village of Kenley is haunted by a Grey Lady who cradles a baby in her arms. She seems to emanate from the site of the lost village of Watendone and has been seen in many locations in Kenley.
A huddled figure surrounded by a halo of ghostly light may be seen lying in the gutter in Durward Street behind Whitechapel station. It is the ghost of Polly Nicholls, the first victim of Jack the Ripper.
The Volunteer pub at the northern end of the street stands on the site of a medieval manor house owned by the Nevill family. The entire family perished when their house burned down in 1654 and the spirit of Rupert Nevill lingers to haunt the pub, lurking in the dark reccesses of the cellar dressed in surcoat, breeches and fancy stockings. At 228 Baker Street (228B was Sherlock Holmes's address), the London Transport electrical sub-station is haunted by the shade of Sarah Siddons, the great actress, whose home once stood on the site.
3. MIDLANDS
Shakespeare's Birthplace (open to the public) was haunted in the 1940s by an old lady with white hair and rosy cheeks. She was occupied at a spinning wheel but when she found herself being watched murmured,"Good day, my dears," and dissapeared.
In 1973-4 there were reports of a phantom helicopter flying over the moors around Harpur Hill to the south-east of the town. Its night time flights were a mystery to the police and an intriguing story for the press.
- IPSTONES - 5 MILES SE OF LEEK
Two Black Dogs haunt this village - one is seen in the lane to Hermitage Farm, the other at Indefont Well.
- KIDSGROVE - 6 MILES N OF STOKE-ON-TRENT
Kit Crewbucket is the lady boggart of the canal tunnels. She has often been seen in the Harcastle tunnel.
