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Haunted London2009-11-02 06:52:08 An exploration into London’s grisly past at HalloweenOctober 2009: London is renowned for being one of the most haunted cities in the world due to a rich history of gruesome beheadings, grisly murderers and street slayings. To celebrate Halloween this year, Visit London highlighting all the spooky places you can visit near London’s underground stations. Back in the 1800’s London’s train network had its very own spooky train – The Necropolls Railway. The railway ran from 1854 until 1941 between Waterloo and the Brookwood Cemetery in Surrey and existed solely to carry the dead from the cholera epidemic, to the cemetery. So if you’re traveling on the Underground this Halloween and fancy a bit of ghost hunting action, this guide will suggest the most haunted hotspots to stop at and the ghastly stories behind them. Just don’t say we didn’t warn you!! Happy haunting from Visit London…….. ‘61 Sloane Square’ In 1880, number 4 Cheyne Walk was home to Mary Ann Evans, better known as the novelist George Eliot, who died 18 days after moving into the residence. Her friend and fellow writer Katherine Macqoid woke one morning from a troubled sleep to see her friend standing at the foot of her bed, murmuring the word “sixty one”. Taking this as a warning she would die at the age of 61, Katherine was stunned to learn in the morning George Eliot had died in the night aged 61. ‘The Screaming Spectre of Farringdon’ Reportedly haunted by the ghost of 13-year-old girl and apprentice hat maker Annie Naylor, who was brutally murdered in 1758. The building where she was killed was later demolished but passengers claim to still hear her cries to this day, earning her the nickname “The Screaming Spectre”. ‘Jumping Jack’s Westminster’ It is said that if you stand on the banks on the 31st December, you will see a shadowy figure leap headlong into the murky river below. Local tradition has it that this figure is Jack the Ripper who allegedly killed himself in the same way, on the same day in 1888. ‘The Old Clock Of Holborn’ The Old Clock in the Dolphin, High Holborn In 1915, a Zeppelin bomb crashed into this pub, killing three customers and seriously injuring several others. The pub’s clock was pulled from the rubble and now hangs to the left of the bar today. Staff say after the last customer has gone, they can hear a mournful whistling that gets lower and lower, fading to nothing. ‘Haunted Tower Hill’ Bloody Tower, Tower of London The Duke of Gloucester’s nephews, princes Richard and Edward, were imprisoned in the tower after misbehaving and were mysteriously never seen again. It was assumed the boys were murdered by their uncle, a claim corroborated when two skeletons were discovered in 1674. Their whimpering ghosts are often seen wandering the tower until they return to the room of their former imprisonment. ‘The Aldgate Angel ’ In the 1950s, a station foreman glanced over at an electrician carrying out some work on the tracks and saw a grey-haired old lady stroking his head. Moments later, the electrician made a potentially fatal error which sent 22,000 volts surging through his body. What should have killed him, only made him unconscious and so the apparition became regarded as his guardian angel. ‘The Lady of Liverpool Street’ Church of St Botolph’s Without Bishopgate In 1982, photographer Chris Brackley mysteriously captured a translucent figure on camera standing on one of the balconies. A few years later, a builder contacted Chris and told him he knocked down a wall whilst working on the crypt. The wall fell on a dusty pile of old coffins, causing one to fly open. Gazing back at him was the same face as the woman in Chris’ photograph. ‘Black Death Barbican’ Charterhouse Square Passers by have heard anguished screams as they walk by at night coming from an enclosed grassy area used as a makeshift mortuary following the 1348 Black Death. It is estimated that 50,000 bodies were buried here. ‘The Coronet of Notting Hill Gate’ The Coronet Cinema, Notting Hill Gate In the early 1900s, a cashier was caught stealing from the tills by her boss, ran up to the Gods and threw herself from the balcony. Meetings in the cinema have to be held in the lower parts of the building today as the ghost allegedly causes too much disturbance, especially during Christmas week, the anniversary of her death. ‘The Baker Street Cavalier’ Best known for its Sherlock Holmes connections, Baker Street is held to be one of London’s most haunted streets. At Kenwood House Hotel, one of the rooms has a desk with drawers which are said to open and shut of their own accord. The hotel is also reportedly haunted by a ghost dressed as a Cavalier. London at Halloween 2009 Even if you’re not traveling on the Underground, there are still plenty of spooky events taking place across London this Halloween. Please find a selection of them below including some for the whole family, for adults only, and some for free! For further details on these events and many more, please visit www.visitlondon.com <http://www.visitlondon.com> . If you’re looking to entertain the whole family, young and old, why not check out The Scare Witch Trials at London Dungeon, running from the 17th to the 31st October. Enter the forest lair of the half-burned, half-mad Scare Witch as London Dungeon travels back to the superstitious 17th century. Stand trial in the Witch-Finder General’s courtroom before battling through the choking smoke and terrifying screams of the condemned witches’ furnace prison. This one’s strictly for adults. The Halloween Zombie Ball at Old Queen’s Head, on the 31st October will see guests in fancy dress rewarded with treats and zombie face painting on arrival. Music will be provided by Mr. Thing who has performed with the likes of the Beastie Boys and Run DMC. Watching the pennies? Try this one for free. On the 31st October, Tate Modern invites guests of all ages to make abstract sculptures and dream up a dystopian future on the cinematic backdrop of the Turbine Hall Bridge. New work by young artists will be on display whilst spine-tingling music plays in the background. APPENDIX Please find a selection of London based ghost stories below. West London Theatre Royal, Drury Lane The Man in Grey is Theatreland’s most famous apparition and is supposed to appear at the start of a successful and long running West End production. Sightings have occurred at Miss Saigon, The King and I and Oklahoma and previous antics include pushing actors into a better position to deliver their lines on stage. Somerset House, Strand A frequent visitor to the Admiralty offices, Lord Nelson’s ghost has been “seen” numerous times – a feeble form skipping over the cobble stones but vanishing if anyone approaches him. 50 Berkeley House, W1 Widely held as the most haunted house in London, the house earned its title in the 19th century after a series of incidents. A maid was driven to madness and a gentleman fell stone cold dead after spending a night in the house alone. Then in 1887, two sailors broke in and spent the night there. During their stay, an oozy mass was said to fill the room and began to take the appearance of a man – one sailor escaped through the door whilst the other impaled himself on railings below after jumping out the window. East London Bank of England, Threadneedle Street The world famous Bank of England is said to be haunted by The Bank Nun, also known as Sarah Whitehead, whose brother was executed for forgery in 1812. Refusing to accept his death, Sarah visited the Bank every day asking passers by if they had seen her brother. Even after her death, she supposedly continued to visit the Bank as a spirit, convinced she would catch a glimpse of her late brother. North London The Spaniard's Inn, Hampstead This 16th century Inn is supposedly visited by famous historical character: Dick Turpin, the highwayman, who stabled his horse Black Bess at the Inn. The Phantom Coach of Enfield, Bell Lane, Enfield Once surrounded by an inhospitable marsh where drivers often lost their way off course, this stretch has been the site of several scary sightings. In 1961, a ghost carriage was reportedly seen with two shadowy characters pulling a horse drawn carriage, traveling five feet off the ground. South London Charlton House, Charlton Charlton House was home to Sir William Langhorne in the 18th century – a wealthy man in his eighties who married a 17 year old girl but later died in 1715. In the past, women sleeping over at the house have been woken by their door handle slowly being turned in the dead of night, whilst ladies ascending the staircase have even had their bottoms allegedly pinched by Sir William’s amorous spirit. Horniman Museum, Forest Hill Horniman Museum was built in 1901 to house the collection of artifacts from a wealthy tea trader. According to legend it is haunted by a ghostly man and woman dressed in 1920’s style, who dance together across the rear terrace of the museum, spin off into the trees and vanish. Parks Hampstead Heath. It is claimed Hampstead Heath is haunted by a ghostly figure on horseback that gallops towards witnesses at great speed, but without its hooves making any noise. Primrose Hill Sir Edmund Godfrey received a knighthood for his services to Westminster as Justice for the Peace for the Great Plague in 1666. Soon after becoming involved in an anti-Catholic campaign, Godfrey was found murdered at the bottom of Primrose Hill. In a spooky coincidence, the three men held over his death were called Green, Berry and Hill - in former times Primrose Hill was called Greenberry Hill. Green Park Green Park is home to the Tree of Death which is said to drive anyone who rests under it to utter despair and death. The story is believed to originate after a series of hangings occurred on the tree. Lesnes Abbey Wood, Abbey Road Originally founded in 1178, Lesnes Abbey was later suppressed by Cardinal Wolsey in 1525. The Abbey ruins were excavated in 1909, and this may have disturbed the revenant of one of the dead monks as several people have reported catching glimpses of a hooded figure flitting around the woods, which abruptly vanishes if they look at it full on. Pubs The Viaduct Tavern, City of London The Viaduct is supposedly haunted by a mischievous ghost who has been known to drink people’s drinks when they’re not looking. His other antics include tapping people on the shoulder, switching the lights out on staff in the cellar below and locking them down there. On one occasion in the 1990s it even lifted a rolled up carpet off the floor and threw it towards astonished electricians. The Market Trader, Tower Hamlets The Market Trader stands on a busy corner overlooking the Petticoat Lane street market. Several people sitting in the upstairs bar claim to have seen the ghost of an old woman with long blonde hair who wears a white night gown. She walks to the corner of the room then abruptly disappears. Sutton Arms, Clerkenwell Haunted by a red haired man named ‘Charley’, the friendly ghost often pops up to disturb punters’ conversations and in 1997 appeared behind a customer brushing her hair. Info taken from ‘Walking Haunted London’, Richard Jones, 2009, New Holland Publishers Visit London Visit London is the official visitor organisation for London. A leader in best practice destination marketing, Visit London promotes the UK capital internationally, across Britain and to Londoners targeting leisure and business visitors. Visit London works in partnership with the Mayor of London, the London Development Agency, London Councils and the tourism industry. |
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