TOWER OF LONDON
This castle was once a royal residence and later a prison as well and has been the location for many public and private sinister activities. Today, its permanent residents are not a happy or friendly bunch, so it’s no surprise that this castle is considered the most haunted place in England.
The Tower of London is actually a complex structure with multiple towers. The ghosts keep to their separate locations within the structure and certain ghosts are more vicious than others, making those parts of the castle dangerous for the living, especially after nightfall.
Anne Boleyn
The most famous ghost of the Tower of London is that of Anne Boleyn, the wife of Henry VIII who was falsely accused of infidelity when she gave birth to a stillborn baby boy. As punishment, Henry VIII had her publicly beheaded. It’s rumoured that Anne’s ghost walks around the towers, often with her head cradled in her arms.
A grisly history of this fortress is the shocking execution of the Countess of Salisbury who refused to kneel down to be beheaded and was chased by the executioner until he hacked her to death. The shadow of an axe has been seen falling at the scene of this crime, but more spooky is that sometimes the ghost of the Countess has been seen reliving this terrifying ordeal!
The infamous and sinister King Richard III was suspected of having murdered his two nephews in order to make sure he would remain king. He had his nephews locked in the Tower of London in what is now called the Bloody Tower. It’s assumed that the they were killed there and visitors have seen the apparition of two small boys clinging to each other in fright. When approached, they move back in fear and disappear in the wall.
Another ghost that’s often seen is that of a lady in white who is seen waving from a window. This ghost is often accompanied by a pungent stench of cheap perfume which has made many people gag.
The Salt Tower is by far the most haunted location in the Tower of London, but what haunts it is unknown. Animals, especially dogs, refuse to go anywhere near this tower and once a guard was tackled by an unseen force. Another time a guard saw a figure and ran to attack the intruder only to pass right through and was later found unconscious at his post.
Other apparitions seen are of mysterious funeral ceremonies, a veiled lady with no face, Lady Jane Grey, her weepy husband and even the ghosts of animals who once resided at the Tower of London. With a history as rich as England’s, who knows how many other souls are trapped at the Tower of London.
Check back tomorrow for #6 on our Spookiest Places Countdown!