HAUNTED PLACES IN ESSEX

HAUNTED PLACES IN ESSEX

Epping Forest, Essex

Epping Forest in Essex has a rich history, dating back to the Iron Age. There are stories of Roman battles, Norman invaders, and notorious highwaymen. In fact, the famous highwayman, Dick Turpin used a cave in the High Beach area of Epping as a hideout for many years. Due to the location of the forest in relation to London, it’s known as a burial area for murder victims, with many of the Krays victims believed to have been buried here.

Ghosts of Epping Forest

The haunted history of Epping Forest is notorious, so much so, Most Haunted carried out a live show here in 2003, in the hope of locating the ghost of Dick Turpin, whom they believe came into contact with them. Ghost hunts are also a regular occurrence throughout the year. As well as the ghost of Turpin, there are numerous other sightings and experiences that have occurred at Epping throughout the years.
The ghost of Boudica (Queen of the British Iceni tribe – AD60) is believed to haunt the forest. Poltergeist activity is also a regular occurrence, with people reporting being pushed or touched by unseen hands. Apparitions have been known to show themselves also. On one occasion, a man was spotted wearing a tricorn hat and cape, on top of a black horse.
At the Wake Arms round-about the headless apparition of a biker and a horse-drawn coach has been seen in the dead of night. A troubled spirit is said to run out in front of vehicles, staring into the drivers eyes before disappearing right before them. The ghost of a young girl who reportedly drowned near the Kings Oak Pub has been seen, as well as a headless horseman.

Hangman’s Hill

At Hangman’s Hill, there have been reports of an apparition of a man being seen in the wooded area. Terrifying screams are also heard here. It is said, that if you leave your car in neutral on the hill, your car will appear to roll upwards towards the tree where people have been hanged.

Red Lion Hotel, Colchester, Essex

The Red Lion Hotel was built in 1465 in Colchester Essex, Britain’s oldest recorded town. The inn itself is one of the oldest inns in all of Colchester. This historical building still has its original Tudor features, and wooden beams throughout, as well as the original rooms. Such is its historical importance, the inn is now a Grade I listed building.
As with most old coaching inns we have featured on Haunted Rooms, the Red Lion Hotel has a strong presence of the paranormal. With hundreds of years of being the centre of all the hustle and bustle around Colchester, and the many characters that have passed through its doors, it’s very little wonder that some have decided to stay behind.

Ghost of Alice Catherine Millar

Recently there have been 3 main sightings in the hotel. The most prominent of which is the ghost of  Alice Catherine Millar, who was murdered in the hotel in 1638. There have been reports of her ghost as far back as the 1800's. Her ghost was so terrifying to the owner of the inn back then, he had the door to her old room bricked up. It may have also been the room in which she was murdered. He had hoped that blocking the door to her old room would put a stop to the haunting, but it failed. Alice continued to haunt the inn, and still does to this day.
Guests and staff has reported seeing Alice’s apparition mostly in room’s 5, 6, and 10. She’s also been seen in the kitchen, and walking to her old room and through the blocked wall where her door once stood. On one occasion, the assistant manager was asleep in his room when he was suddenly awoken in the middle of the night from what he said felt like a strong bolt of electricity through his body. As he gazed around the room, he saw an old rocking chair begin to rock back and forward. To his amazement he witnessed a woman slowly appear on the chair. She then spoke to him and asked if he was alright. When he answered yes, she disappeared.

Hooded Monk

The figure of a hooded monk has been seen, mostly during the early hours. Often witnessed around reception and the corridors. He’s believed to be the ghost of a monk who died in a fire at the inn several hundred years ago. He is reported to have been trying to save some children that were in his care when he himself perished.

The Small Boy

The third ghost at the hotel is of a small boy. He has been seen numerous times in the parliament room, and mostly by children. He has been caught several times appearing in photos taken by guests too.

About

This old coaching inn is a stunning historical building, full of original features dating back to Tudor times. Each of its 20 rooms are individually decorated, and include en-suite. The Red Lion provides a relaxing environment that provides all the amentities you should expect from a modern hotel, as well as all the plush features that a 15th century coaching inn can offer. Rooms options include single, double, twin, and four poster. There is a restaurant on the premises (The Parliament) that offers classic dishes in a traditional coaching inn setting with original wood beamed ceiling. There’s also a bar as well as 24 hour room service. Parking is also available offsite, at the NCP on Osborne Street, at a cost of £4.50 per 24 hours.

Coalhouse Fort, Essex

Coalhouse Point was once the site of an artillery battery, however, today nothing survives of that building. With the recommendations of the Royal Commission on the Defence of the United Kingdom, the Point was rebuilt in the 1860s. It was completed in 1864 and became a coastal defence. The fort served as defence through two world wars and was purchased in 1962 by Thurrock Council.
During the Second World War, the rooms in the fort have instruments which were used to monitor the magnetic field of ships as they went on their journey. Monitoring was used to determine the effectiveness of the degaussing equipment of each vessel.
Some part of Coalhouse Fort is surrounded by a body of water and some dry ditch and this helped immensely in defence during the Victorian era. In 1949, the fort was leased to the Bata Shoe Company. It was used by the company for storage and was finally purchased by Thurrock Council in 1962. The land of the surrounding area has been cleared and turned into a public park; however, the fort was kept closed. Today, a pathway has been made which connects Coalhouse and Tilbury Fort. The pathway passes along Tilbury Power Station.

Ghosts of Coalhouse Fort, Essex

Coalhouse Fort is a place rife with paranormal activity. Several witnesses have said that they have seen strange apparitions and entities. Eerie voices, the laughter of children, heavy footsteps following people in the tunnels and the sound of something heavy dragging along the floor can be heard.
People who have come from all over the country and who have stayed at the fort have seen dark figures walking towards them and then disappearing right in front of them. Others have said that they have been touched and even attacked by unseen hands and forces.
There is also poltergeist activity in the fort. Things would get thrown around and chairs would also be moved. Stones and light bulbs are also thrown across rooms and at people. The most active location in the fort is the washroom. It is said that there is an evil presence there known by the workers there as Harry.  Harry has been known to throw chairs across large open spaces and sometimes at visitors. The more a person stays in the washroom, the more agitated and violent Harry becomes.

Borley Rectory, Essex

Borley Rectory – The Most Haunted House in England? Maybe. However, in recent years a cloud of doubt has risen over the validity of several of the ghostly claims. The house was burnt to the ground in 1939 but people still report several ghostly occurrences. Many people also claim that the house is the most haunted in the world, it’s up to you to decide!

History

Borley Rectory was first built back in 1863 on the site of an old monastry. The reports of strange occurrences date back to the mid to late 1800's however, the first documented evidence of paranormal activity was in the early 1900's.
The first reports that came to public attention were from 1928 when the then owner Guy Eric Smith and his wife contacted the Daily Mirror newspaper to report the strange goings on. The newspaper then took on the help of a paranormal investigator known as Harry Price. Mr Price stayed at the house to carry out extensive research for more than a year.
In 1939 the house was burnt to the ground, an oil lamp the cause. It was then left in ruins until 1944 when it was demolished.

Ghosts at Borley Rectory

For a house labeled as the most haunted house in England it’s little wonder there’s no shortage in ghostly experiences. One of the earliest sighting and perhaps most famous us that of a nun. Which may seem strange given that there used to be a monastry on the site, one would expect a monk rather than a nun.
According to local folklore, a nun from a nearby nunnery fell in love with a monk from the monastry, and the pair attempted to elope together. They were found and sentenced to death. The monk was reported to have been sent to the gallows in the monastry whilst the nun was sealed into the walls of the nunnery alive. This nun is believed to be the one that is seen on the grounds of Borley Rectory, looking for the monk in the hope of running away together once more.
The nun has been seen and heard several times throughout the years. She seemed to be most active during the time in which Rev. Harry Bull lived there.
The next most significant of reports comes from Eric Smith and his wife. They reported mysterious footsteps, doorbells ringing of their own accord, and poltergeist activity which occurred on numerous occasions. It was Eric Smith and his wife who reported their experiences to the Daily Mirror newspaper, who then arranged for the paranormal investigator Harry Price to stay and investigate.
Whilst staying there (for little over a year) Price witnessed the reported poltergeist phenomena first hand. He was said to have got in touch with the spirit of past tenant Rev. Harry Bull who died there years before. After numerous attempts at exorcising the property and continued media intrusions, in 1930 Mr and Mrs Smith left the house for good.
The next residents of the house were Rev. Foyster and his wife Marianne. They both were to continue to experience all the same phenomena that Price and the Smith’s had witnessed before them. However, the poltergeist activity seemed to become more aggressive with reports of smashed glasses, broken windows, and Marianne being thrown from her bed by an unseen force. The couple were to also experience otherworldly messages on the walls, which defied any logical reason like other reports.
After 5 years of what must have been very frightening indeed, the Foysters left the house leaving Price to move in and continue his study without interference. However during his stay he and his team of researchers were left relatively disappointed as they witnessed very little compared to what had been witnessed before. A full account of what Price experienced was published in the book ‘The Most Haunted House in England’.
Even after the house was burned to the ground reports continued to emerge. The most recent of reports occurred in the Parish Church.
Mr Price died in 1948 and since then many skeptics and have dissected his work, explaining all sound phenomena and other phenomena as misinterpreted natural occurrences. Believe what you will, but all reports stretching over a 100 years seem to cement its place as one of the most haunted houses in Britain, and maybe even the world.

Palace Theatre, Southend

Ghosts at the Palace Theatre, Southend

This grand theatre was built back in the early 20th Century and it was opened for theatre use in 1912 and is still open to this day.
If you sit down to watch a show at Palace Theatre, the empty seat behind you may not be as empty as you may think.
Actors have reported smelling tobacco backstage when no-one has smoked. Visitors have reported feeling a hand touching their shoulder whilst watching a show.
The ghost that has been haunting the Palace Theatre for so many years is thought to be that of George, the old theatre manager. He got so upset at the state of the theatres finances that he hung himself.
Other experiences include the reported sighting of a woman in white and the sound of a piano playing out in a deserted part of the building.