Everyone seems to know of at
least one haunted house; as kids there was almost certainly one in our own
neighbourhood. This list contains the most famous and most haunted places in the
world. If you have had any experiences of a similar nature, feel free to tell us
about it in the comments. I should add, before starting, that I am a skeptic; I
have written this list for entertainment value.
1. Borley Rectory
The haunting of the Borley Rectory during the 1920s and 1930s, is undoubtedly
one of the most famous in Britain, as well as being one of the most
controversial. The wealth of sightings and experiences by independent witnesses,
suggests that although much of the phenomena can be explained in rational terms,
a percentage remains which can still be seen as inexplicable at the present
time.
2. The Whaley House
Author deTraci Regula relates her experiences with the house: “Over the years,
while dining across the street at the Old Town Mexican Cafe, I became accustomed
to noticing that the shutters of the second-story windows [of the Whaley House]
would sometimes open while we ate dinner, long after the house was closed for
the day. On a recent visit, I could feel the energy in several spots in the
house, particularly in the courtroom, where I also smelled the faint scent of a
cigar, supposedly Whaley’s calling-card. In the hallway, I smelled perfume,
initially attributing that to the young woman acting as docent, but some later
surreptitious sniffing in her direction as I talked to her about the house
revealed her to be scent-free.
3. Raynham Hall
Aynham Hall is a country house in Norfolk, England. For 300 years it has been
the seat of the Townshend family. The hall gave its name to the area, known as
East Raynham, and is reported to be haunted, providing the scene for possibly
the most famous ghost photo of all time, the famous Brown Lady descending the
staircase. However, the ghost has not been reported since the photo was taken.
Its most famous resident was Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend
(1674-1738), leader in the House of Lords.
4. The Myrtles Plantation
The Myrtles Plantation was built in 1796 by General David Bradford and called
Laurel Grove. Touted as “one of America’s most haunted homes”, the plantation is
supposedly home of at least 12 ghosts.[9] It is often reported that 10 murders
occurred in the house, but historical records only indicate the murder of
William Winter. Possibly the most well known of the Myrtles supposed ghosts,
Chloe (sometimes Cleo) was reportedly a slave owned by Clark and Sara Woodruff.
According to one story, Clark Woodruff had pressured or forced Chloe into being
his mistress. Chloe and Clark were caught by Sara Woodruff, and Chloe began to
listen at keyholes, trying to learn what would happen to her.
5. Eastern State Penitentiary
Designed by John Haviland and opened in 1829, Eastern State is considered to be
the world’s first true penitentiary. Its revolutionary system of incarceration,
dubbed the Pennsylvania System, originated and encouraged solitary confinement
as a form of rehabilitation. On June 1st, 2007 a television show called “Most
Haunted” went live to the penitentiary. Part of the group went to Al Capones
cell. Two people passed out while “investigating” the prison. One member of the
team, Yvette, stated that “this is the most evil place I have ever been.” They
claimed to have had contact with spirits but there was no hard evidence that
their claims were legitimate.