10 Most Haunted Places in London You Can Actually Visit

The most haunted places in London reveal a MUCH darker side to the capital than its shiny skyscrapers, busy shopping streets, and peaceful parks might suggest. London has nearly 2,000 years of history behind it, so it makes sense that there are a few ghost stories, unexplained sightings, and eerie legends hiding among its famous landmarks.

Some of these stories involve former queens wandering royal palaces, while others are connected to historic pubs, old theaters, forests, and even a bingo hall with its own resident ghost. You do not necessarily have to believe in the paranormal to enjoy them either. London’s ghost stories offer a very different way to explore the city and learn about some of the events that shaped it.

Here are ten of the most haunted places in London, including several you can actually enter, walk around, or visit for a drink (just try not to annoy any resident spirits while you are there).

Mecca Bingo Rosehill

Even a night at the bingo can come with paranormal company. Rosehill Bingo, which first opened as a Gaumont cinema in 1937, is reportedly home to a resident ghost named Fred.

Staff and regular visitors have reported everything from unexplained footsteps and shadowy figures to beer taps turning themselves on and the sound of an organ that was removed decades ago. Those brave enough to visit can embrace the building’s spooky reputation, adding a thrill to their experience, while others might prefer online bingo games instead.

The Tower of London

The Tower of London is probably the capital’s most famous haunted location, which is hardly surprising when you consider its history of imprisonment, torture, execution, and royal betrayal. I have wandered around the Tower a couple of times now, and ghost stories aside, it already feels eerie enough without needing much imagination.

Anne Boleyn, who was executed at the Tower in 1536, is said to wander the grounds near the site of her death. Although the popular image of her carrying her severed head is part of the legend rather than documented history, stories of her ghost have circulated for centuries. Other reported spirits include Lady Jane Grey, Arbella Stuart, the two Princes in the Tower, and even a ghostly bear once said to have frightened a guard into unconsciousness.

The Tower is also one of the most fascinating historic places to visit in England, even if no headless queens make an appearance during your visit.

Hampton Court Palace

For another royal encounter, head to Hampton Court Palace, where two of Henry VIII’s wives are reportedly among its supernatural residents.

Jane Seymour is said to have appeared near the Silverstick Stairs, carrying a candle on the anniversary of her son’s birth. Catherine Howard’s ghost is more famously associated with the Haunted Gallery, where legend says she ran while trying to reach Henry VIII and plead for her life after learning she would be accused of adultery.

Historic Royal Palaces points out that the exact escape route described in the legend would not have taken Catherine through this particular gallery, but that has done very little to stop people from reporting screams, strange sensations, and possible sightings there. I have visited Hampton Court before, and with its long corridors, Tudor courtyards, and stories around practically every corner, you can see exactly how the legend has lasted this long.

Hyde Park Pet Cemetery

London’s green spaces are apparently not free from ghost stories either. Hidden beside Hyde Park is a small pet cemetery dating back to the early 1880s, with around 1,000 animals buried beneath tiny headstones.

Most of the graves belong to dogs, although cats, birds, and even monkeys were reportedly buried there too. The cemetery is not generally open for people to wander into whenever they like, but The Royal Parks has occasionally included it in special guided tours. It is more sad and strangely sweet than terrifying, but a secret Victorian cemetery containing hundreds of beloved pets certainly earns a place on a list of London’s spookier locations.

It’s actually interesting because unlike almost every other place on the list, the Pet Cemetery isn’t famous because of ghost sightings. It’s famous because it’s hidden, Victorian, slightly eerie, unusual, and people naturally associate old cemeteries with ghost stories. So it’s more of a creepy historical place than somewhere you might see the ghost of a dog running around, lol.

St James’s Park

St James’s Park has a much more traditional ghost story: the Headless Lady of the Lake. The story is generally linked to Sarah Whitehead, sometimes called the Bank Nun, although versions of the legend vary quite a bit depending on who is telling it.

A headless female figure has reportedly been seen emerging from the lake before wandering along Birdcage Walk after dark. St James’s Park may look perfectly peaceful during the daytime, complete with flower beds, pelicans, and postcard-worthy views toward Buckingham Palace, but apparently things get a little stranger once the crowds disappear.

The Ten Bells

Those exploring East London can stop for a drink at The Ten Bells in Spitalfields. This historic pub has become closely connected to the Jack the Ripper story because at least two of his victims, Annie Chapman and Mary Jane Kelly, are believed to have visited it.

Mary Jane Kelly was reportedly seen drinking there shortly before she was murdered nearby, and the pub was even renamed “The Jack the Ripper” between 1976 and 1988 before returning to its original name. Staff have also reported unexplained presences and possible poltergeist activity inside the building.

I have walked past The Ten Bells plenty of times while exploring Spitalfields and Brick Lane, and knowing the history behind it definitely gives the place a different atmosphere than your average London pub.

Epping Forest

Epping Forest covers thousands of acres along the edge of London and Essex, and its history includes ancient settlements, violent crimes, highwaymen, and plenty of ghost stories.

Its most famous former visitor was probably Dick Turpin, the highwayman who used Epping Forest as a hideout and hunting ground during the 1700s. Records connect Turpin to robberies around the forest and to the shooting of Thomas Morris, a servant who attempted to capture him. His ghost is now said to appear among the trees, sometimes riding a horse along the old roads.

Other tales involve phantom soldiers, mysterious figures, strange lights, and the sounds of footsteps following visitors through otherwise empty parts of the forest. Epping is HUGE, so I would probably choose an established walking route rather than disappearing between the trees in search of a dead highwayman by myself.

Theatre Royal Drury Lane

Theatre Royal Drury Lane is regularly described as one of the most haunted theaters in Britain. A theater has stood on the site since the 1600s, while the current building opened in 1812, leaving plenty of time for strange stories to accumulate behind the curtains.

Its most famous ghost is the Man in Grey, who reportedly appears in the Grand Circle wearing a tricorn hat, cloak, and riding boots. Witnesses have described him walking through the auditorium before disappearing into a wall, close to where a skeleton was allegedly found during building work in the 1800s.

He is not the theater’s only reported spirit either. Former performers Joseph Grimaldi and Dan Leno have also been linked to sightings backstage and inside dressing rooms. Rather than fearing the Man in Grey, some performers apparently consider seeing him a sign that a production will be successful. A supportive theater ghost! We love to see it.

50 Berkeley Square

Number 50 Berkeley Square once had a reputation as the most haunted house in London. The grand Mayfair townhouse dates back to the 1700s, but its ghost stories became particularly popular during the Victorian era.

Most of the tales focus on an upstairs room where visitors reportedly heard unexplained sounds or saw a frightening figure. Different versions describe the spirit as a young woman, a strange brown mist, or something so terrifying that witnesses could not properly explain what they had seen.

The stories include a servant who supposedly lost her mind after entering the room and two sailors who broke into the empty house, only for one to fall to his death while trying to escape. Many of these tales were likely exaggerated or completely invented over time, but that has not stopped 50 Berkeley Square from maintaining its creepy reputation. You cannot tour the privately occupied building, but you can walk past it while exploring Mayfair.

The Langham Hotel

The Langham is one of London’s grandest hotels and, according to decades of stories, one of its most haunted. It opened in 1865 and has welcomed royalty, writers, actors, musicians, and apparently quite a few guests who never properly checked out.

Room 333 is at the center of its most famous legend. Guests have reported seeing a Victorian gentleman appear during October, sometimes surrounded by a glowing light before vanishing. A BBC radio announcer staying in the room during the 1970s claimed he woke to see a fluorescent sphere transform into the shape of a man.

Other reported spirits include a German prince and former French emperor Napoleon III, who stayed at the hotel while living in exile and is now said to haunt the basement. The Langham remains a functioning luxury hotel, so this is one haunted London location where you can actually book yourself in for the night… Room 333, anyone?

Exploring the Mot Haunted places in London

The best thing about exploring London’s haunted side is the variety. You can discover royal ghosts, mysterious pubs, atmospheric forests, hidden cemeteries, and even a bingo club with its own resident spirit, all within the same city.

Some of these places can be visited freely, while others require an entrance ticket, hotel reservation, guided tour, or simply a walk past the outside. Check opening hours before heading out, especially if you plan to visit after dark, and use an organized ghost tour if you would rather hear the stories from someone who actually knows where they are going.

London’s long history is also one of the major perks of living in London, because there is ALWAYS another strange street, building, pub, or story to discover. For more historical trip inspiration, check out my guide to historical places to visit in the UK, or start planning a full spooky-season adventure with these best places to spend Halloween.