Most Haunted London Cemeteries

Autumn is drawing near with  Halloween  just around the next corner.

As All Hallow’s Eve approaches lets take a look at some of The Capital’s Most Haunted.

Hyde Park – Burial Ground For Pets

The London Hyde Park Dog Cemetery was established in 1880 as one of the first public cemeteries for animals in England. It was in regular use  until 1903. Located in the Garden of Victoria Lodge, this site contains over 1,000 burials of mostly dogs, a few cats, monkeys and birds. Around 475 , mostly uniform stones are known to exist in this graveyard. Approximately 12 inches high and 9 inches wide  the majority are plain in design.

The Lodge Gatekeeper sewed dead pets into canvas bags and carried them out for interment.

As London moved into the 20th Century gravestones more resemble those of human burials. The cemetery  became  full of body and kerbstones and  headstones mirrored  text similar to that of their human counterparts.

A fitting tribute to the much loved pets of London’s High Society but definitely not a location to visit on a dark evening especially around October 31st!

Visited by English novelist George Orwell the cemetery is described as “perhaps the most horrible spectacle in Britain”

High Gate Cemetery

History and Reputation make High Gate Cemetery one of the most visited in Britain for those seeking out paranormal experience. Opened in 1839 it was part of the  Magnificent Seven Cemeteries.

Church cemeteries could no longer cope  thus extra space was needed.

Victorian London saw Gothic Tombs on the south-facing Hillside represent wealth and pageantry. Becoming  highly sought after plots amongst the rich and famous the area abounds with tales or disturbances and grave robbing.

The Highgate Vampyre

Stories circulate of dark grey figures, rising from tombs, and melting through the cemetery walls.

In the 1970’s a series of grusome events saw a frenzy of midnight vampire hunts.

Macarbre animal killings took place, their bodies drained of blood.

Adolescent girls witnessed figures rising  from their tombs near the North Gate while others reported waking in the night to “something cold and clinging” brushing  their flesh.

A “tall man in a hat” seen wandering  the tombs earned the nickname “Vampyre”.

Glaring Red Eyes

One man, whose car broke down near the cemetery, witnessed a terrifying, red eyed apparition,  glaring at him through the cemetary gates.

Gliding Creature

In Swains Lane a creature glides through the cemetery walls. In it’s path a young man is knocked to the ground. Approaching car headlights shine on the man and the grusome creature dissolves into thin air.

Ghostly Cyclist

Climbing the steep incline a young mother is frightened “almost out of her wits” as an apparition cycles slowly past.

West Norwood Cemetery Catacombes

For the burial of human remains a subterranean network of  vaults and passages lies deep below the tranquility of picturesque Norwood Cemetery.

It’s dark, dank chambers represent the final resting place of  London’s Victorian Dead.

Built as a site of respect, to escape the swampy, unkempt and overloaded cemeteries (following the Cholera outbreak) these catacombes present a grisley portrait of multiple, stacked coffins amongst Gothic Revival Architecture.

An underground complex of six vaulted passages with bays on either side house up to 3500 individuals.

Definitely not a place for the faint hearted. Just the very thought of three and a half thousand  bodies in those cold, dark catacombes gives me goosebumps!

The Tombs beneath London Bridge

The site of London Bridge has  experienced centuries of bloody conflict and betrayal. It’s tombs serve to remind us of a very dark period way back in our history.

It’s 1665, The Black Death sweeps London. Spreading from Parish to Parish the ghastly disease turns it’s victims skin black. Swollen glands, swollen tongue, throbbing headaches and compulsive vomiting are  sure sign that death will shortly follow and, as is  customary, bodies are  dumped in mass graves.

Emily

Many times shadows have been  reported moving from room to room.

A young woman, Emily, frequents the tombs and wanders aimlessly amongs the graves.

Some tours report that one of the actors is not really getting into the spirit of it but simply stares straight ahead.

This is no actor , this is Emily!

I hope we sparked a little interest in our Spooky London Cemeteries. If so join us for the next haunting chapter soon.

If you do have a spooky encounter please share it with us in the comments below.

Happy Haunting!