Haunted religious places

Anglesey Abbey, Cambridgeshire

Battle Abbey, East Sussex
The ghost of a Norman knight has been seen. Anniversery ghost King Harold appears every October 14 complete with an arrow in his eye. A strange figure in Tudor costume has appeared on a visitors photo from Zimbabwe photographed in the cloisters. Another photo had a beam of light with a face staring out.

Bayham Old Abbey, Kent Sussex border
A group of phantom monks have been seen floating through the abbey. Chanting, the smell of burning incense and the sounds of bells have also been observed by many.

Beauchief Abbey, Sheffield
Ghosts: The White lady and a monk.

Binham Priory, Norfolk
The priory is said to be linked by a tunnel to Walshingham Abbey. A travelling fiddler boasted to the locals that he would see where this tunnel went. He was heard playing his violin until it couldn't be heard no more. The locals waited, expecting him to appear at the other side of the hill, he had be accompanied by his dog. Then his terrified dog came running out of the tunnel entrance. The fiddler was never found until one day after much road widening, cutting into the hill, 3 skeletons were found including that of a dog.

Bisham Abbey, Berkshire
Bolton Abbey, Yorkshire Dales
Brinkburn Priory, Northumberland
Buckland Abbey, West Devon
Bury St Edmunds Abbey, Suffolk
The ghosts of monks have been seen near the abbey gates and in the cellars of the buildings in Applegate street. Two grey ladies have also been seen, one is said to be the ghost of Maude Carew who helped with the plot to assassinate the Duke of Gloucester. She was meant to administer poison to him but accidently ended up drinking it herself.

Byland Abbey, North Yorkshire
In the 13th century a large silver disc was seen in the sky above the abbey. It is chronicled in the William of Newburgh reports that the abbot was about to say grace when one of the monks ran in announcing 'there is a great portent outside'. According to manuscripts it was frightening and the greatest terror. A ghost of a monk has been seen here and people report been touched.

Durham Cathedral
Eastby Abbey
Fountains Abbey
Hailes Abbey
Kirkstall Abbey, Leeds, West Yorkshire
Knowlton Church
Lanercost Priory, Cumbria
Lilleshall Abbey

Lindisfarne Priory



Luds Church
Michelham Priory, Sussex
Muchelney Abbey, Somerset
Newstead Abbey, Nottinghamshire
Ghostly inhabitants include a phantom monk called 'The Black Friar', and a ghostly lady who leaves behind a sweet smell of rose petals.

Nettley Abbey
Rievaulx Abbey
Roche Abbey
Rufford Abbey
Rycote Chapel
Skidbrooke Church

St Albans Abbey

St Alban’s Abbey seems to be well stocked with your traditional English ghosts; processions of spectral monks, ethereal choirs and the Abbey organ which has been seen to play by itself. Even St Alban himself, who was the first Christian martyr in Britain, is said to make an occasional appearance. A lesser known story involved a former resident, a Dr Toms who lived in the nearby Romeland Cottage that, it was said, was built on the site of the abbey charnel house where many of the monks who died of plague would have been laid to rest. In 1904 the family had a maid who slept in the house. She was awoken on two consecutive nights by a monk who spoke excitedly in a language foreign to her. She noticed he had a medal around his neck, which a local clergyman identified as a pilgrims medal, often worn by monks at the abbey.
By all accounts it was soon afterwards that the spirit was exorcized and has never been witnessed again.


St Botolph's Church
St Mary's Church Ruin, Clophill
St Mary the virgin
St Michael's Church
St Peter's Church
St Senara's Church
St Thomas's Church
The priory of the blessed Virgin Mary
Thetford Priory
Thornton Abbey
Tynermouth Priory & Castle
Waverley Abbey
Wenlock Priory
Whitby Abbey