As Halloween closes in The North East is not short of spooky places and haunted sites thanks to it’s rich and extensive history.

Whether you are looking to spend a sleepless night in a hotel with transcendent lodgers levitating through the corridors, or whether you’re hoping to sip a beer with an ethereal guest, the North East has you covered.

With a total of 11 places on this list sure to give you the spooks, here’s the North East’s most haunted places.

1. Chillingham Castle:

Originally a 12th-century monastery, the medieval fortress in the village of Chillingham has recently gained the reputation for hosting the largest number of ghosts according to TripAdvisor’s Most Haunted list.

Among them is, supposedly, the spirit of a Spanish witch who is said to curse whoever steals something from the castle.

A betrayed wife also floats the halls, occasionally popping out of her portrait dressed in grey.

The castle’s most famous ghost is the Blue Boy, a child who had been bricked up alive in blue clothes and whose skeleton was found inside a three-metre-thick wall during renovations.

2. Langley Castle:

J.K Rowling stayed at this location for inspiration when working on the renowned Harry Potter books.

The castle, which is now a hotel, has had spectral guests for centuries.

Among them is Maud De Lucy, widow of Sir Thomas who built the tower in 1350.

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Devastated by the news of her husband’s death in the battle of Shrewsbury, Maud jumped out of the highest window of the castle from which she had been keeping a watchful eye for her soulmate to return from war.

Guests have encountered Maud sobbing and muttering Sir Thomas’ name repeatedly, and then throwing herself again out of the same window while tears stream down her cheeks.

3. The Old George Inn

This former coaching inn in Newcastle is thought to be haunted by royalty.

In 1646, King Charles I was kept prisoner by the Scots in the Nearby Anderson Place, sometimes, the man would be allowed to temporarily leave his cell and would regularly pay the Old George a quick visit for a drink.

To this day, the pub keeps on display the actual chair upon which the king would sit when in need of some refreshments, and customers believe to have seen Charles get comfortable in it in the form of a greyish fog.

4. Newcastle’s Castle Keep:

The 12th century castle keep is the city’s oldest building, which practically guarantees the presence of ghosts and spirits.

One of them is the so-called Poppy Girl, a flower girl who was imprisoned in the castle and who eventually passed away there.

She has been sighted wandering the building numerous times.

Physic World correspondent Matthew Hutton once interviewed a member of staff at the keep - the worker claimed that “he was thrown to the floor by an invisible force and scratched on the leg, causing a wound so deep that it required stitches".

5. Blanchland

This Northumberland village has a poetic name but a chilling past, retraceable from the church’s graveyard where monks that were slaughtered in a bloody raid rest.

The story goes that as the Blanchland monks prepared to defend themselves from ferocious outlaws willing to ransack their abbey, a heavy fog blanketed the valley and disoriented the delinquents. Seeing this as a godly intervention, the monks started ringing their bells to celebrate the divine miracle. Sadly, the peal drew the raiders’ attention and helped them locate the abbey, where they eventually killed the monks.

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From the day of the massacre, it is said that a funereal knell tolls in the distance and that the undefined silhouettes of the murdered friars eerily brim the cemetery.

6. The Ship Isis:

This is a popular stop-over for paranormal investigators and is said to be haunted by the ghost of serial killer Mary Ann Cotton, among with some of her 21 poisoned victims.

Among them are two of the murderer’s own children, whom she allegedly buried where the pub’s basement now is.

With disembodied cries and screams filling the bar, and with sudden apparitions of a woman wearing Victorian-era clothing, you may inevitably end up spilling a drink or two.

7. Marsden Grotto:

This is a very strong contender for Britain’s most haunted pub with mysterious bare footprints on the bar floor which will simply not wash away and with frightful knocking sounds emerging from the cellar, it is little wonder that the place is believed to be packed with agitated spirits

As if creepy noises and sightings of fully-formed ghosts were not enough, Marsden Bay is also thought to conceal a sea monster called “the Shoney.”

8. The Town Moor

This area was once the site of Newcastle’s gallows. Hundreds of people were hanged in this extended portion of land, including 16 for witchcraft.

9. Flodden Field:

Just over 500 years ago, Flodden Field staged the bloodiest battle in the history of England, with 14,000 combatants losing their life in the space of three hours only.

Considering the scale of such carnage, it is not surprising to discover that some unexplainable activity has been recorded in the area.

Indeed, ghosts of fallen soldiers from both factions can sometimes be heard and seen re-enacting the devastating clash.

10. The Lit & Phil Society

The Literary and Philosophical society is believed to be home to at least 16 spectres that roam freely around its three floors.

From CCTV footage of emergency exit doors suddenly opening on their own to sounds of people coughing and of book pages turning, it is possibly the only library in which you would be glad to be surrounded and disturbed by familiar, human noises.

11. Royalty Theatre

We conclude this spooky with Sunderland’s Royal Theatre.

Originally built as a church in the 19th century, and then used as a hospital during World War I, the theatre is scene to poltergeist activity and to strange footstep sounds both on stage and in the wings.

It’s thought that while attending a show and you see a pale-looking person behind you, it may be a spirit after several reports of a ghost sitting at the back of the theatre’s auditorium.

All the information was courtesy of Langley Castle Hotel, more information can be found here

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