A North East castle which is said to be home to a number of ghosts has been named the spookiest in the UK according to research.
Chillingham Castle in Northumberland has been revealed as the spookiest castle to visit this Halloween season, based on Tripadvisor reviews.
The study, conducted by JeffBet.com, analysed a range of spooky-related keywords from reviews on the travel website to determine which UK castles were the creepiest.
Chillingham Castle, which is said to be haunted by a number of ghosts, was frequently described as "haunted," "spooky," and "creepy" by visitors.
Owned by Sir Humphry Wakefield, the father-in-law of Dominic Cummings who infamously travelled to Barnard Castle during a Covid lockdown, the castle saw 399 reviews per 1,000 describing it as "haunting."
Most read
- eBay: County Durham residents selling 50p coin for £15,000
- A1(M) closed near Darlington after flooding on road
- Pictures of flooding across North East as A1(M) closed
Warwick Castle in Warwickshire ranked second, with 140 out of 1,000 reviews containing the spooky keywords.
The most frequently used word to describe the castle was "scary," appearing in over 750 reviews.
Muncaster Castle in Cumbria came in third, with 134 out of every 1,000 reviews describing the castle as "haunting."
St Andrews Castle in Fife was fourth, with 96 out of every 1,000 reviews including the spooky keywords, and Bolsover Castle in Derbyshire came in fifth.
The study also ranked Oxford Castle and Prison as the sixth most spooky, followed by Alnwick Castle, Glamis Castle, Carisbrooke Castle, and Lincoln Castle.
A spokesperson from JeffBet.com said: "With Halloween around the corner, October is the perfect month to explore spooky locations and get into the autumnal mood.
"All of the locations on this list are steeped in a rich history, centuries old, and some with ghost stories attached.
"Castles like Chillingham – where its eeriness is baked into its name – have long been the ideal places to visit for those looking to experience a genuine thrill.
"From ghostly apparitions to unexplained sounds, visitors to any of the locations on the list will find themselves in for a spooky treat.
"Whether you’re a fan of paranormal investigations or simply love getting into the atmospheric vibe this time of year, October makes for a great time to visit as the autumn air amplifies the mysterious feel to the castles."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here