Haunted Northumbria: The dark side of the north east

endpaper- will stick this side to front cover

HAUNTED NORTHUMBRIA

the dark side of the North East Louise Morgan

A note about the type: All of the content of this book has been researched and written by me (Louise). Any photographs that are not my own have been credited throughout the book and a list of credits is available at the back of this book. This book is not intended to change your beliefs regarding the supernatural, it is designed to be educational for both locals and tourists wishing to learn about the spooky side of Northumbria.

The typeface chosen is Dosis by Edgar Tolentino.

A simple, rounded sans serif, Dosis was designed by Edgar Tolentino, refined and extended by Pablo Impallari, spaced and kerned by Igino Marini IKern. The Dosis family is described by Creative Bloq as: “The lighter weights are minimalist. The bolder weights have more personality�.

HAUNTED NORTHUMBRIA

the dark side of the North East Louise Morgan

HAUNTED NORTHUMBRIA the dark side of the North East

The North East of England, encompassing the counties of Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, County Durham and Cleveland has an industrial heritage, dating back 2000 years, according to archaeological evidence.

Northumbria, encompassing the counties of Northumberland and Tyne and Wear, (dating back to Roman times, where it was one large county) is steeped in history. History is sometimes captured in the walls of a building where a traumatic event occurred, this is known as a residual haunting.

Also known as the ‘stone tape’ theory. The stone walls have absorbed the energy and will replay that event when the atmospheric elements are perfect. The other main type of haunting, the intelligent haunting, is the opposite. This type of haunting is when an individual’s spirit is trapped in the location that they died. The individual may not know they have passed on or may choose to return to the location they called home. Different locations within the North East are home to different kinds of spirits, some intelligent, some residual and some who may choose to cross between this world and the afterlife.

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55.1301N 1.8731W BOLAM LAKE COUNTRY PARK The history of Bolam Lake and the surrounding countryside has historical evidence dating back thousands of years.

Bolam Lake photographs sourced from Bolam Lake Visitor Centre.

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The Geordie Yeti

In early 2002, a group of fishermen came face to face with a creature 8 feet tall, covered in hair and with sharp teeth. The fishermen dubbed the creature the Geordie Yeti, which sparked more sightings, eventually the ‘Geordie Yeti’ became known as the Beast of Bolam Lake.

Jonathan Downs, a self-proclaimed Monster Hunter conducted an investigation in the hopes of meeting the beast. Although the beast didn’t sit down for tea with him, he still witnessed odd activity, such as wildlife going silent, almost as if it were scared and seeing the outline of the beast itself. Jonathan has a theory that the beast is a paranormal entity, rather than a flesh and blood entity, this would validate the idea that people do get uncomfortable feelings in and around the lake at dusk.

The Bonny Lass of Belsay

Caroline, a beautiful female spirit, also known as the Bonny Lass of Belsay, died tragically in the 1700s after being thrown from her horse, hitting her head on the rocks in the lake and dying instantly. Sometimes her disembodied giggles are heard, and unlike other ghosts of beautiful girls, she does not appear to have any malicious intentions, her sudden death suggests that her spirit may be trapped in the country park, unaware that she has passed over.

Hopefully she will one day be able to move onto a better place instead of being trapped in the area she died.

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Holy Island is the birthplace of Christianity in Northumberland. With a tiny population of 160, the island receives over 650,000 tourists per year, most of which are part of excursions from Seahouses, the next village along from Bamburgh.

Farne Island photography credited to Visit Northumberland.

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55.6808N 1.8009W HOLY ISLAND OF LINDISFARNE

St Cuthbert’s story began in 685, when the king requested that he become the Bishop of Lindisfarne. Within two years he had predicted his own death and died shortly after in 687. In 698, his body was exhumed and moved to a wooden coffin, containing valuable relics. This was a declaration of Cuthbert’s sainthood. Cuthbert was laid to rest for a final time in Durham in 995, almost 300 years after he passed away. The disturbance of his remains multiple times after his death means that there is no surprise that his spirit is still seen today, being unable to rest in peace. He is seen walking along the shore of Holy Island, as well as on another island named St Cuthbert’s. Having his resting place disturbed for 300 years after his passing, he possibly returned to one of the places he felt the most comfortable, The Farnes. There is a causeway between two Farne Islands, where it is quite common to witness monks walking across, again these spirits possibly returned to the location they felt the most at home.

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55.4156N 1.7059W ALNWICK CASTLE

Alnwick castle, originally built in Norman times, around 1096 has a colourful history. The current castle that stands was renovated in or around the 12th century according to historical and archaeological evidence. The current layout of the castle has remained relatively unchanged since the 12th century. Fast forward to the late 13th century where a hermit lived in a run-down shack next door to the castle. His erratic behaviour led locals to believe he was unstable.

Alnwick Castle photographs credited to the official Alnwick Castle website.

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Suddenly he vanished from the local area and farm workers identified the smell of death coming from his shack, it was the hermit and he was surrounded by animal corpses. Rigor Mortis had begun to set in upon his discovery so he was crushed and manhandled into his coffin. Less than a week after his burial a church worker tripped over something in the cemetery‌ the hermit’s empty coffin, his body was found half a mile away without any valid explanations. A pile of rocks was placed on the coffin upon reburial. This was supposed to stop him from rising from the dead again.

The rumour was that the hermit rose from the grave, there were also a number of unexplained events, such as the feeling of being chased. There has also been reports of locals witnessing a shadow figure entering the shack; maybe the hermit returning home. There has also been some grisly unexplained deaths from slashed throats, as well as children going missing. All of these unexplained occurrences have been blamed on the hermit. Eventually the church agreed to have the hermit exhumed, upon examination he appeared to show no sign of decay and his hair had continued to grow. His fingernails had grown into claws. Town locals feared an evil creature would attack their children so farmers slashed the body, burned the coffin and threw the remains into the River Aln. Present day reports include women experiencing the feeling of being grabbed by unseen hands, as well as locals experiencing severe nausea after encountering the smell of death without any natural explanations. The unexplained happenings have been attributed to the unrested spirit of the hermit, out for revenge against those who disrespected him in life and in death.

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55.4146N 1.7075W THE DIRTY BOTTLES CURSE

Constructed in the 1600’s as a pub and originally called ‘Ye Olde Cross’, The Dirty Bottles adopted the name from the ‘Dirty Bottles Curse’. Legend has it that in the 1700s, one of the former owners dropped dead from unknown causes after moving the bottles that were sitting in the window of the pub. It was presumed that the bottles had been left there by the previous owner before him. Whether or not there was an existing curse on the bottles is unknown.

His widow then declared that anyone else who dares to touch the bottles would also meet the same fate as her husband. After this dramatic declaration, the bottles were sealed between the window and another pane of glass. This was to ensure no-one else would touch them, they have remained like this ever since, slowly growing more dusty, hence the nickname The Dirty Bottles. This is how the pub adopted its new name. The Dirty Bottles is still a traditional pub in Alnwick, with a few modern conveniences and with the bottles safely behind a pane of glass, patrons are safe in knowing there is no chance of knocking them over after a few too many pints. There is a small plaque that has been nailed to the side of the pub building informing visitors of the curse, just in case they did fancy trying their luck with the bottles!

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A pub that dates back to the 1600’s is likely to have some energy lingering. It may not even be the spirit of the stricken owner, patrons who loved the pub in life may still be visiting in death, considering there are reports of shadow figures and cold spots inside the pub when there is no one there and the heating is on. The structure is a Grade II listed building.

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BAMBURGH CASTLE AND BEACH The original castle was built in 547AD, the castle has the longest and bloodiest history in all of Northumberland. It was rebuilt in the 11th century, this is the castle (what is left of it) that we see today. Bamburgh castle has many paranormal reports, but is home to two famous ghosts, Green Jane (or the Green Lady) and the Pink Lady, with the colour of their dresses corresponding with their nicknames, their actual names and identities have sadly been lost to history.

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GREEN JANE AND HER BABY Green Jane’s story started in the 15th century. Jane was from a local impoverished family and was sent to the castle to beg for food. The castle guards invited her in, before taking advantage of her, abusing her and refusing to let her any further. Once they had finished they pushed her out and denied re-entry. Stories vary but she was either pushed by the guards or was so weak she fell down the stairs of the castle to her death.

She was also carrying a baby in her arms and tragically they also passed away in the fall.

Causes of her death are still unknown, however it could be assumed the combination of malnourishment and abuse certainly contributed. Present day sightings include Jane being seen wearing a green gown in the castle grounds, she is seen to descend the stairs before falling, with an audible scream being heard, visitors rush to her aid but there is never any sign of her or the bundle she is carrying. Green Jane’s ghost could be residual energy due to the fact that she died tragically and that event has been imprinted in the castle walls. Her spirit may not be at rest because of the way her life ended, she may still be trying to beg for food, not knowing she has passed on into the next life.

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THE PINK LADY The Pink Lady was a young lady who lived during the 8th century and was romantically involved with a young sailor at the time. The king, her father, did not approve of their relationship and so he sent the sailor overseas and banned him from returning to the castle for 10 years. The king, desperate for his daughter to move on, told his daughter that the sailor had met someone and married them instead of her. Understandably she was devastated.

Devastated to the point of suicide. In hope of cheering her up, the king arranged for their seamstress to make her a new dress in her favourite colour, pink. He gifted this dress to his daughter and she put it on, informing her father she was going for a walk, the reality was she walked out to the castle battlements and jumped to her death. Several years later the sailor, who wasn’t married and never had been married returned, looking for his princess. By this point it was too late and she had already passed away.

The Pink Lady is seen in older parts of the castle, as well as on Bamburgh Beach, waiting for her lover to return. She is a typical example of an unrested soul, heartbroken and looking for peace in the afterlife. One can only hope they have been reunited on the other side. Bamburgh Beach is a sight of paranormal activity in itself, archaeologists discovered a burial ground in the sand dunes dating back over 1500 years. It is therefore likely that the disturbance of these graves has led to unrested spirits. These unrested spirits have been seen moving through the dunes in the form of black shadows. At Bamburgh Lighthouse a single female voice is heard singing in a strange tongue. Little is known about the source of this activity, however there is a possibility it could be attributed to the Pink Lady.

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BERWICK’S MASSACRE OF 1296 The Berwick massacre occurred on 30th March 1296, and King John Balliol made his intentions clear to King Edward I. These intentions were to invade the Scottish Borders via Berwick. Edward decided to make an example of Berwick.

This was after an unsuccessful attack on Carlisle. Edward had English troops hack a group of farmers to pieces before arriving in the town centre shortly after dawn. Soldiers raided houses and killed everyone they found in a highly ruthless and unforgiving nature, these violent and tragic murders have left a permanent bloody mark on the town. The total number of massacre victims was slightly under 8000 in the two days English troops raided Berwick.

Edward declared a victory on England’s behalf, however the horror that unfolded on that spring day can be hard to comprehend.

Present day reports include sounds of screaming, particularly at dawn. This could maybe be the residual energy of that fateful day imprinted on the landscape. Other sounds of marching and clanking of armour can also be heard. Do the spirits of the English troops feel any sort of remorse for what they did? Probably not, they may still be carrying out their duties in the afterlife.

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55.7702N 2.0054W Artist rendition of the Berwick Massacre is sourced from Northumberland Archives.

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Generic vampire portrayals sourced from Google Images.

VAMPIRES IN NORTHUMBERLAND The first vampire of Berwick, Northumberland, was derived from an event that occurred in the 12th century.

A wealthy merchant, seen as an all-round good man, was victim of the plague. After his death there were rumours that he had links to the devil and occult, to note these are rumours, there has been no proven evidence of these practices. After his burial, a local child went missing, whether it coincided with his death or not, the superstitious towns people had his body exhumed and moved to an unmarked grave, believing him to be a vampire. This only made things worse, whether this was from the alleged vampire or the merchant’s unrested spirit is unknown. The events that followed included locals turning up dead, with their throats very crudely bitten out, this only made locals who were still alive more concerned for the town’s welfare.

A meeting was called and it was agreed that the only solution was to destroy the merchant’s remains. Two men dug up the corpse, which showed no signs of decomposition, hacked it up and the body parts were thrown into a fire. The first Berwick vampire was swiftly reduced to ash. But what if the first vampire wasn’t a vampire after all, but a vengeful spirit, annoyed his resting place was disturbed. Anyone who had their grave disturbed and their remains disrespected like that has every right to be annoyed in the afterlife.

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Berwick’s second vampire emerged in the early 1900s and Betty Hough was the first known victim. She was engaged to a man by the name of Colin McFadden, Colin saved any money he earned so he could give Betty the wedding of her dreams. Every weekend, they met at the local pub and on this night Betty excused herself to use the outdoor bathroom. Colin became concerned when Betty did not return after ten minutes so he broke down the bathroom door with his shoulder only to discover Betty dead with a neck wound. News spread with mass hysteria believing there was another vampire in Berwick. Understandably, Colin was devastated and made a promise to Betty that he would bring her killer to justice.

After this event, farm animals were being mysteriously killed, their bodies drained of blood.

There was a witness of a poorly dressed man, well over 6 feet in height attacking a young girl with fang-like teeth. Police officers witnessed the incident and attempted to restrain him until the man bit one of their throats and made his escape. This led locals to a makeshift camp in the woods, where animals, appearing to be drained of their blood were scattered in the vicinity. There was a hole, where a brave local felt down and located a foot. This was enough for Colin to go in for the kill, hacking this man or ‘vampire’ to death with a shovel, throwing the remains into a fire. There were no more reports of women being attacked after this incident.

Colin either was the 1900’s version of a vampire slayer or he ended a very twisted string of murders conducted by a very twisted individual.

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55.4894N 1.5950W DUNSTANBURGH CASTLE

The ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle are situated high up on the clifftops between the villages of Craster and Embleton, Dunstanburgh Castle used to be the largest castle in England. The castle was built in 1313 by Thomas Plantagenet, Second Earl of Lancaster. Throughout the 900 years of its history, little remains of the original structure due to relentlessly being attacked by cannonballs. Some of its inhabitant’s spirits have never truly left, despite their bodies leaving this physical world many years ago.

Photographs of Dunstanburgh Castle credited to English Heritage and Visit Northumberland.

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Thomas Plantagenet fell out of favour with King Edward II in 1322, not long after he built the castle. He was eventually executed for treason. The executioner also ultimately fell out of favour with the king as well, due to the fact that it took eleven attempts to decapitate Thomas.

Thomas is seen wandering the castle to this day. The horrifying aspect to this apparition is that his ghost is headless, with his head neatly tucked under his arm. His expression is that of horror and pain, most likely the last expression he ever had before his decapitation.

Another notable ghostly resident is of Sir Guy the Seeker. Sir Guy is the spirit of a knight who stumbled upon the castle one stormy night while looking for the Holy Grail. Desperate for shelter, Sir Guy entered the castle and was greeted by a warlock. The warlock warned Sir Guy that there was a princess within the castle in need of rescue. Guy, unscathed by this encounter, wanted to find and rescue his princess.

Upon entry to the castle he found himself surrounded by an ‘army of the dead’. At least a hundred knights with hollowed skeletal faces. Lying on the ground before him was his princess, paralysed with fear. Two of the skeletal knights approached Guy, holding the Horn of Merlin. The horn was stolen from Merlin by the evil wizard Mordred. They were also holding a magical two handed sword, which legend says was sent down from heaven. The warlock instructed Guy to choose one weapon. Against all of his instincts to fight the skeletal knights, he chose the Horn of Merlin. Before he knew it he was banished to the outside of the castle for the rest of eternity. His ghost will forever wander the outside of the castle searching for his princess and trying to find a way to rescue her. His pained cries can often be heard in the middle of the night, as well as female whimpering, presumably the princess who was captured and presumably killed by the army of the dead.

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55.5259N 1.9038W CHILLINGHAM CASTLE

Chillingham Castle is a medieval stronghold, located in North Northumberland. Construction started in the 12th century and it was inhabited by the Grey and Bennet family bloodlines from the 1500s until the 1980s. Throughout the castle’s history, it has been a monastery, religious house, army barracks during the second world war, as well as a stronghold, which was the original purpose it was built for.

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Chillingham Cattle photographed on behalf of Sir Humphrey Wakefield, Owner of Chillingham Castle.

CHILLINGHAM CASTLE’S CATTLE The wild cattle are also known as fairy cattle, due to Celtic folklore of white animals with red ears having links to the supernatural (not cows with fairy wings as was previously presumed).

If anyone tried to harm the cattle, the fairies or supernatural elementals would intervene. A famous report was in 1967, where a young boy on a school trip tried to chase some cattle.

Unseen forces grabbed his foot and he fell breaking his ankle, but at least the cows were unscathed after this event. The moral of that story is that nature is powerful, not something to be messed with.

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JOHN SAGE During the border wars, Sage was the head torturer, he was a brutal man and absolutely despised the Scots. His preferred torture methods included a boiling pot, gadgets for gouging out eyeballs and a barrel filled with spikes, which a prisoner was rolled in and the spikes ripped off their flesh while they were still very much alive. John Sage tortured as many as 50 people a week for 3 years in the walls of Chillingham Castle. Many of these people died as a result of his hand. There is no wonder the torture chamber is notorious for being haunted.

Sage’s torture rack ended up being his undoing. Despite his questionable career choice he had a girlfriend by the name of Elizabeth Charlton. Elizabeth must’ve enjoyed that kind of dangerous relationship because during a love making session, she was accidently strangled to death. Elizabeth was the daughter of the leader of the Charlton’s and he wanted John Sage dead. Sage was called to be hung from a tree on the drive leading up to the castle, known as the Devil’s Walk. A fitting name, considering the amount of torture and bloodshed that occurred there. After Sage was well and truly dead, he was cut down, dismembered and mutilated.

There are present day reports of his ghost being seen on the Devil’s Walk, as well as hearing dragging sounds. Knowing John Sage, it was probably him dragging a corpse he has tortured in the afterlife or one of his mutilated body parts. Either way, John Sage’s ghost is very much active in the castle, whether he is trapped there or chooses to stay there, it is unknown.

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THE RADIANT BOY IN THE PINK ROOM Despite his name the Blue Boy haunts the Pink Room, there are sightings of a little boy wearing blue, radiating a blue light as well as the sounds of a crying child which can be heard in the present day. In the 1920’s the body of a young boy was discovered in the walls, there are theories that he was buried alive. These theories came about due to the fact that his fingernails and finger bones were completely worn away, seemingly as if he was attempting to claw his way out. There were a few scraps of blue cloth around his remains, it is assumed that these were once his clothes. His spirit is likely trapped in the place he died, unaware he is no longer in the physical realm, still trying to attract some attention to get him out of his makeshift prison cell.

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55.2314N 1.3644W THE SCHOONER HOTEL, ALNMOUTH

The Schooner Hotel has been home to murder, suicide and massacre in its 400-year-old history. In the 17th century, Alnmouth was thriving as a trading post, and The Schooner was a very popular place for smugglers to spend the night. At least 60 different spirits are said to haunt the Schooner, it would also not be surprising if the dark history attracted more sinister entities or elementals. General spirits of unknown origin that are reported throughout the hotel include a man in military uniform staring at people while they sleep. It is also reported that the ghost of a maid has been seen in the corridors and stairwells of the hotel. Clearly she just loved her job so much she wishes to continue keeping up with her duties in the afterlife. Despite there being spirits of unknown origins, some notable spirits have their own stories.

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ROOM 4 There has been an unsolved murder, where the killer choked a man to death as he slept, little else is known about the crime. The residual energy of this horrific crime is still present, with guests reporting the sounds of gasping and choking. The spirit of the killer is also reported in the room when guests sleep, phantom hands are felt around their throat. Is the killer lingering at the scene of the crime to ensure that the murder remains unsolved?

PARSON SMYTH Smyth was given a cask of ale as a gift, he wished to try a taste of the ale and therefore attempted to connect a tap to the cask to let the ale out into a glass. The tap flew off as he was trying to connect it, striking him on the head and killing him instantly. It is reported that if anyone tries to use the tap it’ll produce Smyth’s blood. This is more of a legend than a reported spirit, but maybe his spirit is still guarding his cask of ale.

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LIZZIE’S GHOST On a stormy night a mother was waiting for her sailor husband to return from work. She was waiting in the bar with her sleeping daughter on her lap. A local man burst through the door, informing her that her husband was killed at sea and drowned, understandably shocking this poor woman. Due to the shock, she fainted and in the fall her daughter, Lizzie, fell from her lap into the fire. Sadly, she died in minutes. Lizzie haunts the bar and is seen dancing around the tables before approaching the fireplace and disappearing. Chances are that Lizzie is not aware she has passed on because her death was so sudden, so her conscious soul resides in the place she used to frequent. She is seen dancing around the bar between the tables and is felt brushing past patrons.

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THE DE VERE FAMILY MURDER Originally from France on a visit, they were booked into room 28, as they were entering their room a gypsy sneaked up behind them, hitting them on their heads with a heavy object. This disabled them enough for the gypsy to murder them by slitting their throats and taking all of their valuables in the process. Their corpses were removed through the smuggler’s tunnel, where they were taken out to sea and thrown overboard. This tragic event in itself is enough to attract some undesirable spirits, it is unclear whether the family’s spirits are still there or if they are simply masked by a darker entity.

Rooms 28, 29 and 30 are home to dark shadows that are regularly seen. Could these shadows be the murdered family warning guests or are they wanting attention for their story to be told and their murderer brought to justice in the afterlife? In these rooms guests also report nausea and dizziness, which subside as soon as they leave the room, possible residual feelings the victims felt as they were approaching the end of their lives. Whispering and screaming is heard, it is never clear what is being said, and could well be the residual energy left over from that tragic event.

Drops in temperature and ‘cold spots’ are reported. Cold spots in the paranormal world can be interpreted as a spirit manifestation, where the spirits draw energy out of the atmosphere in order to manifest in this realm. Occasionally guests get locked in their rooms when the doors unexplainably lock and freeze up, making it impossible to open. Has the murdered family been trying to keep guests safe out of fear of history repeating itself? Despite it being a terrifying experience, has this incident come from a good heart in the afterlife? In room 30, a dark figure has been seen on numerous occasions. The theory is it is a spirit of a suicide victim, although little is known about this person. Perhaps the dark history of the hotel attracts people to do the unthinkable. Maybe the unrested souls within the hotel attract otherworldly forces that possess people who let their mental guard down. Either way, over 400 years of death, despair and suicide has definitely left its mark on the location, leaving it forever tainted with bloodshed.

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WOODHORN CHURCH Woodhorn Church is the oldest church in Northumberland and the graveyard adjacent contains over 400 marked graves and reportedly thousands of unmarked graves. The earliest legible graves date back to 1717, where siblings Joseph and Sarah Annat (aged 4 and 1) died within days of each other. Many of the graves are those of miners killed in the Woodhorn Mine, as well as local mines in Ashington, with Ashington being a major mining location. As well as sailors who met their fate in the North Sea, World War 1 soldiers are also buried in this graveyard. The tragic and sudden deaths attached to the individuals are a recipe for paranormal activity, so it is no surprise the church and churchyard are home to some notable spirits.

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Images credited to the Northumberland Archives.

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Images credited to the Northumberland Archives.

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THE PADDLER The paddler is a phantom cyclist; his actual identity and origin is unknown, this does not make him any less terrifying. He is witnessed wearing old miner’s clothes and heavy boots, not the typical cyclist attire. The mining attire may be a manifestation from one of the mining disasters in Ashington. The bone chilling aspect is his face is completely skeletal with chunks of decaying skin and teeth rattling around in his skull. If one doesn’t see him his rusty bike wheels are heard. Could he be a manifestation of an otherworldly entity that has drawn the energy from the mining tragedies in the area, creating the visual representation of The Paddler? The concentrated pool of deaths in Ashington and the thousands of unmarked graves (and unrested souls) is a recipe for unexplained phenomena to manifest in the form of an entity. Mining disasters often resulted in men being buried alive, further emphasising the amount of unrested souls.

TOM CHALKLEY Tom was a soldier in World War 1 and was killed in action. A local man named George, and also a Chalkley family friend, saw him walking through the church yard, thinking he was still fighting overseas he alerted Tom’s cousin. George was told that the Chalkley family received a telegram that Tom passed away that day while in action. His spirit is still seen in the church yard in the vicinity of where he is buried. He may have returned to Ashington as an intelligent spirit to make sure peace is resumed and his family are safe.

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NEWCASTLE’S DARK SIDE BODY SNATCHING Located on Collingwood Street and built in the 1800s, the Turf Hotel was originally a coaching inn. Packages would arrive before being forwarded to countrywide dispatchers. In 1825, staff identified a pungent stench coming from one of the larger packages. Upon further examination the body of a young female was discovered. However, with no ID or apparent cause of death, she was given a pauper’s burial. Staff were now understandably very suspicious of any package over 4 feet long.

In 1826, a large package arrived at the coaching inn from Leeds, concerned staff had their suspicions and informed the police. Upon arrival, the police opened the box to discover the body of a middle aged man inside. It was suspected his body was going to be transported to a medical school, considering stealing corpses and selling them to schools in Edinburgh and London was prevalent and a profitable business at the time. Staff were becoming increasingly tired of having to store suspicious packages with odd smells so attempted to halt the passing of bodies. This was in a way successful until 1828, where a Scot by the name of James Aitcheson brought a box containing another corpse from York. Despite him being adamant that he had no idea of the contents of the box, it is suspected that he was on his way to Edinburgh, more specifically an illegal medical school. He did, however manage to convince police that he did not know about the corpse, despite the circumstances, and probably the smell.

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THE WITCH TRIALS

In the 17th century a fear of the Catholic religion supposedly brought on an obsession with finding witches in a bid to remove evil from the city.

On 26th March 1649 a witchfinder was summoned by magistrates to identify and capture women who were deemed witches.

This witchfinder was paid 20 shillings for every convicted witch. Even though it is unlikely any of these women were witches, the financial incentive was enough to start the accusations.

The accused women were stripped and their bodies examined for blemishes or marks. Any blemish or scar was enough to prove one was guilty of witchcraft, with the witchfinder taking the opportunity to assault or violate the women. These women were likely pulled from their homes, accused of unspeakable crimes and died a slow and torturous death. 14 of the accused witches were hanged on the Town Moor, completely unable to defend themselves. The accused were buried in St Andrew’s churchyard on Newgate Street in unmarked graves, records state there are 15 unmarked graves. It is unclear who resides in the final grave, however it is suspected that one wizard was executed under the same accusations. It is unbelievable what an individual will do to earn a bit of extra money.

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The Tyne Theatre on Westgate Road was originally opened in 1867 and has a colourful history of performances and unfortunate tragedy, which resulted in the death of an employee. A sense of sadness has forever been imprinted on the location.

Images credited to Newcastle Archives.

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54.9705N 1.6210W TYNE THEATRE AND OPERA HOUSE An employee, employed as an actor, named Robert was killed by a falling cannonball, which in those days was used for special effects. Tragically the special effect went wrong, when it fell from its pulley onto him and it crushed his skull. He instantly died from his head injury. Due to his death being sudden and unexpected, his spirit is restless, maybe he isn’t even aware he has passed on. He has been seen wandering around the stage area, where he left this physical world. There is a possibility that Robert is still carrying out his duty as an employee, making sure the stage is set for another performance and checking all actors are ready to perform. He also has a favourite seat, where he can be seen watching the stage from time to time. There is no specific pattern to his presence as he has been seen when the theatre has been empty.

Although he doesn’t always present himself as an apparition, there is often a sense of sadness in the air, possibly the residual energy from that tragic event. Maybe this is Robert’s way of projecting his last conscious emotions onto visitors, his way of communicating to the public.

His story is very similar to that of the Grey Lady who fell to her death in the Theatre Royal on Grey Street.

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54.9707N 1.6133W THE BLACK BOY INN, GROAT MARKET Originally built in the early 18th Century, on the site of a former Blacksmiths, The Black Boy is a three story building, now a contemporary pub, known as The Blackie Boy. The entity is said to reside on the second floor. The origin of the activity is unknown, given the long history of the location, it is unsurprising that there is an element of paranormal activity. The Black Boy Inn is one of the oldest public houses in Newcastle. The sounds of screaming and disembodied voices demanding employees to ‘get out’ are heard, in particular, an employee conducting maintenance in the ladies toilet heard a female ordering her to ‘get out’. The voice was coming from an apparently empty cubicle. Another incident happened to a young artist. Whilst the pub was being refurbished, she was focussed on painting artifacts for the bar when a presence was felt behind her. It was then when she could feel cold breath on her neck. Frozen on the spot, she knew this was a man’s presence, possibly a patron. Within this pub, there is also a lot of poltergeist energy, Poltergeist is the German translation of ‘noisy ghost’, where doors open and close. Employees are reluctant to talk about the activity, so there could definitely be more undocumented events. The reluctance to talk about the unexplained could stem from the fear of the loss of revenue if patrons are scared to visit, however, some individuals just do not want to acknowledge the activity in the hopes that it will disappear.

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The haunted pub with the slightly racist name.

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54.9721N 1.6153W THE NUN OF ST BARTHOLOMEWS

The Grainger Market was originally opened in 1835 as a vegetable and meat market. The market itself is over 180 years old and has its own history, as well as the stories of monks and nuns. The combined history and trapped energy may lead to an increase in paranormal activity.

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The Benedictine nunnery was founded in 1135 and was the oldest religious house in Newcastle.

The plot where it once stood is now occupied by the Grainger Market, a huge indoor market in the city centre. The Bartholomew nuns were joined by the Greyfriars monastery shortly after the nunnery was founded. The land where the Tyneside Cinema sits on Pilgrim Street was once owned by the Greyfriars monks. Folklore states that the nunnery, the Greyfriars and the Blackfriars monasteries were linked by underground tunnels, despite there being no records of this. During Medieval times a Blackfriars monk fell in love with a nun from the nunnery. Their affair was discovered when she fell pregnant. As punishment for the affair, she was walled up alive and died a horrible, slow and painful death in the area now named Nun’s Lane. Her restless spirit is said to haunt the Nun Street alley next to the Grainger Market. There has also been poltergeist, or ‘noisy ghost’ activity reported in the Tyneside Cinema. Cinema seats are reported to fold and unfold by themselves, as if someone is sitting in them. A robed, shadowy figure is seen, possibly the monk looking for his lover. When people see the monk like figure a general feeling of unease is felt. Is this figure the residual figure of the monk who impregnated the nun? Or is he deeply unimpressed that his monastery is now a commercialised cinema? Maybe he is looking for his lover in the afterlife to carry on their affair.

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54.9683N 1.6111W THE SAILOR AT THE COOPERAGE

Since closing down as a pub in 2009, The Cooperage still stands as one of Newcastle’s iconic Quayside buildings. As of 2019, there have been proposals to restore the former pub to it’s original glory. The Cooperage is Newcastle’s oldest pub, dating back to the 1300s, it is no surprise that it is home to some paranormal activity. Despite standing derelict of the living since 2009, the building is still active with spirits.

Image credited to the Evening Chronicle.

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The most notable ghost is that of a sailor, whose ship docked on the Quayside, sadly that was his last trip. He went into the pub for some much needed respite, but instead of receiving friendly service, he was assaulted, robbed and nailed to the pub’s side door, he died slowly and painfully on that door. Allegedly the door remains on the building and the nail holes can still be seen today, still tainted with the bloodshed. It is understandable that his spirit is not at rest and he is seen both inside the pub and outside the pub, where his life tragically ended. If someone passes away in a violent manner, they probably will have a lot of unfinished business and wish to seek revenge on the place that wronged them before they move onto a better place.

In the 1970s, a cleaner went to clean the function room and felt a presence. Shortly after this the cleaner ran out, and was never seen working there again, presumably they quit their job. General poltergeist activity is also attributed to the spirit of this sailor, who likes to turn lights on and off and throw glasses. These occurrences are often reported with an unsettling presence, again, this could be attributed to the sailor’s spirit or another entity. With a history spanning over 700 years there is no wonder that some patrons did not want to leave, some may have even called The Cooperage their home away from home.

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54.9698N 1.6046W THE QUAYSIDE SILKY OF TRINITY HOUSE Martha Wilson was a seaman’s widow and lived in an alms house room near Trinity House, she was known to be a little unstable mentally and this only got worse when her husband died at sea. In the 1800’s not a lot was known about the complexities of mental health. In 1817 she told her neighbour she was going out to buy tobacco and that was the last time she was seen alive. The following week she was found hanging from a beam in her room, her prayer book lay open on her bed.

Suicide was a very taboo topic back in the 1800s and victims were denied a proper burial on religious grounds, such as in a churchyard. She was buried in a pauper’s unmarked grave at night at a cross roads leading from the new bridge. She was the last suicide victim to be buried this way… probably because it is massively disrespectful and there is absolutely no way her spirit can rest in peace without a respectful burial. She was at unrest in life and deserves to have a proper burial after passing away, hopefully reuniting with her husband on the other side.

50 years later her body was unearthed during construction, it is reported that her bones were found with a stake driven through her ribcage, implying that the locals who buried her thought she was of the supernatural realm. Any intention to prevent Martha’s spirit from rising from the dead has failed because she is reported to haunt Broad Chare. A Chare is an alley leading from Newcastle Quayside to the city centre. Broad Chare is the largest of these Chares.

Her dress is heard rustling and her giggle is heard. A headless lady has been seen by men in the area.

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It is no real surprise that her spirit is not at rest because of her tragic death, followed by an improper burial and then her pathetic excuse of a grave was disturbed. We can now only hope she has found some element of peace or at least an element of enjoyment by scaring men.

She has been nicknamed the Quayside Silky or the Weary Widow by locals. Hopefully Martha has been reunited with her husband in the afterlife and only visits the physical world to scare men. Her spirit is still very much felt around Trinity House. She mainly manifests to men and rarely to women. Did she feel wronged by the men in her life and is out for revenge? Or is she a confused spirit and manifests for people who remind her of her late husband?

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54.9742N 1.6144W THE MURDER ON BLACKETT STREET Mark Frater of Gosforth established an omnibus service in Newcastle in 1857, this service predates the tram service and metro service, which started operations in 1980. The omnibus service ran from Gosforth to Greys Monument in the centre of Newcastle.

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He also worked several jobs, one of these was a tax collector, where he worked on Blackett Street at number 2. Blackett Street is now home to a large Waterstones book shop. George Clark, the man responsible for ending Mark’s life resided in a squalid house in St Nicholas’ churchyard, with his dog. In the 1800s, if one wanted to own a dog, one had to pay tax for owning the animal, this is something George did not want to do, and it was Mark’s job to get the unpaid tax. So unsurprisingly George did not pay the tax and Mark headed back to his office to carry on with his business. This was when George grabbed him from behind and stabbed him in the neck, twisting the blade to ensure a slow and painful death and most likely paralysis from the wound. Miraculously, he survived for ten minutes, in those ten minutes he crawled to his office, where he died. During the murder trial it was discovered that George Clark had previously been convicted of assault, despite showing absolutely no remorse for his crime, he claimed that the stress of debt and unpaid taxes drove him to kill.

He also accused Mark Frater of bringing the murder upon himself because he believed Mark was the reason for his demise, in the sense that Mark was the one to cause financial issues for him. Either way he owed tax money and Mark was the unfortunate individual to have to collect the goods. It was a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. George Clark claimed stress led to insanity and insanity drove him to kill. This was in an effort to avoid the death penalty. Instead of prison time George was sent to Broadmoor in West London, one of the UK’s highest security psychiatric hospitals, where he lived the rest of his life and was considered one of the most dangerous inmates. He avoided the death penalty, but he did get a lifetime sentence to a psychiatric hospital and in those days mental health treatment was not the same as it is today.

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54.9727N 1.6123W THE THEATRE ROYAL, GREY STREET

The Theatre Royal is a Grade II listed building, the original theatre was opened in 1788 on Mosely Street. This location obscured the theatre’s current location. The theatre was a part of Newcastle City Centre’s regeneration project during the industrial revolution. The original theatre’s demise was also accelerated by the fire of 1823, in which there were multiple fatalities. The original theatre’s final performance was in June 1836, soon afterwards it was demolished. The theatre we see today was opened in 1837, on Grey Street. It is thought that some of the energy that once inhabited the original Theatre Royal now resides in the theatre on Grey Street.

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THE GREY LADY In the 1800s, a theatre regular used to visit and watch the performances from her favourite gallery seat. After the show she would go to the back door and meet the performers, this was nothing new, however one night she caught the eye of the leading man in one of the productions. He started to give her increasing amounts of attention and very quickly she became infatuated with him. As the last night of the play approached, the man promised his new lover that they would elope after the production was wrapped up. Before the last show, she wished him good luck and promised she would wait for him afterwards. The manipulative young man proceeded to laugh in her face and told her it was an elaborate trick and he didn’t want to elope or even be with her.

In disbelief she went to watch her so- called lover for the final time from her usual gallery seat, she was leaning over the balcony and, possibly due to the overwhelming grief, she overbalanced and fell to her death. Some sources say she jumped, and others say she was pushed.

But either way she passed away a sad young lady, way before her time to go was due.

There are archives from the 1800s showing that the gallery boxes were closed for a period of time because someone fell from them. It is assumed that the individual that fell is the Grey Lady. Her lost soul is seen in all parts of the theatre and poltergeist activity is also blamed on her. Ultimately she is a sad spirit, who died before her time and she probably wants people to know her story and what happened to her. The idea that she is not at rest because a man broke her heart is awful to think about and one can only hope that she finds peace and love in the afterlife.

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THE TRAGEDY OF 1823 The Theatre Royal was at that time situated on Mosley Street. The performance had barely begun on February 19, 1823, when gas escaping from a pipe ignited in the auditorium. The fire was extinguished almost immediately, but it was too late, the audience panicked and instinctively rushed for the stairs to escape. A cashier had managed to open one barrier but was thrown down the stairs by the sheer weight and pressure of screaming people before he could open the other. Some fell and were trampled to death while others were crushed and suffocated. In total, seven people lost their lives in the tragedy and many more suffered severe injuries. The dead were mainly young people – Isabella Parkinson, aged 11, Mary Johnson (16), Dorothy Heaton (17) and Thomas Handyside who was 20. Mary Robson died in the arms of her husband Riddell, himself badly injured. An event like that would undoubtedly leave some residual energy in the theatre to this day, whether the spirits know they have passed away or not, the energy left behind will leave residual activity, such as screams, shuffling noises and footsteps.

Images credited to Newcastle Archives and The Theatre Royal official website.

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54.9690N 1.6107W NEWCASTLE CASTLE KEEP

The castle keep is one of the first medieval castles in the UK to be opened to the public. The original castle gave Newcastle its name, the castle we see today was built on top of the ruins of the original and is a prominent reminder of the North East’s turbulent history, dating back to 1177. There has been a fortification on the site dating back 1800 years.

The original castle was home to an on-site cemetery and when it fell into ruin, the bodies were never exhumed. The "Black Gate" was added to Newcastle Castle between 1247 and 1250, forming an additional layer of protection for the castle. The castle is currently a grade I listed building, overlooking the River Tyne. In the 1800s, the Castle Garth and Black Gate became a community of slum housing, cobbler shops and taverns. Most of this was demolished in the 1840s to make way for the modern railway network, including the viaduct. This was how the medieval remains of the original castle was discovered. The Castle Keep and Black Gate opened to visitors in 2015 after years of structural renovation.

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THE POPPY GIRL One of the most notable ghosts, dubbed the Poppy Girl by locals, is the spirit of a girl who died while being imprisoned at the castle. She was reportedly a flower girl, who was imprisoned because she owed money. Whilst imprisoned, she was repeatedly raped and abused by guards and prisoners alike, eventually she ended up being beaten to death in the castle. She is often seen on the stairs of the castle. In the event that she doesn’t manifest fully, the smell of flowers is reported in the area. Her tragic and untimely death has meant that her energy has been imprinted on the castle walls, trapping her spirit in that location. The Castle Keep was used as a prison for the county of Northumberland from the 16th century to 1812. The remains of some of the prisoner’s chains are still attached to the walls.

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MONKS IN THE QUEEN’S CHAMBER The Queen’s chamber is a hotspot for paranormal activity, with footsteps being heard frequently and dark shadows have been seen. The Queen’s chamber was one of the more luxurious rooms in the castle, being a private bedroom with its own fireplace and toilet. It is thought that this activity is the spirits of monks who used to frequent the area, still carrying out their duties. In this room, visitors, particularly men, have also reported being touched by unseen hands. In rare cases, visitors have been pushed and assaulted by a vengeful spirit.

THE BLACK GATE The Black Gate is also a hub for supernatural activity, most reports have been of footsteps, mists and cold spots. There are one or two sightings of a mystery woman who stands on the balcony watching the people below. The history of this location is questionable, considering it was a rabbit warren of slum dwellings by the 1800s. The undocumented activity that occurred there may have been responsible for the unrested female spirit. The Black Gate reportedly got its name due to the legend that the drawbridge used to be raised while people were still on it, in effect killing them. ‘Black’ refers to the bloodshed that occurred. General activity, such as footsteps and shadow figures being seen may be a residual haunt, where the activity of an individual or a group of people gets imprinted into the walls and is repeated for eternity. It is referred to as the ‘stone tape’ theory in the paranormal world, where the walls act as a tape recorder.

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THE HOPPINGS ON THE TOWN MOOR Home to cattle grazing, concerts, horse racing and the Hoppings, the Town Moor has been a valuable asset to the city of Newcastle since the 13th century.

Images credited to the Newcastle Archives.

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54.9917N 1.624 W The Freemen of Newcastle still own rights to the land to this day (The Freemen Hospital, now known as Freeman Hospital, was also named after the Freemen). As well as recreational activities, the Town Moor has witnessed political rallies, including the fight for women to have the vote. As well as milestone moments, there have also been executions for public entertainment. Ultimately, this patch of grass, twice as big as Hyde Park in London, has witnessed many milestone moments in Newcastle’s history. Despite seeing women get the vote, there have been some tragedies as well. 1650 saw 15 women hung on the accusation they were witches. In 1786, Ralph Heron was helping a daredevil aeronaut to raise a balloon over the Town Moor, unfortunately during this stunt, he became entangled in the ropes and fell 200 feet to his death.

Images credited to the Newcastle Archives and The Evening Chronicle.

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The Hoppings, Europe’s largest travelling funfair is held on the Town Moor in the last week of June annually. This tradition started in 1882 and has been an annual event since. The origins come from Victorian era do-gooders preaching the benefits of being teetotal. The myth that locals believe is that the witches hung on the Town Moor put a curse on the land to always make it rain when the Hoppings are in town. This is dubbed the ‘Hoppings Rain’. There has also been reports that a witch used to frequent the Hoppings, telling fortunes in a traditional gypsy caravan. Maybe her spirit is still watching over the funfair, making it rain during the same week every year.

1911 saw another tragedy occur in Newcastle, this time it was a lightning strike. A young man setting up one of the carnival rides was struck and he died instantly on the Moor. Another event resulting in injuries occurred that year when a podium fell during the official opening and injured several members of staff. Even in the early days of the Hoppings, there were many mishaps surrounding setting up the fair and there was complete disregard for health and safety.

The residual energy left behind by the tragic events may also contribute to the ‘witches curse’.

The weather was so bad in 2013, that the Hoppings got cancelled, further supporting the idea that the Hoppings carries a curse with it. Paranormal activity could also be amplified by the high energy of the fair and the amount of people mingling on the Town Moor.

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55.0184N 1.4166W TYNEMOUTH PRIORY AND CASTLE

Tynemouth Castle and Priory are located on a rocky headland overlooking Tynemouth Pier. The moated castle towers, gatehouse and keep were combined with the Benedictine priory, where the first kings of Northumbria were buried in the 13th and 14th century. The modern day castle and priory sit in a state of ruin. There has been archaeological evidence discovered that the land the priory sits on has been occupied since the 7th century. During construction, Tynemouth Castle and Priory were notable for being some of the largest fortified areas in England.

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Tynemouth Castle and Priory is home to a spirit named Olaf. Olaf was a Viking who was originally part of a Viking raid on the castle, he was accepted into the castle by the monks and nursed back to full health under their care. He then joined their monastery, rather than going back to his Viking ways. As fate would have it, the Vikings launched another raid on the Castle, this time Olaf’s brother was one of the casualties. Olaf was so devastated by this event that during one of his prayer sessions he died in the chapel, apparently of a broken heart.

Olaf has been seen wandering the castle, looking out to sea on nice breezy days when the wind comes in off the water. He is seen manifesting as a grieving monk, still heartbroken over his brother’s death.

Images credited to English Heritage.

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54.7294N 1.8812W COUNTY DURHAM

Photographs of County Durham credited to Countryfile and The Northern Echo.

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County Durham, the bordering county to Tyne and Wear has the county town of Durham, which is a cathedral city and home to a prestigious university. Durham Castle and Cathedral are seen as UNESCO world heritage sites. Locations including Lumley Castle and The Ancient Unicorn Inn provide a balance of luxurious accommodation and good food, combined with supernatural elements.

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Images credited to The Evening Chronicle.

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54.8533N 1.5533W LUMLEY CASTLE, CHESTER-LE-STREET Lumley Castle is a 14th century castle, located in Chester-le-Street, County Durham. It is owned by the Earl of Scarborough and is a Grade I listed building. Sir Ralph Lumley, first Baron Lumley, was the original owner, when he decided to turn his manor house into a castle. At the time Ralph Lumley was married to his first wife Lily Lumley, this is where the story begins.

The tale says that his first wife Lily Lumley was thrown down a well on the castle grounds by two priests for rejecting the Catholic faith. The priests then told Baron Lumley that she had left him to become a nun. Unfortunately, the true identity of Lily Lumley has been lost to history, however a woman is frequently seen floating up from the well she was thrown down and is said to haunt all parts of the castle. She is assumed to be the unrested soul of Lily Lumley.

Ralph Lumley then went on to marry a woman by the name of Eleanor Neville, believing that Lily started a new life as a nun and seemingly unaware she was thrown down a well on the property. It is no surprise that her spirit is not at rest.

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THE ANCIENT UNICORN INN, BOWES

The Ancient Unicorn Inn has traced its history back to the 16th century, when it was used as a coaching inn. The Ancient Unicorn has been a stopping place for travellers traversing the Pennines and was a favourite stop for Charles Dickens. Some of the patrons of centuries past loved the place so much it is thought that they never left. The Ancient Unicorn Inn has retained its original features, such as exposed beams in the bar area.

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Images credited to Haunted Rooms.

Notable ghosts include those of ‘Edwin and Emma’. Their true identities were Roger Railton and Martha Wrightson and both of them came from families of Innkeepers. The Wrightsons owned the Kings Head (long since demolished) and the Railtons owned the George (now the Unicorn). The families had a long running feud, its origins stemming from business interests.

In 1713, Roger fell in love with Martha, as imagined their parents did not support this romance, which led them to meet in secret.

On Shrove Tuesday in 1713, Roger fell seriously ill with a fever and begged to see Martha. The Wrightsons eventually gave in and allowed Martha to visit. Roger died three days later from his illness and it was reported that Martha died soon after from a broken heart. The pair were buried in one grave, hopefully being reunited in the afterlife. This tragic occurrence was immortalised in 1750, with a publication titled Edwin and Emma. A poem titled ‘The Bowes Tragedy’ was also published around this time. Their spirits have been seen together in the churchyard, free to be in love with each other as it should have been all along.

Images credited to Haunted Rooms.

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DURHAM CASTLE Durham Castle, part of Durham Castle and Cathedral, is identified as a combined UNESCO world heritage site. Construction of the castle started in 1072, under the orders of William the Conqueror. In 1837, the castle was donated to Durham University, the university still owns the castle to this day. The original function of the castle was to defend the troublesome Scottish Border, while also providing defence against rebellious locals, which was common during the active years of William the Conqueror.

Durham University has occupied the castle since 1837 and during this time it has witnessed some tragic events. A student by the name of Fredrick Copeman, a maths student in the 1800s, was living in room 21, at the time this was one of the highest rooms in the castle. On results day he rushed to the Palace Green, where the graduating lists were, to search for his name with the rest of his classmates and to his horror his name was not on the list of students that had passed. After pacing his room for hours, he climbed up to one of the castle towers where he jumped to his death. The tragedy does not end there, however, because hours later it was found his name was covered by a piece of paper and it turned out he was graduating top of his class. His devastated spirit can still be seen and heard pacing around room 21, still suffering, still heartbroken. The occasional noise of sobbing is also reported in room 21 by modern day students.

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Images credited to Durham University.

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Any images that are not my own have been located and credited from online sources including: • • • • • • • •

The Evening Chronicle Newcastle Archives Northumberland Archives Visit England Visit Northumberland English Heritage The National Trust Visit North Tyneside

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