Most haunted: 13 of the spookiest spots in Surrey & SW London

Haunted Hotspots in Surrey and SW London

Surrey and South West London boast a rich history of eerie encounters and ghostly legends, with paranormal activity never too far away. Explore these spine-chilling locations and, if you’ve got the nerve, experience the supernatural for yourself...

• The Incident On The A3

  One of the most well-known hauntings in Surrey, the incident that occurred on the A3 near Burpham caused a media frenzy across the country.

  On Wednesday 11 December 2002, several motorists called the police to report that a car had veered off the A3. Dispatched officers found no sign of a newly crashed vehicle at the scene, but did discover the wreckage of a car, around 20 metres from the reported crash site. The car was buried amongst the undergrowth, nose-down in a ditch, invisible from the road.

  Found not far from the car itself was the skeleton of the driver. This car had not crashed that night but had crashed almost five months prior in July 2002.

  Motorists and paranormal investigators are now wondering if what was seen was a ghostly apparition of the original crash, replayed again perhaps in the hope the body would be recovered. 

• peter riding

  Haunted By The Wives

  Hampton Court Palace is one of the most well-known haunted places in Surrey. Once home to Henry VIII, it is known to be not just one of Surrey’s most haunted buildings, but also one of the most haunted in England.

  There are many different spirits who are reported to roam the palace, including two of Henry’s ill-fated Queens – Jane Seymour and Catherine Howard. Jane, Henry’s third wife, died from postnatal complications and is said to have been seen walking the grounds of the Clock Court.

  Other reports state that on the anniversary of the birth of her son, later crowned King Edward VI, Jane ascends the stairs leading to the Silver Stick Gallery, dressed in a white robe and carrying a candle. 

  Catherine Howard, Henry’s fifth wife who was accused of adultery and beheaded in 1542, has also been sighted many times in the palace. She is reported to have visited the palace’s Haunted Gallery, where she reportedly fled upon hearing the news of her upcoming fate.

  Several guests and staff have reported hearing her scream from the gallery, whilst on one evening in 1999 two female visitors fainted in the same spot in the same gallery where the screams of Catherine have been heard.

  On 21 December 2003, CCTV footage allegedly showed someone in 16th-century clothes and no face closing a fire door that, though locked, was constantly being opened without anyone near it.

  Think you would be brave enough to stay overnight? You can check out our own review of a spooky sleepover at Hampton Court Palace by clicking here.

• The Ancient Burial Ground

  Thorpe Park’s infamous ‘Fright Night’ became a reality in 2011 when a new ride had to be moved after fears that it had disturbed an ancient burial ground, prompting paranormal activity.

  Workers on the new water ride reported seeing a headless monk, whilst also witnessing objects being moved. Workers also reported feeling like someone was watching over their shoulders, as well as many experiencing sudden cold feelings.

  A paranormal detection agency was called in to carry out tests, which found that an ancient burial ground or settlement could have been disturbed.

  The 64ft-tall water ride, Storm Surge, was originally planned for an area known as Monk's Walk, an old footpath that has linked the ruins of nearby Chertsey Abbey to Thorpe Church since AD666. The ride's foundations would have been over 15 metres deep in an area of the park where stone coffins have previously been excavated.

• The Lord In Despair

  Betchworth Castle is home to a tragic and haunting tale, the remnants of which are reported to still stalk the castle grounds.

  It is rumoured that a prisoner who was being held captive in the fortified manor had managed to escape and Lord Hope, who owned the property at the time, had chased after him. After spotting a figure in the shadows and immediately stabbing him with his sword, it became apparent that he had killed his own son.

  The spirit that wanders the ground is not the boy but Lord Hope, reportedly wandering the grounds constantly wringing his hands in despair.

• The Woman In White

  Designed by famous architect Sir Gilbert Scott, the now-unused Pippbrook House in Dorking has been a hub of paranormal activity since the 1880s.

  Closed as Mole Valley's council offices in 2011, interest in the house has been revived after spooky stories of a woman in a long dress walking the corridors began to circulate. Other popular rumours include sightings of a butler who spends his nights watching out the window of the former library.

  Throughout the years others have reported ‘poltergeist-like activity’ inside, with knives being thrown downstairs, books being moved in the library and pens and pencils mysteriously piling up in the middle of the room.

• The Black Cat

  Situated on the outskirts of the sleepy town of Egham, Royal Holloway College has a decorated yet eerie past. Students often speak of the rumour that the college’s founder, medical vendor and philanthropist Thomas Holloway, stalks the Founder’s building in the form of a black cat.

  University folklore also points to the dangers of a painting which hangs in the university's picture gallery. Rumoured to be cursed, the painting is believed to cause students to fail their exams if seated near it - come exam time, the picture is famously covered with a Union Jack flag, fuelling rumours that a student was once so disturbed by what she saw she killed herself at her desk.

  The picture, 'Man Proposes, God Disposes', was painted by Sir Edwin Lanseer in 1864 and shows two polar bears mauling the remains of the Franklin expedition, a doomed British voyage of Arctic exploration - gruesome!

• The Grey Lady

  The New Wimbledon Theatre may be playing host to more than just theatrical performances, with patrons reporting on suspected paranormal sightings for decades.

  Stage door supervisor and paranormal investigator Marq English notes how he was once contacted by a lady who had come to see a show the night before with her sister, who was in a wheelchair. When the lights were going down in the first act, the lady’s sister, who was seated at the end of the row, looked over and saw a big, dark figure staring at her.

  Other visitors have also reported seeing a large black shape moving along the corridor towards the back of the auditorium that goes into the Stall's bar.

  Theatre-goers also speculate about sightings of the infamous ‘Grey Lady’, a mysterious spirit that is known to wander amongst the space between the stalls and the stage and turn on the theatre’s sprinkling system.

• The Duchess of Lauderdale

  The National Trust's Ham House was home to Elizabeth Murray, Duchess of Lauderdale, in the 17th Century, Elizabeth was under scrutiny after the sudden death of her husband and remarriage to recently widowed John Maitland, 1st Earl of Lauderdale.

  Suspected of his death in order to re-marry and climb the social ladder, Elizabeth eventually ran out of luck - financial problems came after the death of her second husband and she became seriously ill, forcing her to confine herself to a single ground-floor apartment.

  In this area, many visitors report a strange oppressive atmosphere in the room, whilst visitors report that pets seem reluctant to enter. There is also a large-looking glass dating from Elizabeth’s time that some people say they are too scared to glance into.

  So strong is the ominous presence that staff have been known to mutter, ‘Good afternoon your ladyship’ before entering, just to be on the safe side.

  Visitors have also noticed a woman dressed in black, believed to be Elizabeth, on the stairs nearby to the room, whilst the screams of a suicidal young nobleman who fell in love with – and was rejected by – a servant girl have also been heard at the property.

• The Man In The Pin-Striped Suit

  Built in 1756, soldiers and noblemen stayed at the residence as Charles Edward Stuart, pretender to the English throne, set up camp in Derby.

  Whilst some suspect the house, now the Georgian House Hotel, may be haunted by them, most rumours point towards the figure of a well-dressed man in a pin-striped suit.

  Believed to have once been a hotel guest, he is said to slam doors, cause items to fall from shelves and move items around.

  If you're keen to meet a ghost, rooms 10 and 12 have the highest level of paranormal activity and are where you should stay for the night!

• Paranormal Caves

  Reigate is home to a number of spooky supernatural sites, spanning from well-known Reigate Caves to churches and shops.

  In 2013, a group of paranormal investigators visited the town's historic caves in search of an otherworldly presence. Reporting on their experiences, they told of how the table they sat around suddenly tilted onto one leg before starting to spin.

  Throughout the rest of the evening, the team claimed hats were blown off, hands were moved and people were pushed to the floor by unexplained forces.

  St Mary's Church, Reigate is often said to be one of the most haunted places in the area, with visitors and locals often reporting hearing choir music drifting from the church  - even when it is empty and locked.

  Locals also suggest that it is common to see a girl dressed in a pinafore walking up the path through the graveyard before disappearing.

• Silent Pool

  The Silent Pool between Dorking and Guildford provides an idyllic stop-off between the towns, yet is believed to have a dark tale behind it.

  According to legend the pool, which is managed by Surrey Wildlife Trust, is haunted every midnight by the ghost of a woodcutter’s daughter who was driven to her death by King John, King of England between 1199 and 1216.

  It is alleged that the young maiden was swimming in the pool when she was approached by King John on horseback and, after being forced to retreat into the depths of the pool, she drowned.

  It is said that King John made no attempt to save her, but as he left a feather from his hat became stuck in a tree, incriminating him in the maiden's death.

• The Undead Army

  Haroldslea Drive in Horley is home to an unexpected haunting which sees an entire troop of soldiers marching through the area towards the castle.

  Reports suggest this paranormal event takes place every year on November 11, starting with a phantom bell that starts to toll at sundown and gradually increases in volume until midnight, when a small army of men pass through Haroldslea Drive and head for nearby Thunderfield Castle a medieval moated site of a manor house in Horley - believed to be a resting place King Harold’s men would have used while on their way to Hastings.

• The Old Landlord

  Located in Oakwood, The Punchbowl Inn is reportedly one of the most haunted pubs in Surrey! 

  Patrons and staff often report seeing an older man with a beard wandering throughout the pub. Believed to be the spirit of an old landlord, many of the barmaid's report being touched by unseen hands!

  There is also alleged to be a spectral dog who likes to lie by the pub fire on cold evenings. It has been reported as growling at anyone who approaches before vanishing into thin air. 

  The restaurant area has had multiple reports of a mysterious ‘grey lady’ dressed in a crinoline dress, whilst the kitchen door is known to frequently open with no aid so often that regular customers barely even bat an eyelid when it happens!

  Customers and staff also report jiggling door handles, creaking floorboards and heavy footsteps in an unoccupied upstairs room.