Haunted Dorset
From pubs with poltergeists to haunted historic ruins, Dorset has plenty of sights with supernatural stories. Here are 12 mysterious places to explore as we head into the spooky season. Illustration by Izzy Weds.
Knowlton Church
near Wimborne
A place of historic significance to pagan worshippers, these 12th century Norman church ruins are built on Neolithic earthwork where sacred stones stood for thousands of years. It is also a sight of numerous ghost reports, including spectral faces seen at the windows, a nun apparition spotted kneeling at the church, and a phantom horse rider galloping around in the dark of night.
The Boot Inn
Weymouth
The inn, parts of which date back to the 14th century, is believed to have several phantoms including the ghost of a man wearing a 1930s style pinstripe suit, a Victorian sailor in heavy sea boots and disembodied voices singing sea-shanties heard in the early hours of the morning. Pub-owners have claimed to experience severe drops in temperature and mysterious movement of pictures and furniture when opening up in the morning.
Bettiscombe Manor
West Dorset
Bettiscombe village was allegedly tormented by screams and paranormal activity when the Manor House slave-owner vowed to repatriate a dying man’s body to his Jamaican homeland, but instead buried him in the local cemetery of St Stephen’s Church. Village residents complained of horrific howling coming from the graveyard forcing the Manor House to take back the skeleton and store it in the building, where the skull has remained for centuries and become known as the ‘House of the Screaming Skull’.
Ye Olde George Inn
Christchurch
This ancient inn is said to experience rattling pint glasses, moving wine bottles and pictures leaping from the walls as well as sightings of a “grey lady” spector roaming the hallways. During routine repair work, a historic hiding place known as a “priest hole” (where dissenting priests would evade religious authorities) was uncovered. It had been blocked in by bricks, and contained skeletons and old clothing.
Corfe Castle
Isle of Purbeck
Built by William the Conqueror, Corfe Castle has a long settlement history and it would seem that some former occupiers of the castle have never moved on. Ghost sightings include reports of a headless woman, a weeping child, and most notoriously the spectre of Edward the Martyr, the Anglo-Saxon heir to the throne who was murdered in the Castle.
Highcliffe Castle
Christchurch
This Grade 1 listed castle, known for its Romantic style of architecture is also said to be haunted by the figure of a maid who tragically fell to her death from the castle’s great height. The castle’s staff have reported spooky occurrences involving lights and electrical equipment in the library, drawing paranormal investigators to scope out the site. The cliff top attraction also hosts exhibitions exploring the myths and magic of the building.
Nothe Fort
Weymouth
Known as one of the scariest places in the UK and heavily investigated for paranormal activity, the Victorian fort that once defended against the French invasion has since been repurposed as a nuclear bunker and a museum. With a war history and maze of underground passageways, there are claims of mysterious whistling, footsteps, whispers, and air raid sirens echoing past battles, as well as apparent sightings of ghosts pacing the terraces.
Athelhampton House
Dorchester
The 1485 Tudor Mansion has been featured on paranormal shows including Most Haunted due to its reputation as one of the most haunted houses in England. Resident poltergeists include the infamous Grey Lady reported to stalk the upper floors and bedrooms, a ghost monk who creeps up on staff, and a wine cooper who is heard tapping barrels at night. Stranger still are the rumours of a phantom ape said to roam the premises - apparently the spirit of a pet once kept by the estate-owners during the 16th century.
Tyneham village
Isle of Purbeck
This tiny village, mentioned in the Doomsday Book, has been uninhabited since 1943 when it was commandeered to train Allied troops during World War II, displacing around 250 residents. Paranormal investigators had stones thrown at them in the eerie, abandoned village and recorded screeching and disembodied voices, including a spirit identifying himself as ‘Warren’.
Durdle Door
South Dorset
The Jurassic Coast’s iconic and most photographed landmark has also been the subject of numerous paranormal sightings. Napoleon’s phantom is said to haunt the natural limestone arch, having been spotted studying a map on the shore. Sailors have also reported seeing spectre women dancing around the cove, who are believed to be the ghosts of maidservants that fled the 1929 fire at Lulworth Castle.
Maiden Castle
Dorchester
Maiden Castle is one of the largest Iron Age hill forts in Europe and a site that is around 4,000 years old. Archaeologists have found skeletons and evidence of a later Iron Age cemetery, where many of those buried appeared to have suffered horrific injuries, believed to be attributed to the Roman invasion. The site is also famous for all sorts of mysterious activity, from UFO sightings to the appearance of crop circles and poltergeists spotted in period clothing.
Hell Stone
Dorchester
This Neolithic stone chamber is an important pagan monument due to its alignment in mid-winter sunrise and position on ley lines. The long barrow is constructed on the ridge above Abbotsbury and is one of at least ten such burial tombs dating back 6,000 years along the South Dorset Ridgeway. The Hell Stone’s name arises from folklore that claims the stones were thrown by the devil while playing a game of quoits on Portland.
