Southampton is a city that has plenty of historical interest around it, so it is perhaps not a surprise there are supposedly a few haunted places to be found in the area.
There are plenty of spots that are said to have seen a ghostly sighting or unexplained paranormal phenomena but there are a few which stick out a bit more than the rest.
If you're in the mood for a bit of ghost hunting or are just interested in learning a bit about the stories, here are five of the most haunted places to find in Southampton.
5 of the most haunted places in Southampton
Tudor House Museum
The Tudor House Museum is one of Southampton's iconic historical landmarks, as well as supposedly a place where several ghosts have been spotted.
The building is said to be so haunted that former custodians and owners have refused to enter certain parts of the building after dark, Visit Hampshire claims.
They add: "Ghosts include a dark spirit that has been seen wandering the corridors causing disturbances to the spirit of a young lady, believed to be Anne Boleyn who has been seen on the first floor."
Dogs apparently refuse to enter the Green Room in the building which is said to be the most haunted in the entire place.
In 2004 paranormal investigator Andrew House spent a night in the Tudor House Museum and was said to have seen a "dark figure" according to the BBC.
The Red Lion
Perhaps this isn't surprising considering the cellar in the Red Lion can be traced as far back as 1148, and the main building hails from the Tudor era.
The pub was said to be the location for the treason trial of the Southampton Plot Conspirators – Richard, Earl of Cambridge, Lord Scrope of Masham and Sir Thomas Grey of Heton. The trio were accused of plotting the death of Henry V in 1415.
Punters have occasionally reported seeing a ghostly old lady floating behind the bar and heavy boots have been heard in the basement.
The Mayflower Theatre
According to a post on the r/Southampton Reddit page concerning ghosts and urban legends in the city, The Mayflower Theatre is meant to be quite haunted.
A user commented: "I worked there a little while back and was told the story of a ghost the staff referred to as Fred, who was someone who worked on the initial construction of the building and fell from the balcony tier all the way down into the stalls.
"The staff members all had stories about seeing him up on the balcony after shows had finished and they were cleaning down, and the top level always had a very cold and spooky vibe."
The Grade II-listed theatre first opened up in 1928 so perhaps it's not a surprise there are supposedly a few paranormal beings still hanging around.
Some visitors have reportedly seen the ghost of an old man sitting backstage in a wicker chair as one example.
Netley Abbey
It fell victim to the dissolution of the monasteries by King Henry VIII but almost all the walls of its 13th-century church are still standing.
There are stories that a monk, named Blind Peter was buried along with Netley’s treasure at the time of the dissolution.
Blind Peter can still supposedly be seen wandering between the walls, perhaps protecting the treasure.
South Western House
South Western House is considered to be one of the most haunted places in Southampton due to experiencing its fair share of tragedy and death over the years.
The building, designed by John Norton in a French Renaissance style, was opened in 1865.
One of the most famous stories about the hotel's haunting involves Room 667.
The room was closed off for a long time after, but some guests reported hearing strange noises and seeing apparitions in the hallway outside.
Some guests reported hearing strange noises, such as footsteps, voices, and music, coming from empty rooms. Others claimed they felt cold spots or being touched by unseen hands.
Another incident relates to one of the porters who claimed he saw a woman in Victorian clothing standing at the end of a hallway. He said that she turned and looked at him, and then disappeared into thin air.
Meanwhile, another staff member said she heard the sound of children's laughter coming from the empty room. She went to investigate, but there was no one there.
In a post on the r/Southampton Reddit page, one user, who claims to have lived in the building since 2012, claimed a lot of "weird stuff" happens there.
Recommended reading:
- South Western House - Southampton's most haunted building?
- 'Chilling picture' appears to show 'shadowy figure' at Netley Abbey
- The 800-year-old Southampton pub that hosts a 'ghost' fan of Harry Styles
Asked by another user to share some examples, they said: "‘The Edwardian’ she’s quite a frequent flyer. She likes to appear at random, sometimes inside the flats, a bit dopey really, just sort of stares at you then vanishes.
"Heavy objects often move about ( quite a bit ). People put things down in one place, only to find it’s been relocated, knowing there wasn’t anybody about at the time. Sudden drops in temperature ( down to single figures, from high twenties, for no discernible reason). Clear, loud voices, with no one in the room, sometimes using odd words / words you don’t understand. Heavy doors flung wide open, there’s no way it’s caused by airflow / wind. These are all things people living here, for any decent amount of time are used to.
"Then there’s the odd ‘spectacular’. Those are rare, but not unheard of. I’ve given up trying to explain some of the things in rational terms, I’m blasé about stuff that freaks some guests out now."
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