Essex named UK's most haunted county with 422 sightings

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 14 Oct, 17:30 · Archive

Essex has been named the most haunted county in the UK, with 422 recorded ghost sightings, according to travel specialists Ski Vertigo using data from the Paranormal Database. The county tops the list outside of London, which was excluded from the rankings as the database lists the capital by postcode area rather than as a whole.

Colchester has the highest concentration of hauntings in Essex, with 30 recorded sightings, followed by Clacton with 15 and Brentwood and Southend-on-Sea with 13 each. Colchester Castle is said to be haunted by James Parnell, a Quaker who died there in the 1650s, and by a headless nun whose identity remains unknown.

Following Essex, Sussex ranked second with 404 ghost sightings, while Kent came third with 374. Suffolk placed fourth with 350 reports, and Devon rounded out the top five with 340. If London were counted as a single county rather than by postcode areas, it would top the list with 810 reports.

Alex Dyer, managing director at Ski Vertigo, said many of the haunted locations are accessible to visitors. 'Plenty of these ghosts belong to castles, abbeys, and old pubs you can actually visit, which makes them an easy trip with older children,' he said. He advised that evening ghost tours can book up quickly in October and recommended reserving early.

Essex named UK's most haunted county with 422 sightings — Image: Brentwood Guardian

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Historic landmark tops spooky list as Essex named UK's most hauntedEssex has been named the most haunted county across the UK, with Colchester Castle topping the list of spookiest spots.Brentwood Guardian · 14 Oct, 17:00
Historic landmark tops spooky list as Essex named UK's most hauntedEssex has been named the most haunted county across the UK, with Colchester Castle topping the list of spookiest spots.Colchester Gazette · 14 Oct, 17:00
Historic landmark tops spooky list as Essex named UK's most hauntedEssex has been named the most haunted county across the UK, with Colchester Castle topping the list of spookiest spots.Echo (Basildon) · 14 Oct, 17:00

In this story: Essex · Colchester Castle · James Parnell · Colchester · Clacton · Brentwood · Southend-on-Sea · Ski Vertigo

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