Among Brits who believe in the paranormal, 52% said they were motivated by evidence they personally uncovered, or had a firsthand experience that solidified their conviction. Intrigued by the supernatural, BonusFinder analysed an eerie array of factors to uncover the UK’s most haunted cities and towns, with two Greater Manchester areas topping the list.
The website devised a unique and comprehensive approach to find out which UK towns and cities are the most haunted, calculating the ‘scary score’ to determine which cities and towns are truly haunted, and of course Greater Manchester swept up. They left no stone unturned, considering a range of factors that paint a vivid picture of each place’s paranormal activity. These factors include paranormal reports, number of cemeteries, total vacant properties and the prevalence of houses built before 1918.
Leading the-tingling journey into the most haunted UK cities/towns is our very own Salford, scoring 8.5/10 on the haunted-metre. In Salford, there are 5.6 cemeteries, 13,620.8 memorials, 0.4 reports of paranormal activity, 138.8 abandoned properties, and a total of 2,989.7 houses over 100 years old, all measured per 10,000 people.
Ordsall Hall is one of Salford’s most famous legends, associated with the hall is the story of the ‘White Lady’. It is said that the spirit of Margaret Radclyffe, the daughter of a former owner, haunts the premises. She fell in love with a man her family disapproved of, leading to her tragic death. It is said that she still roams the hall, dressed in white.
Bolton takes the second spot for the most haunted cities/towns in the UK with a spooky score of 8.4/10 for all factors looked at. In Bolton, you’ll find 2.2 cemeteries, an impressive 10,657.7 memorials, 1.1 recorded paranormal reports, 116.2 vacant properties, and a notable 1,301.0 houses dating back to pre-1918, all measured per 10,000 people.
The ancient stone manor house, Turton Tower is rumoured to be haunted, with visitors and staff having reported strange sounds, footsteps and apparitions, especially in the older parts of the building.
Following our Greater Manchester list-topping duo are Chichester, Brighton and Hove, and fellow North West haunt Lancaster, with its impressive castle, where the accused in the Pendle Witch Trials were held.
If you’re feeling suitably spooky, why not visit one of the North West winners and see what you can find?