The Black Dog of Newgate.

The remains of Newgate Prison, photo by L Wall, 2023

Exiting the tube station at St Paul's, I immediately regretted not bringing my scarf and hat; it was bitterly cold. While not a long walk from the station, I still managed to get lost twice, even with the help of Google Maps. My destination? An unassuming and overlooked lane, inaccessible to the public and hiding an interesting piece of London's history. At the end of the lane, tucked away behind lush greenery and the bins, is an old wall. The last remaining wall of the infamous Newgate Prison. And, of course, it's haunted.

Opened in 1188 and closed in 1902, Newgate resulted from Henry II bringing in new legal reforms in 1166. Unfortunately it was poorly maintained and run, a place where you were likely to die of some horrible disease before you reached your trial date. Rich or poor, innocent or guilty, Newgates doors were open to all. Some of its more well-known inmates included Captain Kidd, Daniel Defoe and (briefly) Oscar Wilde.

Those of you who have been reading this blog for a while, or have even been following me on Twitter and Instagram, know I'm a sucker for a Black Dog story. So it should be no surprise that when I came across this gruesome tale my interest was peaked. Not your typical spectral hound, the story of the Black Dog of Newgate hits a bit differently. Rather than being an omen of doom to all who see it, this pooch was only interested in one thing, revenge.

Our story starts during the reign of Henry III, amid a terrible famine. People were struggling and suffering from the lack of food, but the situation was especially dire for those locked in Newgate Prison. As criminals they just weren't a priority when it came to supplies and had been getting so little that some had resorted to cannibalism. Despite being aware of this, the authorities were still sending people to the jail, and one of these unfortunates was an unnamed Scholar. The starving inmates of Newgate took the phrase "fresh meat" to a whole new level when they attacked and devoured him. Had they known that the Scholar had been sent to prison on charges of sorcery, they probably would have left him alone, but he was weak, and they were desperate. Little did they know that this monstrous act would come back to haunt them.  

First, prisoners reported seeing the Scholar himself wandering the prison, but man's true vengeance would manifest in the form of a ghastly black hound. The beast had glowing red eyes, and gore dripped from its tooth-filled maw as it stalked the corridors of Newgate. While the sight of it alone was enough to make a few of the weaker men drop dead of fright, others faced a much more terrifying fate. The hound turned vicious when it got bored of toying with the prisoners. It would appear in locked cells, then tear the men inside to shreds before vanishing. Imagine the horror of the prisoners as, night after night, their cells were filled with growls, blood-curdling screams and the sounds of men being torn limb from limb. 

Horrific as the attacks were, one thing soon became apparent. The Dog was only attacking those responsible for the Scholar's murder, hunting them down in the jail's darkest corners, hell-bent on wiping them all out. 

Upon realising this, the surviving murderers panicked. Together they organised a jailbreak, killing some of the prison guards in their desperate scramble for freedom. They would have been hung if they had been re-arrested, which would have been a mercy. Unfortunately for them the Scholar's wrath wasn't limited to the walls of Newgate, and you can't outrun four legs on two. All of the killers were hunted down and slaughtered. When its task was completed, the Black Dog returned to Newgate Prison, where it seems content to lurk up to this day. 

This gruesome tale could easily be the plot of a horror movie, but allegedly it's a true story. Our first written account of the Back Dog of Newgate was from a pamphlet (or chapbook.) published in 1596 by a highwayman named Luke Hutton. This was likely a pen name with a false backstory attached as an attempt to boost sales, as books written by criminals were popular even back then. The story might pre-date publication, but we don't have the original version as proof, which would have been told word of mouth. It's doubtful that it resembled the fantastical story that was published. If it was a pre-existing tale, then it's more likely that it became exaggerated over time till it became the horror story we know today. But one fact remains, true or not, people claim to have seen the hound. There have been sightings of a shadowy, dog-like thing slinking around the remaining wall. Reports include a terrible smell*, not unlike that of death, and the sound of footsteps. The area itself is meant to have a strange atmosphere. 

While certainly not one of London's most well-known ghost stories, I'm pretty fond of this tale of revenge from beyond the grave. I came across the story by chance, on Tik-Tok of all places. I got curious and had to look into the tale more. After that I couldn't resist a visit to the location. Sadly, as I've said previously, the site is not accessible to the public, so I couldn't get any closer than I did in my photo, and even that was zoomed in a bit. 

Have you ever been to this location and witnessed something strange or supernatural? I love to hear your stories! Tell us about them in the comments section below, or tag me in a Tweet!

The Black Dog of Newgate

* The wall is near some bins, so they might have been responsible for the Terrible Smell in more modern times. Either that or it's terrible dog breath, and we need to break out the paranormal pedigree dentastix.

Ghost Trains and Ghouls: London's Haunted Underground.

Kevin Hackert, CC BY-NC 2.0

Recently, one of my best friends moved to London and, while I haven't been able to visit and much as I'd like, this means taking the train. I'm one of those people who quite enjoy a nice train ride. Once I've got my ticket, large coffee, and headphones on, with music or a podcast playing, I'm all set. Nothing left to do but watch the world speed past the window and make sure I don't get so distracted that I miss my stop. I find taking the London Underground at night is an interesting experience. When it's busy, it's okay. The need to catch your train, or get to your destination, distracts from your surroundings. But when quiet, the stations and tunnels take on an eerie quality. As you may have guessed, this fascinates me due to my love of all things spooky. Because London has a rich paranormal history, and its public transport isn't excluded from these hauntings. Let me introduce you to five of my favourite haunted Tube stations.

Bank Station

For some, the feeling of dread and sadness they feel at Bank Station is linked to them having to go back to the office after a weekend of rest and relaxation, but for some this might be a sign that they've encountered Sarah Whitehead. In the early 1800s, she lived in London with her brother Philip, who worked as a bank clerk for the Bank of England. Unbeknownst to his sister, Philip had gotten himself into debt through a series of financial misadventures and, desperate to get himself out of trouble, had resorted to forging cheques to bring in some extra cash. These days, if caught, you'd lose your job and spend some time in jail. But it was the 1800's when sentences for even the smallest of crimes was harsh, so when Philip was caught, he was sentenced to death by hanging. Horrifically, nobody told Sarah and, when she discovered the truth, she was driven mad by grief and came to believe that her brother was still alive. Still working at the bank. As a result she would go there daily, asking after him and loitering around outside until the bankers would take pity on her, giving her some money to get her to leave. This went on for decades, and Sarah's delusions and grief only got worse with age. Her demands to see her brother got more aggressive, and because she was used to the bankers giving her money, she now expected it. Death hasn't stopped Sarah from searching for her beloved brother. Dressed in her black dress and mourning veil, she has become the ghostly figure known as the Black Nun and has been seen in and around Bank Station and around the Bank of England. Interestingly, some sightings have also included direct interactions; Sarah has been known to wander up to unsuspecting commuters. She will often ask if they've seen her brother, though she will also ask for money.

Something else that can be experienced in the station is a ghastly smell, like rotting flesh. Allegedly a plague pit was disturbed while building the station. Many believe the unpleasant odour to be a ghostly manifestation of this. As well as the smell, commuters sometimes hear unseen people crying out in fear and pain. This could be linked to a tragedy that took place in WWII. During the Blitz, people would use the stations as makeshift bomb shelters. In January 1941, a German bomb hit the station and exploded. Around 50 people were killed, while many others were injured and trapped in the rubble. The sounds of distress and the terrible smell are possibly remnants of these events, snippets of history replaying themselves.

Holborn Station

A tube station haunted by the ghost of an Egyptian Priestess? Sounds like either a bad horror movie or another Mummy sequel, but the truth is stranger than fiction. This spirit initially haunted the now-closed British Museum Station, which shut in the 1930s. Clearly displeased about being on display in the British Museum and determined to voice their opinion about it, the ghost promptly moved to Holborn Station, where there have been many sightings of this mummified spirit as it stalks the station, moaning and shrieking. It's believed They are the spirit of a Priestess, dedicated to the God Amen-Ra. They've been linked to an artefact on display in the British Museum. This is a beautifully detailed sarcophagus lid of an un-named woman from 950-900 BC. Its original location, the body it contained, and what happened to the rest of the coffin remains unknown; it was donated to the museum from a private collection, and very little information was provided. Thanks to superstition, it has been nicknamed the Unlucky Mummy. It's been blamed for the death of a journalist investigating its history (1907) and the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. An urban legend tells us about a secret tunnel leading to the British Museum from somewhere in the station, allowing the ghost to travel between the two. There's no truth to these claims, but they add an exciting element to this ghost story.

Covent Garden

Walking around Covent Garden tube station at night, you might be lucky enough to spot a handsome, well-dressed gentleman in Victorian-era clothing; a grey suit, cane and tophat. You might mistake him for a stray cosplayer if there's a convention on in London or just someone on their way to a fancy dress party, but this is actually the spirit of William Terriss. This actor was famous for the heroic roles he played on the stage but met his tragic end outside of the nearby Adelphi Theater in 1897. He was stabbed to death by out of work actor, and friend, Richard Archer Prince. You'd think he'd haunt the area where he died, and it's said that he does haunt the theatre, but it seems Willam also chose to go back to another place that had happy memories for him. Legend has it that he was very fond of a bakery that used to stand on the site where the station was built. Now, unable to pick up a pack of doughnuts and a coffee on his way home from work, he has taken to haunting the station instead. How do we know it's him? Photographs of him still exist, enabling witnesses to identify him. The last reported sighting of him was in 1972, but I've no doubt there have been some unreported sightings since then by people that never even realised that they were looking at a spirit.

For the morbidly curious among you, Terriss was buried in Brompton Cemetery, and a memorial plaque can be found for him outside of the stage door at the Adelphi Theater.

Liverpool Street

A hub for many of those leaving and arriving in London, Liverpool Street is one of the city's busiest stations. It's also built on the old Bedlam Burial Ground, a mass burial site estimated to have been used from 1569 to around 1738. The site was the resting place of thousands and included a 17th-century plague pit, most of which Archaeologists have excavated.

An unidentified man in white or light grey overalls walks the station. He's been spotted by many witnesses, sometimes in person but occasionally on CCTV. One such sighting was investigated by staff. A Line Controller, who was watching the security cameras, spotted the man wandering around the platform early one morning, at about 2:00am. This was a problem because the station was closed at the time, and the mystery man didn't appear to be a staff member. Concerned that they might have an intruder, the Line Controller quickly told the Station Supervisor, who decided that he would take a look for himself. He arrived at the platform to find it quite empty. The man in white had just vanished.

This has happened many times since, much to the annoyance of the station workers. But whoever this ghost is, he seems harmless enough. It's even possible that he might be waiting for a train, as he only seems to appear on the platform for the central line. Sadly, for the curious among you, you're unlikely to run into this spirit since he only appears when the station is closed. Personally, I'm curious about his identity. Who could he possibly be, and what happened to cause him to haunt the station? Could he have been one of the workers who helped build the place or its tunnels? Maybe one day we'll know for sure.

South Kensington

South Kensington Station doesn't just have a ghost, it has a ghost train. Like something from a gothic horror novel, it chugs slowly into the station as if it intends to stop and pick up passengers. An unknown figure in a peaked cap and coat can be seen clinging to the side of the engine for dear life, as if eager to get off. He doesn't get the chance though, as the train is off again with a shrill whistle, disappearing into the dark tunnel, vanishing without a trace.

This phantom locomotive was first spotted in the 1920s by a commuter waiting for the last train. To them, it wouldn't have seemed all that odd at first. It would have just looked like a typical steam train until it vanished into thin air. To add to the mystery, the train itself doesn't exist; there was no record of its name/serial number. And, even if there had been, it shouldn't have been there at that time. Whatever is going on here, it's not a regular occurrence, though there is an unsubstantiated report of another sighting in 2013. 

Photo by Joshua Brown, CC BY-SA 2.0

Disappointingly, I've never experienced anything paranormal on the London Underground. I'd love to though. These are just five of the ghosts that haunt the tubes, there are so many more, some more frightening than others. Who knows, maybe one day I'll witness something and, when I do, you'll be the first people to know about it. Have any of you guys seen anything paranormal at one of London's train stations? If you feel like sharing the story, please do! You can share your story in the comments box below or tag me in a Tweet on Twitter.

The Tower of London and it's Permanent Residents.

Photo by Haris Krikelis, CC

The Tower of London is one of England's most famous landmarks and one of London's most
imposing ones. Here people have been imprisoned, tortured, executed and murdered: it's history written in blood and horrors, which have seeped into the ancient stones that make up its walls and floors. The Tower was founded around 1066, so it's had a lot to time to accumulate quite a lot of ghosts, some of them innocent and some of them not. Some of them human and some of them not. My aim with this blog post is to provide a brief but info packed run down of all of the phantoms lurking within those old walls, so that any of you paranormal loving wanderers out there know exactly what you're looking for.

The Two Princes.
These two little heartbreakers are allegedly the spirits of Edward (12 years old) and Richard (9 years old), sons of King Edward IV and his wife, Elizabeth. After the death of their father in 1483, their care was entrusted to their Uncle Richard, who promptly sent the two to stay in the tower, since this was not a prison at the time but the traditional home of those members of the royal family who were awaiting coronation. Poor little Edward never reached his throne. While they were in the tower, Parliament declared the boys to be illegitimate and their Uncle Richard took the throne. Although they were initially seen playing in the Tower gardens, the children were seen less and less until they disappeared completely. Rumors spread, saying that the two boys had been murdered, and unfortunately it's highly likely, although there is no firm evidence. The blame fell on the boys Uncle, Richard III. It is one of the things he is remembered for the most, even though he had no need to harm the boys as the throne was his and most of the "evidence" seems to come from the play written about him by William Shakespeare's, during the reign of his successor, Henry Tudor. During this time there was a lot of anti-Richard III propaganda, this is no surprise as history is written by the victors.
Their cause of death unknown, there was no sign of the boys until 1674, when some workers found a large wooden box while doing some work on the tower. Opening it they found the skeletal remains of two children with the remains of velvet clothing around them. It's believed by many that these are the bodies of the two princes, but these weren't the only bodies of children found at the tower. Some time previously a bricked up room had been discovered and inside were the skeletons of two children. Either the remains in the room or the remains in the box could be the two princes, but the box is the most well known story.
Since then the two boys have made their presence known about the tower. Sometimes the only thing heard is the sound of laughter, but sometimes two little spirits in white night shirts have been spotted playing in the grounds around the tower, on the battlements or wandering down the stairs. Sometimes the poor things have even been spotted huddled and weeping in the rooms they lived in, only to fade away when approached. Keep an eye out and maybe you might see these tragic and harmless spirits for yourself.

Anne Boleyn
The second wife of Henry VIII, poor Anne only lasted three years as his Queen. While she gave birth to a daughter, she was unable to give the tyrant the son he desperately craved, suffering a miscarriage and then later giving birth to a stillborn baby boy. It was around this time that Henry had started to court Jane Seymour, who was to become his third wife and in 1536 Anne found herself banished to the Tower, and was executed under false charges of incest, adultery and treason. In death her ghost is quite active and has been seen walking the tower and it's gardens, sometimes intact, but other times carrying her head tucked under one arm. She has also been spotted walking around St Peter's Chapel, near the Tower, where her body was originally laid to rest under the altar. The most famous sighting of her occurred in 1864, when a guard mistook her for a living trespasser and, when she failed to stop walking towards him, attempted to run her through with his bayonet. This of course failed miserably and the poor man just ended up running straight through the ghostly queen. He promptly fainted upon realising what had happened and narrowly avoided a court marshall.

The White Lady
What old English building would be complete without a White Lady? With so many deaths having occured at the Tower of London, this soul has no identity. She's very active, having been sighted by guards and members of the public alike, as she wanders around the rooms and corridors of the White Tower. Once she was even sighted at a window, waving to a group of visiting school children outside. While her presence is mostly benign, her perfume is not. Smelt most often at the entrance to St John's Chapel, her perfume carries a noxious odor that has been known to turn stomachs.

Lady Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury
Lady Margaret was yet another victim if Henry VIII's infamous bad temper. Her son had somehow offended the King, but was out of the country at the time and well out of Henry's reach. So Henry tuned his spite on the other mans mother instead, having the dignified older lady falsely charged with Treason (I'm beginning to see a pattern her, Henry.) and sent to the executioners block with not trial. In 1541, the Countess approached the scaffold. She was 70 years old, quite an accomplishment in Tudor times, and she was about to prove to the King, the executioner and the audience of over 100 spectators that she had plenty of life left in her, even if it was to be cruelly cut short. Facing the executioner she refused to lower her head for him, if he was to kill her then he would have to do so where she stood. Eventually guards forced her to kneel, but the executioner was rattled by the encounter and his aim was off. Instead of her neck, his axe met with her shoulder. Lady Margaret let out a blood curdling scream and, tearing herself from the block and the grasp of the guards, RAN. The poor woman fled around the execution site, trailing blood behind her, while the executioner chased after her trying to cut her down. When he caught up with her, probably due to her being slowed by blood loss and shock, it took him 11 blows to end the Countesses suffering.
Now on the anniversary of her death the whole horrid spectacle plays itself out again. It is said that the blood soaked spirit of Lady Margaret Pole can be seen re-enacting her desperate flight from the block, being pursued by a spectral executioner, franticly swinging his axe to bring the Lady down. Whether this is a residual spirit or a case of Stone Tape Theory is unknown, but if you are able to visit the Tower on the evening of the 27th of May, maybe you'll see this saddening sight for yourself.

King Henry VIII's Armour
King Henry was bad tempered, a cruel man and a couple of scones short of a cream tea. While he doesn't haunt the Tower himself, it would seem like some of his bad vibes have seeped into his armour and stayed there. Guards patrolling the gallery where it is kept have reported a horrific crushing sensation descending upon them when they get near it. One even felt as if a heavy blanket had been thrown over his head before it was pulled tight around his neck. He managed to escape but was left with marks on his neck to prove his story to the other guards. This nightmarish feeling is said to lift when the sufferer escapes the room and seems to be a nocturnal phenomenon, as I could find no reports of it effecting people during the day.
Henry VIII wasn't the healthiest of people. Knocked unconscious at a jousting tournament, when he awoke his personality had done a complete 360 from being a relatively pleasant man to being the foul, bad tempered, spiteful despot he is known as today. A recent theory has been put forward that the blow that knocked him unconscious may have resulted in brain damaged, which would explain the personality change. Whatever the reason, from that moment on his health spiraled out of control, as Henry began to rapidly gain weight and developed leg ulcers, which could not be healed and were instead kept open. On top of this, wearing heavy armour would have felt unbearable. I believe it's possible that the vibes given off by the armour are a type of stone tape effect, likely to be how Henry felt when he squeezed himself into it.

King Henry VI
Henry VI was not the strongest of monarchs, but he neither expected or deserved to be killed. He was imprisoned by the House of York, with Edward IV taking the throne the very day after his untimely death. While the first reports of his death state that he died of a broken heart, he was actually stabbed to death while praying at a small window altar in his prison cell in the Wakefield Tower. He died not long before midnight and on the anniversary of his death, on the 21st of May, he has been sighted pacing his room until he fades away to nothing at the strike of midnight.

Lady Jane Grey
King Edward VI had declared Jane his successor upon his death, much to the annoyance of his own sister, Mary. Abandoned by her Father, who chose to side with Mary to save his own hide, Jane found herself left to the mercy of the woman who would become known as Bloody Mary. Jane lasted only 9 days before Queen Mary seized the throne and started as she meant to go on, with Lady Jane and her husband being her first victims. Jane's father was pardoned, but Jane and her husband were charged with Treason. Jane was forced to watch the execution of the man she loved from the window of her cell, before being lead to her own death. She was only 16 years old.
In death she is seen as a floating, shimmering figure that walks the green and the battlements, eventually fading into nothing.
Jane is not alone. Her husband, Lord Guildford Dudley, has been sited around the Beauchamp Tower with tears running down his face.

Thomas Beckett
First seen 1241, Thomas Beckett is one of the first recorded ghosts at the Tower and one of the few to have been put to rest. Henry III was responsible for the Inner Circle of the Tower having been built, but his Grandfather, Henry II, was responsible for Beckett's murder and it seems the former Archbishop of Canterbury had neither forgotten nor forgiven. So when builders tried to build the wall, Thomas Beckett manifested himself and reduced it to rubble with one strike of his cross. This, allegedly, happened twice before Henry III had a tower named after Beckett. This seemed to please the spirit and he wasn't seen again.
Interestingly, in more recent times the spirit of a monk has been sighted in the same areas that the ghost of Thomas Beckett was. But is this really just a random monk? Or has Thomas Beckett returned to haunt the Tower once more?

Sir Walter Raleigh
In 1618 this great explorer lost his head to the Executioner after upsetting James I, being charged with treason and being imprisoned at the Tower. It wasn't the first time he'd been locked up there and had a relatively good life there, living in luxury with his family being allowed to visit. He was known to grow exotic plants in his rooms and his second son was even conceived there. 
His spirit has been seen and heard walking the battlements and one of the homes on Tower Green.

Henry Walpole
Henry had a rather dangerous occupation. He was a Jesuit Priest during the 16th century. When he was captured and imprisoned in the Tower he suffered many tortures, including the rack. Between torture and sentencing, he managed to carve his own name and that of Saints into the walls of his prison. Eventually this poor man was executed. His carvings remain, but it would seem that some trace of Henry does too. Lone visitors in this room have heard the low murmurs of a man praying and a golden yellow glow which grows to fill the room before it vanishes.

Guy Fawkes
This poor soul is heard rather than seen. In 1605, Guy was involved in a failed plot to assassinate King James I and his government. As you may already know, this assassination attempt involved rather a lot of gunpowder. After his capture, Guy Fawkes was horrifically tortured to get his to reveal the names of his co-conspirators and their plan. He resisted at first but couldn't hold out forever. Put on trial and sentenced to be executed by being hung, drawn and quartered, Guy Fawkes was so weak from the tortures he had undergone that he never got past the hanging part. His neck broke, killing him instantly. Despite being dead, he was still drawn and quartered.
These days we remember him with Guy Fawkes night and by his terrifying, pain filled screams that have been heard echoing around the rooms where he was held captive and tortured.

The Mysterious and the Inhuman
In 1977, two workmen in the Middle Tower heard heavy footsteps walking around on the floor above them. With some help they searched for the source of the sounds, but nothing was found. There was nobody there, nobody visible anyway.
In the 1960's a guard was found in shock after having witnessed a cloaked and headless figure which approached him.
In the Tudor Times the Tower was used as a zoo and it's said that even now the roars of Lions can sometimes still be heard. But when it comes to animal spirits, the Towers Bear is the first thing most people think of. In the 1800's a guard at the Martin Tower was alarmed to see the figure of a bear emerging from a doorway. In a panic he attempted to run the beast through with his bayonet, but this had no effect as it just passed clean through the spirit and got stuck in a door. The poor guard fainted from the shock and is said to have died three days later.
In the 1800's, the Keeper of the Crown Jewels had a ghostly encounter in the Martin Tower, where he lived with his family. Edmund Swifte reported that a liquid-like column floated through the room where he was sitting with his family. It eventually floated behind his wife and the distressed lady swore that it had tried to grab her. Edmund jumped to her defence, throwing a chair at the thing, but the chair went straight through it and the thing floated to the window and vanished.
In the 1980's a Yeoman Warder was astonished to come across two Beefeaters chatting to each other as they sat by a fireplace. This wouldn't have been unusual, but their uniforms were older one, very much out of date. When the two spirits spotted him, they faded into thin air.

Photo by Thorsten Hansen, CC

So, those are the ghosties and ghoulies that can be found stalking the ancient halls and rooms of the Tower of London. Have you seen or heard any of these ghosts yourself? Have I missed anyone out? Don't be shy, let me know. Drop me a message in the comments below or find me on Twitter. I would love to hear any stories you might have.
And if you intend to visit the Tower and are not 100% sure where to go, I've included a map to get you on the right path.