When you’re a blogger who writes about spooky places worldwide, you’ve probably got a huge interest in the paranormal. And you’re probably a believer in it too, writes the Morbid Tourist Louise Joy.
I’ve been interested in the paranormal since I was young. A few different sources gripped me, to begin with – that led me down the path of fascination with anything dark and macabre.
From Most Haunted and Ghost Files to ominous amounts of books and tales on the subject, there’s been no shortage of sources to refer back to for inspiration.
I have a few favorite hauntings. Ones that I refer back to time and time again, watching movies about them or searching for more information online.
As I explore more of the UK’s dark and gruesome history spots, I realize there is so much superstition and folklore to delve into around the world. I hope to explore them all someday.
The Morbid Tourist’s Top 5 Hauntings
Clophill Church
I will start with the case closest to home for me – and probably relatively unknown to most people – and that’s St Mary’s Church in Clophill, Luton.
This now-abandoned church was first listed in 1961, and sources state it was probably built around 1350. The church is best known for its dark history. It’s said that satanic rituals have taken place there, and body snatchers are rumoured to have dug up nearby graves.
Strange apparitions, such as dark figures and mysterious hooded monks, have been spotted near the church. Many believe its dark past rises from the belief that the church’s altar faces west rather than east and opens the doors to hell.
The church ruins are home to an odd and unsettling atmosphere, and the stories of Clophill Church have long been a local legend. These days you can still visit the church, but it’s heavily covered by CCTV and completely prohibited from visiting at night.
The Amityville Horror
Perhaps the most famous case on this list. Practically everyone has heard of this case in one way or another. What fascinates me most about this haunting is that it’s a real two-parter: you’ve got the true crime aspect which saw Ronald DeFeo Jr brutally murder six family members while they slept peacefully in bed. Then you have the paranormal element when a family known as the Lutzes moved into the house the following year and experienced a harrowing amount of paranormal activity.
The famous case Ed and Lorraine Warren investigated has been recreated in various publications and movies.
I’ve always firmly believed in this case’s paranormal aspect – particularly after seeing the ‘ghost boy’ photo. But the 2012 documentary (My Amityville Horror), which features Daniel Lutz sharing his experiences on camera for the first time, is fascinating.
Whatever happened in the house – it’s clear that Lutz’s oldest son experienced something terrifying and harrowing.
The Enfield Haunting
This one is a little closer to home, and I still remember the day I first discovered this case – in a book in my high school library, of all places! The case follows the poltergeist haunting surrounding two young sisters – Janet (11) and Margaret (13) – on a council estate in London.
Over the course of two years, the two sisters experienced a plethora of poltergeist activity. Furniture moved of its own accord, and investigators heard knocks on walls that seemingly answered their questions.
The entity causing the activity was said to be Bill, who died in the house years prior. Eventually, Bill began communicating through Janet; you can still hear the creepy recordings today.
As with many famous hauntings, the case has been covered in various forms of media, including The Conjuring film series. Despite the debate about the authenticity of the haunting, both Janet and Margaret insist that it is all true to this day.
Related: Explore another of England’s most famous poltergeist cases – The Black Monk of Pontefract at 30 East Drive
The Winchester Mystery House
The Winchester Mystery House is, without a doubt, the weirdest case on this list and has little to do with ghosts compared to the others – but it is still worth mentioning. The house is based in California and is known for its architectural curiosities and the mysteries within its walls.
It was initially built in 1884, but construction continued until 1922 after the death of the owner Sarah Winchester. The story goes that Sarah was haunted by the spirits of those killed by the Winchester rifle – made by her husband’s company. It’s believed that a medium told Sarah that she would have to continue to build non-stop to keep the spirits away.
The result was a bizarre house that featured over 160 rooms, 10,000 windows, 2,000 doors, and other odd design choices, such as staircases that lead to nowhere and doors that open to sheer drops outside.
Nowadays, the house can be toured all year round, and many paranormal investigations take place there too.
Demon House
One of the most famous cases of haunting and possession in recent years is the Ammons haunting case in Gary, Indiana. The story began when Latoya Ammons, her three children, and her mother, Rosa, moved into the house in November 2011.
Almost immediately, things started to get weird. Swarms of black flies appeared all over the porch (coming back repeatedly), spirits were spotted within the house, and the children were even physically harmed by unseen forces. There are even claims that the youngest boy was seen walking backward up a wall – by numerous witnesses.
The case is quite sensational in that it has multiple witnesses to the activity and many reliable sources regarding what happened – including police chief Charles Austin who even appeared in Zak Bagans’ Demon House documentary.
After filming the documentary within the house, Zak demolished it in 2016. However, Zak transported the original staircase to his haunted museum in Las Vegas, which can be visited today.
Attendees are warned of the effects of the staircase and have the option to wait outside as others are shut in a room in close proximity to the staircase.
I personally chose to stay in that very same room during my visit to the museum but could manage around 30 seconds or so before feeling too weirded out and dipping the fuck out of there.
The above cases are personally some of my favorites from around the world – but really, there are too many I could list here!
I’m also fascinated by The Sallie House in Kansas, the Island of the Dead Dolls in Mexico, and the UK’s Pendle Hill – and that’s just the ghost stories! I could go on forever about all the mysteries of the world.
Read more from Louise on her fantastic blog The Morbid Tourist
