10 Most Haunted Places Linked to Witches

10 Most Haunted Places Linked to Witches

Haunted By Witches

Throughout history witches and witchcraft have fascinated humankind. They have, however, also induced fear, misunderstanding and been on the receiving end of some very dark events. In this article, we will explore 10 haunted places linked to actual, supposed, or accused witches and witchcraft.

10. Witches Pond, Romania

Our first location brings us to a lush forest just outside of Bucharest, Romania. Here, deep in the Baldu Forest lies a small, but mystical pond, appropriately named, the Witches’ Pond. Although the dense green waters of this small site appear rather unremarkable, they are linked to mysterious legends and tales of ghosts.

The Witches Pond in Romania.
The dank waters of the haunted Witches Pond.

Some say this stagnant pond is a place of great natural power, while some others believe it is cursed. Either way, the site has managed to attract many to gather there, being a popular place for not only Romanian witches, but witches from all around the world. It is even rumored that any spell cast near the pond will be successful because of the water’s inherent power.

Witches Pond, Romania.
Exploring the Witches Pond.

Further stories about the Witches Pond claim that Vlad Tepes, the real-life inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula, was beheaded in this area back in 1476. He’s also rumored to haunt the forest among a number of other sites.

9. The Hawthorne Hotel, USA

No list about witches and the paranormal would be complete without a location in Salem, Massachusetts. A place made infamous for the Witch Trials that gripped the town in the late 1600s. During this time, many of the town’s occupants were accused of witchcraft, put to trial and sadly, executed.

Haunted Hotel in Salem.
The haunted Hawthorne Hotel in Salem, USA.

One of the locations said to be tied to this dark event is the Hawthorne Hotel, which seems strange considering the hotel wasn’t constructed until 1925, long since the frenzy of the Witch Trials had subsided.

Hawthorne Hotel haunted Salem.
Haunted hallway in the Hawthorne Hotel.

The Hawthorne Hotel is rumored to be haunted by the ghost of Bridget Bishop, a woman who was unfortunately executed during the Salem Witch Trials. So, how did she come to haunt this hotel, built years after her death? Supposedly, the sprawling apple orchard she once owned sat upon the land that the hotel now occupies. It is rumored that Bridget’s ghost often materializes on the 6th floor, in particular around Room 612. She’s also often accompanied by the sweet smell of baking apples.

Though Bridget’s ghost is not the only one to haunt this stunning hotel, do you believe it’s plausible that she would indeed haunt this building?

8. Ancient Ram Inn, England

Our next haunted location brings us to England, and perhaps one of the most notorious places on this list, the Ancient Ram Inn. This place dates back to 1145 when it was first established and has earned itself a rather fierce reputation for being haunted over the years.

Haunted Ancient Ram Inn, England.
The Ancient Ram Inn, said to be one of the most haunted places in the world.

Supposedly, the Ancient Ram Inn lies atop two ley lines, one of which also intersects with Stonehenge. Adding to this is a well the site is built over, as well as a 5000-year-old pagan burial ground and the supposed dark portal the inn contains, showing that there’s plenty of reason for this location to attract spiritual energy.

Some even say that the inn has seen dark rituals performed within it in the past and that a couple of demons frequent one of the inn’s bedrooms. On top of this, a number of ghosts are said to haunt the place, with one in particular being of interest to this article.

Witches Room Ancient Ram Inn
Toys laid out on the bed of the Ancient Ram Inn’s Witches Room.

Just up the inn’s rickety staircase sits what is known as the ‘Witches Room.’ It is said that during the 1500s a woman sought refuge at the inn, staying in this very room. She had been on the run after being accused of witchcraft. Sadly, she was captured and later burned at the stake.

Now, she is said to haunt this room, manifesting as an older woman to many, especially in this room’s window. She’s also joined by the spirits of her black cat and a number of children but dislikes the term ‘witch,’ and I can’t say I blame her for that.

7. Palace of Inquisition, Mexico

Now we move onto Mexico City to a place of great suffering and loss, the Palace of Inquisition. This striking building was constructed between 1732 and 1736 and was operational as the New Spain Tribunal of the Holy Inquisition until 1820. Basically, this operation was tasked with denouncing anyone who was seen as a threat to the church, and thus a lot of people accused of practicing witchcraft were brought to the building.

Mexico City Palace of Inquisition is haunted.
The Haunted Palace of Inquisition in Mexico City.

If you were unlucky enough to end up at the Palace of Inquisition, you’d be tortured in the most brutal of ways to gain a confession, after which you would face trial and then finally execution.

Palace of Inquisition Medicine Museum Mexico.
The building now contains the Museum of Mexican Medicine.

Now, the building contains the Museum of Mexican Medicine, though many believe that the souls of those tortured within the Palace of Inquisition still linger. With many reporting to sight shadow figures, hear disembodied voices or screams and even feeling strange presences around them.

6. Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

Edinburgh Castle is one of Scotland’s most recognizable and most haunted castles. This foreboding fortress has sat proudly, perched on a large rock over Edinburgh since the 12th century.

The castle was an important stronghold fought over by the Scottish and English throughout history. For this reason, it has seen many battles and a number of sieges. Resulting from this, the castle has also been a place of death and suffering for many and it comes as no surprise that the castle is said to be very haunted.

Edinburgh Castle haunted.
Edinburgh Castle perched high over the city on a rock.

From the haunted dungeon to the well-told stories of a ghostly drummer boy and piper, Edinburgh Castle has no shortage when it comes to paranormal tales. For this article though, we will focus on one spirit, that of Janet Douglas also known as Lady Glamis.

She was accused of witchcraft by the king during the 1500s. She was then imprisoned at Edinburgh Castle, while her own family and servants were tortured into providing evidence against her. Sadly, like so many other women during this time, Lady Glamis was sentenced to burn at the stake upon Castle Hill, with her young son onlooking.

Haunted Edinburgh Castle.
Looking for the ghosts of Edinburgh Castle.

Since her death, many believe that the traumatic event has kept her spirit trapped at Edinburgh Castle. Though, many others have claimed she also haunts another Scottish Castle where she once lived. Where do you believe is a more plausible place for Lady Glamis to haunt, her former home, or place of death, or do you believe she could haunt both places?

5. La Brujas Restaurant, Colombia

Our next haunted location brings us to Bogota, Colombia. This one is a little different, today being run as the Brujas Restaurant. The story of this location was circulated during the 1950s when Colombia was in the grips of a dictator and this building was temporarily used as a dungeon. During this time a distressed woman would frequent the dungeon in search of her missing son, fearing that he may be imprisoned within.

La Bruja Restaurant Bogota.
Haunted La Bruja Restaurant in Colombia.

Attempting to befriend the military personnel at the facility she would bring them food and drink in exchange for information about whether her some was a prisoner. Sadly, people soon grew suspicious of the woman, accused her of being a witch and she was then thrown into this dungeon where she is rumored to have been driven mad and pass away.

Haunted restaurant in Bogota, Colombia.
Inside the Witches Restaurant, said to be a haunted place in Colombia.

Since her death, the woman is rumored to haunt the building, still in search of her missing son. A truly tragic fate for a woman who was completely misunderstood.

4. Chillingham Castle, England

Now we move back on over to England to what is claimed to be the country’s most haunted castle. Chillingham Castle has a bloody past that extends back to the 1300s. It sits in the Northumberland countryside and was an important stronghold during its day, sitting close to the border of England and Scotland.

Haunted Chillingham Castle, England.
Chillingham Castle is said to be haunted by a witch.

It has been a place of murder, bloody battles, executions and torture. All of this has resulted in a number of hauntings, and some of those are related to witchcraft. The castle is even reputedly haunted by a witch who had cursed it, but in a way this, in turn, offers protection.

Supposedly, anyone who steals or takes any object from Chillingham Castle will be struck down with bad luck from this witch’s curse. Funnily enough, there are a number of letters on display at the castle from people returning objects that they had taken, along with apologies pleading for their bad luck to be eased in return.

Haunted castle in England.
A stairway in the courtyard of one of the world’s most haunted castles.

In addition to this ghost story, many witches were also supposedly executed, being hanged from trees on the property of Chillingham Castle. Some say this has also resulted in a haunting or two.

3. The Witch House, USA

This list wouldn’t be complete without returning to Salem, Massachusetts to include one more iconic location, the Witches House. This building is said to be the only one still standing with actual links to the Salem Witch Trials, being the former family home of Jonathan Corwin, a judge who presided over many of the Salem Witches’ Trials, being responsible for sending 19 people to their deaths.

Haunted Witch House in Salem.
Standing outside the haunted Witch House in Salem, Massachusetts.

The house was built in the early 1600s and remained the Corwin family home through to the 1800s. It was, however, also a place where many of the Corwins would perish. Jonathan and his wife, Elizabeth, would lose a number of young children within the home, which is largely why the Witches House is thought to be haunted. There have been claims that the home holds the spirits of children from the past.

Inside the Witch House in Salem.
Interior of the Witch House.

2. 99 Door Mansion, Malaysia

We now move onto one of the scariest locations on this list, the 99 Door Mansion. This epic abandoned building exists in the Malaysian Countryside and has been rotting away for some time.

Haunted 99 Door Mansion.
The infamous 99 Door Mansion in Malaysia.

The once glorious mansion was built by a wealthy family in the 1800s as part of their rubber tree plantation. Sadly one of their grandsons was murdered on the stairway of the property. With some other rumors existing that state the entire family was murdered on the grounds. Either way, the mansion was officially abandoned during the 1950s.

Since the building was empty, it was claimed that a Bomoh, similar to a witch doctor, moved into the house to use it as a base to perform dark rituals. It’s told that this person would regularly contact the other side and place evil curses on people from their new home at the 99 Door Mansion.

Inside the haunted 99 Door Mansion.
Sitting on the staircase of the haunted 99 Door Mansion.

Legends prevail that a 100th door opens each night at midnight allowing evil spirits to freely pass between worlds into our own using the door, which acts as a form of portal. This is the main reason why the house is now said to be so haunted, with some to visit even claiming to become possessed.

1. Pendle Hill, England

For the number one location on this list, we make our way back to England to an area that saw one of the most infamous witch trials in history. Pendle Hill stands as a rather beautiful reminder of a horrible historic event that plagued Lancashire in the early 1600s. It was around this time the Pendle Witches story took place.

Top of the haunted Pendle Hill.
The view from the top of Pendle Hill.

A family who lived on Pendle Hill aroused local rumors of devil worship and dark rituals. Soon after a number of people in town passed away due to illness, this was to trigger accusations of witchcraft and one of England’s most notorious trials ensued. During the trials, 12 people were accused of 10 murders. Of these 12 accused witches, 10 were executed by hanging, one is said to have passed away in jail, with only one being found innocent.

The history associated with Pendle Hill has supposedly drawn many to the area to perform rituals, pairing this with a bronze age burial site being discovered on the top of the hill, its no surprise that many consider Pendle Hill to be haunted.

Haunted Pendle Hill.
Looking for the ghosts of witches at Pendle Hill.

Some say the hill remains a meeting spot in death for those executed in the Pendle Witch Trials. Though other spirits are said to have become drawn to the hill where plenty claim to have paranormal and sometimes even extraterrestrial encounters.

Thanks for reading!

xoxo

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About Amy

Amy is a world traveller and explorer of creepy locations. She has visited some of the most famously haunted places around the world in search of evidence of the paranormal. Follow Amy's Journey:

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