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Are you planning a spooky getaway to County Durham? Dive into our latest guide and create your own County Durham Ghost Tour, thanks to the paranormal author and host of “How Haunted?” podcast, ROB KIRKUP
Create your own ghost tour of County Durham
Many people log on to Spooky Isles when deciding which places to visit for a spooky vacation. To make it easier, we’ve created Create Your Own Ghost Tour guides and put all the spooky things you want to visit in one place.
Author, ghost hunter and host of the series “How Haunted?” podcast Rob Kirukp with his recommendations for your own ghost tour of County Durham.
History of the County of Durham
There is archaeological evidence of settlements in the County Durham area dating back to 2000 BC. However, the present city of Durham, and the county that grew around it, dates back to 995 AD when monks from Lindisfarne settled on what was then known as Dunholme, as the final resting place of the remains of St Cuthbert.
During the Middle Ages the city rose to spiritual prominence and became the most important religious site in England, as the remains of St Cuthbert were located behind the high altar of Durham Cathedral. It was said that St. Cuthbert’s miraculous healing powers in life had extended to death, as visitors to his shrine were said to have been cured of all manner of diseases.
Today, the city of Durham is a beautiful historic site with 569 listed buildings in the city centre. It is famous for its beautiful castle and cathedral, both of which are almost 1,000 years old and are jointly UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Over the centuries, the people of County Durham have witnessed some incredible and on other occasions horrific events; today this manifests itself in the haunted inns, castles, theatres, museums, abbeys and even waterfalls that dot the province. .
Spooky places to visit in County Durham
Lumley Castle was completed in 1398 and was the creation of the man from which it takes its name; Sir Ralph Lumley. The five-star hotel that it is today is known around the world for its resident ghost Lily of Lumley. Lily was Sir Ralph’s wife, and while he was away, two priests came to the castle to try to convert Lily to Catholicism. When she refused, they killed her and threw her body into a well. The priests then told Ralph that Lily had left to become a nun. Some say that Lumley’s ghost rises from the spring every night and wanders the castle. Her footsteps can be heard on landings and even in hotel rooms.
The North England Lead Mining Museum, better known as Killhope, is built around Park Level Mine which opened in 1853 to explore the rich veins of lead ore found in Killhope. The moors and dales of the North Pennines echoed the sound of the lead mining industry for over fifty years until the mine ceased to operate in 1910.
The belief that the mine, its grounds and surrounding forest are haunted dates back to when it was a working mine. The miners were convinced that there were ghosts in Killhope and called them Tommyknockers. Some of these spirits were benign spirits who meant no harm, but it was widely believed that there existed a number of malevolent phantoms bent on causing disruption and misery.
Durham Castle, together with the breathtaking cathedral, are highly icons of the city and County of Durham. The current castle was built in 1072 as one of the first fortified castles built by William the Conqueror during his ‘Harrying of the North’.
One of the most memorable moments of a visit to Durham Castle is your first glimpse of the beautiful Black Staircase. It is named after the dark oak from which it is made and is 17 meters high. It is one of the most impressive staircases of its time in England. Furthermore, it seems that the Black Stairs may have a dark secret; Since the 17th century, the ghostly figure of a woman has been seen sliding up the stairs countless timese century, its identity remains a mystery.
Bowes Castle stands on the original site of Lavatrae, a four-hectare fortress built by the Romans in the Flavian period to protect the road over the Pennine Mountains. The fortress was built in the 1st century and was occupied until the 4th century. Bowes Castle was built in 1136 as an earth and timber structure by Alan the Red, Earl of Brittany, who also owned nearby Richmond Castle.
By the end of the 4e century, the Roman occupation of England came to an end. The Roman garrison stationed in Lavatrae raided the local villages and stole all their valuables, especially gold. The enraged locals took revenge and launched an attack on the fortress, and despite a brave fight, the garrison was quickly defeated and the Romans were mercilessly slaughtered, having already hidden the looted treasure.
On the anniversary of the massacre, the ghosts of the murdered Roman garrison would appear at Bowes Castle to ritually bury their stolen gold and treasure. However, those who see these ghosts are said to die under mysterious circumstances before they can share the location of the buried gold.
Finchale priority began its life as a hermitage created by Godric in the early 12th centurye century, and it is said that a club-footed monk named Slewfoot is still here today, despite the priory being in ruins. Timeslips are also reported here.
This is said to happen on the bridge next to Finchale Priory which crosses the River Wear, and individuals have claimed to have seen Finchale Priory, no longer destroyed, but what it would have looked like when in use as a priory, with monks who wandered among them. the buildings. Witnesses have described sensations such as sounds that seem muffled, colors that seem muted, and a feeling of depression.
Spooky places to stay in County Durham
The Mercure Darlington King’s Hotel dates back to 1611 and is the abode of two ghosts named Mary and Albert, who worked together at the hotel in the early 19th centurye century.
Redworth Hall Hotel is a beautiful Jacobean country house dating from 1693, and a former lord of the house and scullery maid, who was murdered after becoming pregnant by this lord. Room 9 in particular is notorious.
Spooky places to eat and drink
The Oak Tree Inn Stanley was originally a country house built in 1690 for the Liddel family. It opened as an inn in the mid-1919se century and is as charming as it is haunting today. The most famous ghost is that of a man sitting in the bar wearing a three-cornered hat.
The old Unicorn Inn in Bowes dates back to the 16the century and visitors can encounter Emma. She died after the death of her lover, with whom she was not allowed to be with because she was seen as beneath him. Her sad shadow can still be seen throughout the building she knew so well during her lifetime.
Ghost excursions nearby
Kettle muzzle is a waterfall on the headwaters of the River Tees, located below a dam on the eastern side of the Cow Green Reservoir. Cauldron Snout is truly a breathtaking sight, the angry water flowing, bubbling and crashing down a series of dolerite steps over 600 feet long. Vertically it is 60 meters from the first to the last cataract, meaning that Cauldron Snout is not only the longest waterfall in England, but also the highest.
It is said that the ghost of a Victorian farm girl haunts Cauldron Snout. Her true identity is unknown, but she is known locally as the Singing Lady. She was in love with a married leading miner and was heartbroken when he ended their affair. Devastated, she threw herself at the mercy of Cauldron Snout, cracked her skull on the rocks and drowned.
Her desperate spirit is often seen gliding across the water on moonlit nights. Witnesses have said she appears to be crying, others say she is singing, but any sound she makes is virtually drowned out by the loud roar of the angry, rushing water. from Cauldron Snout.
County Durham is a beautiful part of the North East and has all kinds of historic sites worth seeing. Not only that, but the sheer number and variety of supposedly haunted locations makes it a ghost hunter’s dream.
Have you visited County Durham for a ghost tour or created your own ghost tour route? Tell us about it in the comments below!
And please tell us if we’ve missed anything that you think we should add to this County Durham Ghost Tour Guide.
Read more about Rob Kirkup and his work at The How Haunted? Podcast.
Listen to Spooky Isles interview with Rob Kirkup
We recently spoke with a paranormal researcher, author and historian Rob Kirkup on Ghosts of the North-East of England for our Ghostly Islands: The Podcast. Listen below and check out our other interviews with some very interestingly creepy people!
