As Halloween draws near, the air is filled with an eerie chill. Whether you’re a staunch believer in the supernatural, feel like spirits are drawn to you, or suspect your own home might be haunted, have you ever wondered if you reside in the UK’s most haunted city?
Tarot reading platform Tarotoo has delved into the data, analysing a range of chilling metrics, from the number of cemeteries and graves to reported ghost hotspots, vacant properties, and homes over a century old. According to Tarotoo, the spookiest city in the UK is Bradford. This West Yorkshire location was found to have a staggering 143 cemeteries and 255,699 grave sites.
It also had 3,284 empty houses and 66,080 properties over 100 years old. As we all know, ghosts have a penchant for old houses, reports the Mirror.
The city boasts a number of reportedly haunted hotspots too, including Paper Hall, a Grade II listed building dating back to 1643. One of the most striking reports of paranormal activity at Paper Hall tells of a pair of large staring eyes belonging to a very ghastly face often seen peering out of the windows.
Locals have also reported the sound of someone ascending and descending the staircase in the dead of night, only for those brave enough to investigate the noise to find no one there.
Some speculate that the footsteps belong to an old sailor with a peg leg due to the distinct ‘tapping’ pattern of the sound. Rumours have also circulated that an admiral was once killed in the house.
Bradford City Hall, constructed in 1843, is widely believed to be a hotspot for supernatural occurrences. The cellars previously functioned as police cells, and local folklore suggests that the ghost of a prisoner named Charlie continues to haunt the premises.
He is believed to be prowling the building to this day, his tormented spirit still pursuing vengeance for the mistreatment he endured from the police. Parkside Social Club represents another location that has generated numerous ghostly accounts.
Historically, the structure has functioned as both an institute and a schoolroom. Among the most frequently reported apparitions is that of a young girl dressed in Victorian-era attire who delights in running about in an eerie manner.
Bolling Hall stands as the oldest residence in Bradford, as stated by the Haunted Rooms website.
It has accumulated “20 recorded sightings” throughout the years, featuring a child’s crib swaying to and fro without any physical contact, and a lady dressed in white who glides backwards and forwards before vanishing into the fireplace.
(City, Population, Number of cemeteries, Number of Graves, Number of Ghost hotspots, Number of Empty properties, Houses over 100 years old).
- Bradford: 299,310, 143, 255,699, 12, 3,284, 66,080, 79, 2
- Leeds: 455,123, 156, 827,636, 35, 3,450, 64,510, 78
- Aberdeen: 196,670, 28, 48,300, 24, 5,793, 30,750, 75, 4
- Swansea: 300,352, 103, 109,360, 12, 8,700, 30,840, 74
- Edinburgh: 464,990, 82, 114,257, 107, 3,093, 81,108, 74
- Manchester: 551,938, 75, 861,751, 65, 1,700, 56,020, 70, 6
- Newcastle upon Tyne: 192,382, 39, 35,448, 32, 1,449, 26,060, 69
- Belfast: 274,770, 31, 225,150, 13, 3,694, 43,708, 69
- Cardiff: 447,287, 55, 143,068, 41, 7,525, 39,640, 66
- Bristol: 617,280, 105, 286,860, 80, 1,654, 64,410, 65