From forts and castles to pubs and houses; The Suffolk Coast with its rich history has been the setting for a fair few spooky tales!
Bungay Castle
Built in the 1100s by Roger Bigod, Earl of Norfolk, the Norman castle in Bungay is said to be haunted by Hugh, one of the Bigod family members. Whilst in Bungay, you should also be on the look out for the Black Shuck, a large black dog, who, in 1577, burst through the doors of nearby St Mary’s Church and massacred a man and a boy before moving on to Blythburgh Church where it went on to kill some locals.
Local accounts attribute to Shuck to the devil; whose scorch marks can still be seen on the door of the church to this day.
Buttermarket Shopping Centre, Ipswich
Built on the site of a former monastery, and Anglo-Saxon burial ground, the Buttermarket Shopping Centre in Ipswich is said to be haunted by a few ghostly beings! If you are of a nervous disposition, have your car keys ready, as CCTV in the underground car park is said to have recorded shadowy figures, and prior to the shopping centre being built, former employees at Cowells Department Store and Cowells Printers reported sightings of a ghostly monk.
As if that wasn't spine-tingling enough, at the rear of the shopping centre near the emergency exit, keep your eyes peeled for a male phantom who is said to run towards people and then vanish into thin air!
Roos Hall, Beccles
Said to be one of the most haunted houses in England, 16th Century Roos Hall is located just outside the historic market town of Beccles. The Tudor manor is reportedly haunted by a phantom coach and horses, that charges down the driveway and stops outside the front door on Christmas Eve.
Legend has it that the Coach is driven by a member of the Blennerhassett family, who once owned the hall, and seated next to him is a beautiful ghostly woman; who if you look straight in the eyes, will send you mad!
The devil’s presence is also in evidence at the hall, as scorch marks can be seen in the brickwork of a cupboard. On the grounds of Roos Hall, near the road, you will also spot an old oak tree. It was here that in days gone by, many a soul was hanged; look out for the lady dressed in white who appears at night, and a man in brown jacket and trousers who was hung from the tree for stealing; only to be found not guilty after his death.
Whilst the hall is privately owned, private tours can be booked if you are brave enough!
Christchurch Mansion, Ipswich
The Grade 1 listed Christchurch Mansion is now a museum and well- known for exhibiting a selection of Constable and Gainsborough paintings, but also for being home to a fair few ghosts as well!
A common sight is the ghost of a young Edwardian lady, who is often seen dancing and laughing in the Upper Gallery, occasionally joined by two happy children. Visitors have also been given a scare when a lady in grey suddenly appears before them, in a full-length gown, and be on the lookout for a young servant girl who died in mysterious circumstances wandering the halls.
Dunwich
Once the capital town of Suffolk, the town of Dunwich fell over the cliffs and into the sea in the 16th and 17th centuries. When the sea is rough, legend has it that the church bells can be heard from under the sea.
If you dare take a stroll through the heath at night, you may also be spooked by the sight of a Victorian Squire on horseback!
Landguard Fort, Felixstowe
With it’s military past, it's no wonder Landguard Fort in Felixstowe is haunted! Staff at the Fort have reported a number of ghostly sightings, including the sudden appearance of a Victorian artilleryman in the gift shop one afternoon. He walked out of the wall, smiled at a female member of staff and disappeared back inside. He is said to also be the culprit of poltergeist activity; causing items to fly off the shelves at random!
Outside, you may encounter a ghostly coach being pulled by horses across the ditch, where the old drawbridge would have been, whilst inside the Fort, a spectral soldier, stationed here during the second world war has been spotted patrolling the Bastion. If you keep an ear out too, you may just hear the agonising screams of a soldier of who died of the plague whilst being kept in quarantine here.