Feeling brave? Here are ten famously ‘haunted’ spots in Edinburgh

With Edinburgh’s bloody history, is it any wonder that many locals claim that the capital is plagued by ghosts and hauntings?
Here are a list of ten haunted spots in EdinburghHere are a list of ten haunted spots in Edinburgh
Here are a list of ten haunted spots in Edinburgh

Edinburgh is rich with gory and bloody history from Burke and Hare to witch trials to covenanters prisons and medieval torture techniques.

It is no surprise then that there are many reports from both locals and tourists that mysterious and ghostly activity and paranormal hot spots are rife across the capital.

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For the fearless amongst you, here are ten famously “haunted” places in Edinburgh to visit.

Mackenzie's Tomb: George Mackenzie was made Lord Advocate in Scotland in 1677, and was responsible for the persecution and punishment of the covenanters, a group of Scottish presbyterians who were revolting against the divine rule of the king.

This earned him the nickname ‘Bloody Mackenzie’ and to this day his tomb in Greyfriars graveyard is the centre of a lot of paranormal activity, and visitors to the covenanters prison (also in the graveyard) are said to receive scratches from this unsettled ghost.

Edinburgh Playhouse: This theatre is home to its very own phantom, hardly surprising as the site of the playhouse once hosted a Tabernacle (religious meeting place) and an asylum.

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Reports of the phantom, named Albert, have been circulating since the 1950’s and has been described as wearing grey overalls.

He is thought not just to wander the corridors but be responsible for strange noises including the sounds of orchestral music in the middle of the night.

West Bow: The street where Edinburgh's most haunted house sits.

Major Thomas Weir - the Wizard of West Bow - was executed in 1670 after confessing to crimes including beastiality, incest and communicating with the dead.

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Although his original home was thought to have been demolished in 1878, it turns out it was actually just incorporated into the new building that replaced it, the building which is now the Quaker Meeting House of Victoria terrace.

His ghost is said to haunt this whole area.

The Mitre: This city centre Edinburgh pub may seem innocent enough, but the building was once home to the Bishop of St Andrews in 1615.

The building burnt down in 1814 and the Mitre pub was built on the site.

Patrons to the bar have often said that the Bishop can be seen wandering around the pub and allegedly changing the music if it’s not quite to his taste.

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Edinburgh Castle: A site of battle, betrayal and murder, it would be remarkable if this area was ghost free.

Visitors to the castle have experienced unusual and unexplained sounds and knocking, being pushed and pulled, and an unexpected sense of dread comes upon them.

One of the most famous ghosts said to frequent the castle is that of a piper, who was sent to explore the underground vaults of the city and never returned.

The soft sounds of his music can allegedly still often be heard in the castle area.

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Edinburgh Vaults: As one of the most famous hauntings in the world, the Edinburgh vaults have been the subject of many documentaries and paranormal investigations.

The city below a city, the vaults are a labyrinth of tunnels and rooms that spread out underneath Edinburgh’s old town and are the site of many a ghost and ghoul including an old man, destined to wander the tunnels for eternity, and a shrieking banshee.

Grassmarket: As well as a big weekend hotspot for stag and hen do’s, the Grassmarket also hosts the site of the old Edinburgh gallows where many a criminal would have met a grizzly end.

Many a pub in the Grassmarket have reported unearthly sightings, including the Beehive beer cellar, where a malevolent presence has often been felt and the White Hart Inn, which has seen customers being pulled and prodded as well as having bottles of sauce thrown at them by some invisible being.

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The Banshee Labyrinth: This Edinburgh pub backs on to the aforementioned vaults in the South Bridge.

Allegedly, when workers were renovating the pub, they heard the crying of a young girl.

When they found the source of the noise, they found a woman with eyeless sockets who let out an unearthly scream, frightening the workers from the building.

Although there are many different versions of this story, it is said that many of the workers received calls later the same day informing them of family tragedies.

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Canongate Kirkyard: It’s easy to imagine why a graveyard might be haunted, and the Canongate Kirkyard is no different.

The ghostly activity that emanates from the graveyard spreads out into many surrounding buildings and includes a crying woman dressed in black who vanishes whenever someone approaches her.

Mary Kings Close: Another famous sight for visiting paranormal experts and documentary makers.

Mary Kings Close now hosts a historical tour company, who take visitors through the old close to show the Edinburgh of the past and tour guides in the close have spoken often about sightings of apparitions.

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The main ghost is that of the young girl Annie who imposes feelings of sickness, hunger and cold, and tugs on the legs of visitors.

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