10 Most Terrifying Places In England

10. Pendle Hill, Lancashire

The village of Newchurch-In-Pendle is a small, quaint little place with a shop and a pub and, well, very little else. It's picturesque in a very "People's Friend" kind of way, such is the attraction for many people to the area. But the village lives in the shadow of the infamous Pendle Hill and the memory of its witches lives on to this day. So the story goes, in 1612 there was a family of peasants who lived atop Pendle Hill in a Limestone tower who had the local villagers living in fear. People were getting sick from unknown ailments, the local livestock was producing sour milk and eventually began to die of disease and all under the watch of the mysterious family up on the hill. One Justice Of The Peace, Roger Nowell, was brave enough to confront the family and arrest them, taking them to closest court in nearby Lancaster where they stood trial for witchcraft. Having all been found guilty, they were sentenced to death and hanged in Lancaster Castle. It's said that the spirits of the witches haunt the hill and local village; with more receptive people sensing an aura of anger and hatred around the whole area. The witches are considered to be malevolently angry at their execution and do not want others to be about. People have reported actual physical harm from unknown sources and even, in some cases, the sensation of hands around their throat as if the witches are attempting to throttle them to death. Suffice it to say, despite the area's uncanny beauty, Pendle Hill is a place for the brave of spirit and strong of soul. Acorah says: Erm... I'm going to say... no. No, that's it, we'll stay clear. Barm cake?