10 Most Terrifying Places In England

8. Newby Church, North Yorkshire

Newby Church is somewhat unique in this list, as it only has one recorded instance of any unsettling or haunted activity; but its significance can't be diminished as the activity in question is spectacular. In the early 60s, the local Reverend was taking pictures of the church's interior and made sure to take a picture of the altar, of which he was particularly fond. When he had the photos developed he spotted what has been considered the perfect photo of a phantom standing over the altar. The ghostly figure is believed to be over 9 foot tall, shrouded in a cloak, with no visible limbs or extremities. There was also a cloth covering it's face with sunken eye holes cut in it. At the time, many people believed the photo to be a hoax, putting forward that the camera had been on a tri-pod and the Reverend had used a technique known as 'double-exposure' to fake the phantom's existence. The Reverend, adamant to prove it was real, sent the photo to several groups of scientists for examination, who determined the photo was indeed legit and no hoax had taken place. Now known as The Newby Specter, it has not appeared in photographs since and there is no record of it appearing before the Reverend's photo in 1963. The Specter has made the small church famous and ghost hunters are always attempting to catch a glimpse of the hooded creature, despite the fact that it has only ever appeared in one photograph taken by a single person. As a result, the church itself has an air of mysticism and ghost hunters have often complained of an uncomfortable feeling within it's walls, regardless of the fact that they have never encountered any overt activity. A strange case indeed. Acorah says: In there? Not even for a BOX of Scooby Snacks.