3. Borley Rectory - Essex
Built in 1862 to house the rector of Borley Church and his family, The Borley Rectory would go on to become a synonym for horror. In the 1930s, the house would find fame as the most haunted house in all of England. The year following the propertys completion, local residents reported hearing phantom footsteps echoing around the grounds of the rectory. Less than a decade later, at the turn of the century, four of the Rectors daughters reported seeing a spectral nun traversing the area around the house. Prior to this sighting, the ghostly novice had been spotted, on a regular basis, for the better part of a decade. However, that was just the beginning... In 1929, Revd G. Eric Smith and his wife, Mabel contacted the Daily Mirror newspaper in the hopes of seeking advice for a number of bizarre events that were apparently taking place in the rectory. According to the Reverend and his wife, keys were shooting out of locks, bells were ringing (even though all servant bells had been disconnected), low whisperings were heard in the corridors and an upper window was said to be constantly illuminated, despite there being no light source in the room... Mrs Smith swore up and down that shed seen a spectral carriage, drawn by headless horses and driven by a headless coachman, tearing through the grounds at night. The haunted house had become a household name (thanks to the Daily Mirror coverage), when the Smiths left the rectory, presumably for pastures less creepy, in 1929. The next occupant kept a journal of all the weird happenings he encountered in his new home. His journal reports ghostly writing appearing on the walls (generally appeals for mass or prayers), as well as showers of stones being thrown at the house. From 1935 to 1937, the Borley rectory stood unattended, the exclusive principality of shades and spectres, until it was rented by psychic investigator Harry Price. Price assembled a team of volunteers to stay in the house, with the aim of investigating the famous hauntings. One of these investigators uncovered a spirit prophecy that the rectory would ultimately be destroyed by fire. But wait, it gets weirder... In February 1939, an oil lamp was inexplicably damaged in the hall, leading to a huge fire that ravaged the property. During the fire, shadowy figures were seen standing in the upper windows, grimly assessing the ultimate outcome of their prophecy. In 1943, the cellar was excavated and a skull was discovered, which was assumed to belong to a French girl who was apparently drowned in 1667 (and presumed by many to be the original identity of the rectorys mysterious nun). Eventually, the remains of the rectory were demolished, but unsuspecting passers by still report odd sounding footsteps, as well as the occasional floating nun...