Most Haunted in Cornwall: Top Ghostly Sites & Paranormal Hotspots

Most Haunted Places in Cornwall

Bodmin Moor

Beautiful in the sunshine, the wilds of Bodmin Moor become a much more desolate place under sheets of rain and swirling mists. It’s little wonder then that this brooding place is intertwined with countless chilling tales, including the bottomless Dozmary Pool and the flame-eyed Beast of Bodmin Moor. Particularly notable, the sad story of Charlotte Dymond is synonymous with the moor.

A domestic servant of Penhale Farm, Charlotte went missing on 14th April 1844. She had last been seen with farmhand, Matthew Weeks, but failed to return home. A week after her disappearance, a search team stumbled upon a gruesome discovery: Charlotte’s body “lying face upwards beside a stream on the slopes of Roughtor. Her throat had been deeply cut from ear to ear.”¹ It didn’t take long for Matthew to be apprehended and charged for her murder, after which he was promptly hanged at Bodmin Jail.

• Grid Reference: SX 15869 79998
• What3Words: failed.frog.hero

Bodmin Jail

Undoubtedly one of the most haunted locations in Cornwall, Bodmin Jail is claimed to be rife with malevolent forces and a bottomless receptacle of Cornwall ghost stories. “When you take all the negative energy [of the] murderers, thieves, con merchants, sexual deviants, violent offenders and arsonists, it’s hardly surprising that [they] have left behind their bitter-sweet imprints.”² Built in 1779,³ the old jail is open to visitors and is a frequent destination of paranormal hunters. Over the years, it’s said that many people have encountered some of its ghostly inmates, including the murderer, Matthew Weeks; the last woman to be hanged at the jail, Selina Wadge; and the accused witch, Anne Jeffries.

• Grid Reference: SX 06498 67458
• What3Words: lamp.title.nobody

Boscastle

Speaking of witchcraft, there are few places more heavily connected to the coven-ant than Boscastle. Only a short drive from Launceston where suspected ‘witches’ were held in The Witches’ Tower and tried in the Assize courts, Boscastle is particularly well-known as being the home of The Museum of Witchcraft and Magic. Opened by Cecil Williams in 1960, the museum resides within folklore-rich territory. Williams once said: “From ancient times man and his magic making with the world of spirit were active in this area…All around us in this quiet corner of England there is a strange feeling that we are not alone.”⁴

• Grid Reference: SX 09749 91347
• What3Words: funky.shadows.snowmen

Bucket of Blood, Hayle

What’s in a name, we hear you ask? Well, everything. Rooted in a notorious legend, the Bucket of Blood, Hayle, is a particularly disturbing epitaph. “From early times there has been a pub here, supposedly a previous haven for pirates, smugglers, sailors and the like.”⁵ But with such a mixed clientele, it’s fair to say this charming tavern wasn’t always as wonderfully welcoming as it is today. So much so that one day, several centuries ago, when a former landlord was raising a pail of water from the pub’s well, he found it to be filled with not water, but blood. A bucket of blood. Upon investigation, the mutilated body of a revenue officer was found at the bottom of the well. Another reason why it’s always safer to stick to pints.

• Grid Reference: SW 56435 38407
• What3Words: bounding.headless.hides

Chapel Street, Penzance

Not far from the iconic frame of St Michael’s Mount, the soulful Chapel Street is said to be one of the most haunted places in the county. Home to many ancient inns (many which claim to be the oldest pub around) and quirky corners, this history-rich street is full of intrigue. One of its most famous spots, the Admiral Benbow pub is proclaimed as one of the most haunted pubs in Cornwall and is undercut with smugglers tunnels, down which numerous people have claimed to hear disembodied footsteps. “The Benbow is also alleged to be haunted by the ghost of a young lady… She is believed to have lived here in the eighteenth century, dying of a broken heart when her lover was lost at sea.”⁵

• Grid Reference: SW 47444 30101
• What3Words: essential.highlight.afraid

Church Cove, Gunwalloe

Used as the backdrop for TV favourite, Poldark, Church Cove at Gunwalloe is widely recognised for its head-turning sightings. That said, these don’t just stop at a tousled Aidan Turner. As it happens, Church Cove is thought to be one of the most haunted places in Cornwall, with many tales of shipwrecked souls still scouring the shoreline – even in the day. Amongst the cove’s ghost sightings, two daytime photographs went viral in 2018⁶ and 2020⁶ for seemingly capturing spooky spectres through the lens. Just a short distance away, you can also find another of the reported haunted pubs in Cornwall, the Halzephron Inn, linked to smuggling and shipwrecked souls.

• Grid Reference: SW 66064 20535
• What3Words: scariest.safe.disbelief

Jamaica Inn, Bolventor

According to ghost hunter Michael Williams, “North Cornwall and the paranormal come together naturally… It is quite simply one of the most haunted areas in all of Britain, outside of London.”⁷ Of the most haunted spots in not just Cornwall but England, Jamaica Inn has long attracted ghost hunters following phantom footsteps. A true Cornish icon made famous by Daphne Du Maurier, the pub’s history dates to the 18th century when it was a popular haunt of smugglers. And who knows, maybe it still is, for multiple reports have been made over the years of thundering hooves, pacing footsteps, and strange shadowy figures.

• Grid Reference: SX 18304 76733
• What3Words: circle.spoils.glimmers

Kennall Vale, Ponsanooth

Kennall Vale was once the home of the Kennall Gunpowder Company which supplied the county’s booming mining industry. Where once dozens of water wheels stood and the gunpowder works thrived, today little remains of the former industry save for old ruins and, perhaps, a restless spirit or two. For, in the years that the company operated, a series of disastrous accidents occurred, including one event in 1838 in which five mills blew up in succession, and another in 1851 when a worker, John Martin, was blown up whilst trying to remove gunpowder from the glossing mill. Shockingly, is head was discovered a quarter of a mile away!⁸

• Grid Reference: SW 75294 37531
• What3Words: sedative.tangling.decays

Lizard Windmill

Cornwall is notorious for “the smugglers and the highwaymen who stained dark nights with darker deeds and sometimes blood.”⁷ One of the wildest areas of the county, the Lizard Peninsula was for many years a veritable Wild (South) West. In the middle of a nature reserve, the Lizard Windmill was once used as a hideout by a fearsome gang of sheep rustlers. When confronted by a local man, Oliver Tucker, who threatened to go to the police, the gang’s response was to murder him near the isolated mill. Even today, it’s hard to discern between the wailing winds and Tucker’s echoed cries that can sometimes be heard on a stormy night.

• Grid Reference: SW 69323 15201
• What3Words: unearthly.statement.scoop

Pendennis Castle, Falmouth

Presiding over Falmouth Bay since the days of Henry VIII, Pendennis Castle is a beloved local landmark. By day, visitors can head over to this English Heritage site and explore its old garrisons and towers for historical insights and far-reaching vistas. By night, though, the veil between worlds begins to fade and figures from the castle’s past begin to retrace their steps. Though a number of ghosts are claimed to have been encountered by staff and visitors alike, perhaps the most well-known is Maud. A former kitchen maid, it’s believed that Maud fell to her death down a staircase between the castle’s old kitchen and governors’ quarters, and it’s near here she sometimes lingers still.

• Grid Reference: SW 82461 31759
• What3Words: tower.limp.scared

Pengersick Castle, Breage

Nestled between the villages of Germoe and Praa Sands, the fortified manor of Pengersick Castle resides amongst verdant lawns and manicured gardens. Dating back hundreds of years, the castle is reported to be one of the most ghostly in the UK and, along with the Elizabethan manor house Prideaux Place in Padstow, was visited by the crew of Most Haunted.⁹ In fact, the producers claimed up to 20 ghosts have been encountered in the castle and its grounds over the years, including a brown-robed monk and a young boy.

• Grid Reference: SW 58167 28421
• What3Words: instance.risky.crossings

Pistil Meadow, The Lizard

When it comes to ghost stories in Cornwall, sometimes it’s not words but a feeling that can truly inspire chills. Exuding an otherworldly atmosphere, Pistil Meadow on the tip of the Lizard Peninsula is one such place that conjures mixed emotions in those who visit. The subject of extensive investigations, the valley has long been rumoured to be the site of a mass burial site. Following the tragic sinking of the Royal Anne Galley in 1721,¹¹ it’s reputed that nearly 200 mariners were laid to rest in the valley. Though searches have been inconclusive, locals can’t quite shake Pistil’s odd feeling – though most agree that, either way, it’s best not to disturb slumbering souls.

• Grid Reference: SW 69876 11620
• What3Words: suitably.upset.breakaway

Tintagel Castle

Tintagel Castle is another of North Cornwall’s legendary locations, wrapped in fables of Camelot and King Arthur. Situated on the footprint of much older settlements, the current castle that you see today dates back to the 13th century.¹⁰ Truly enigmatic, it sits above the sea on a rocky promontory and even by day evokes a powerful sense of romanticism. When the sun slips below the horizon, the castle’s mysterious aura only intensifies, with many people sensing “something of the past among these black cliffs and crumbling ruins where, even on the sunniest days, there is a sombre stillness, broken only by the sound of the ever-roaring sea.”¹¹

• Grid Reference: SX 05162 88924
• What3Words: drizzly.flexibly.palace

Wheal Coates, St Agnes

Sitting above the golden sands of Chapel Porth in St Agnes, the dramatic ruins of Wheal Coates is an instantly recognisable sight. One of the county’s former tin mines that flourished in the 19th century, it has played an intrinsic role in local and county history for 200 years. Like many of the county’s mines though, Wheal Coates is not without its own tragedies, and for many, the presence of miners who lost their lives there can still be felt. Especially shocking was the tale of John Matthews and John Richards who died in the belly of the mine in 1876 when a skip chain suddenly broke.¹²

• Grid Reference: SW 69973 50041
• What3Words: crackled.tragedy.optimists

Haunted Cornwall: The After Show

Ready to explore haunted locations in Cornwall?

From crumbling castles and quiet coves to ancient inns echoing with whispers past, set your imagination whirring in some of the most haunted places in Cornwall. Whether you can’t wait to uncover fascinating stories in Cornwall’s paranormal hotspots or are simply drawn by the thrill of the unknown, the county’s moonlit moors and silvery shores are sure to deliver in suspense and surprise.

Article Sources

1. Grego, Peter. (2013). Cornwall’s Strangest Tales: Extraordinary but true stories. London: Portico Books[↩]
2. Scanlan, David. (2021). Paranormal Cornwall. Stroud: Amberley Publishing[↩]
3. Bodmin Jail. (n.d.). History. [online]. Available at:https://www.bodminjail.org/bodmin-jail-its-inmates/about-bodmin-jail/bodmin-jail-history/ Bodmin Jail[↩]
4. Museum of Witchcraft and Magic. (n.d.). History. [online]. Available at:https://museumofwitchcraftandmagic.co.uk/history/ Museum of Witchcraft and Magic[↩]
5. Addicoat, Ian Michael. (2013). Haunted Pubs of the South West. Stroud: Amberley Publishing[↩]
6. Falmouth Packet. (2018). Chilling Church Cove Photograph. [online]. Available at:https://www.falmouthpacket.co.uk/news/16999924.chilling-church-cove-photograph/ Falmouth Packet[↩]
7. Cornwall Live. (2020). Ghostly Figure Photobombs Couple’s Church Cove Selfie. [online]. Available at:https://www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwall-news/ghostly-figure-photobombs-couples-church-4141130 Cornwall Live[↩]
8. Williams, Michael. (2014). Haunted North Cornwall. Cheltenham: History Press[↩]
9. Mackay, Robin. (2020). Hydroplutonic Kernow. Falmouth: MIT Press[↩]
10. IMDB. (n.d.). “Most Haunted”. [online]. Available at:https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4069366/ IMDB[↩]
11. This is Mast. (n.d.). Pistil Meadow and the Royal Anne. [online]. Available at:https://www.thisismast.org/research/pistil-meadow-and-the-royal-anne.html This is Mast[↩]
12. English Heritage. (n.d.) Tintagel Castle. [online]. Available at:https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/tintagel-castle/history-and-legend/ English Heritage[↩]
13. Underwood, Peter. 1983. Ghosts of Cornwall. Launceston: Bossiney Books
14. OPC Cornwall. (n.d.). Royal Cornwall Gazette 24 June 1876. [online]. Available at:https://www.opc-cornwall.org/inquests/mount_hawke_inquest_matthews_richards_1876.pdf OPC Cornwall