Tag Archives: haunted house

Ledgelawn Summer Estate and the Bridal Ghost in the Attic

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In a former summer house for the rich and wealthy in Maine, the Ledgelawn Summer Estate has long been thought to be haunted by the ghost of Mary Margaret, the jilted bride haunting the house wearing her wedding dress.

Built in 1904 in the seaside town of Bar Harbor on Mount Desert Island in Maine, Ledgelawn Summer Estate was one of the original grand summer estates from the Gilded Age in the harbor for the elite that used to spend their summer here by the sea. 

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Ledgelawn Estate is a 21-room shingle-style cottage on Mount Desert Street, found close to the church. They used to call these estates for the cottages where the rich summered and it is said that this building is the most haunted one in Bar Harbor and a story all the locals know about.

Bar Harbor: On Mount Desert Island in Maine you will find Bar Harbor where the Ledgelawn Summer Estate is. There are many places in this picturesque said to be haunted.

The Haunted Ledgelawn Summer Estate

The red building built for the wealthy summer visitors in 1904 was built upon something older, equally a mystery as the supposed haunting. It is said to be haunted by the woman in white known as Mary Margaret. According to legend, she was jilted just about to get married. 

Most of the variations of the stories tell that Mary Margaret was a dark haired beauty from that time, a member of the rich and powerful Astor family, or at least related to them.

Her soon to be husband took off right before their wedding and left her alone. Mary Margaret took this so hard and went straight up to the third floor, dressed herself in her wedding dress before hanging herself from the rafters in the attic with her wedding veil.

It is said that when her family found her, her face was so bruised, they almost didn’t recognize her. Her lips curled up to a smile. She has ever since then lingered and haunted the Ledgelawn Summer Estate through the years. 

The Haunting of Mary Margaret

Although her death is said to have happened in the attic of Ledgelawn Summer Estate, she is most often seen on the third floor. Her ghost is said to be transparent and floating about, returning to the place she died again and again.

The former summer estate used to be an inn and there is a particular one story from this time that is retold. Back then, the place used to be called Ledgelawn Inn and it was said that room 326 was the place she most often appeared. 

Guests checking in or staff working there would often get an ominous and gloomy feeling before claiming to see the ghost of a woman floating at the foot at their bed or even a ghostly wedding veil was coming from the ceiling and swaying in the night. 

According to this guest, the ghost got into bed with him. Scared of what happened he tried to ignore her lying next to him and simply rolled over, petrified and didn’t dare to open his eyes. 

The Ghost of a Maid in Ledgelawn Summer Estate

Ledgelawn Summer Estate: Source

The dramatic ghost of Mary Margaret is supposedly not the only ghost said to haunt the Ledgelawn Summer Estate. Apparently there is also a former maid most often called Catherine said to be haunting the former summer house and former inn. 

It is said that she had an affair with the owner of the house at the time and became pregnant while working there. The story is often been told to have happened in the 1930s. She died after falling down the stairs in the back. If she fell or if she were pushed is up for debate and was hushed up at the time. 

In addition to the women said to haunt the Ledgelawn Summer Estate there is also a child said to haunt the cupboard he hides in. According to the stories, he drowned somewhere in Bar Harbor. 

The Truth Behind the Legends

So how true is this very specific story said to haunt the Ledgelawn Summer Estate? The historic inn was bought by a firm in 2010, ending its time as an inn. 

The story behind the house is that Ledge Lawn was built by Samuel Willard Bridgham and Fanny Shermerhorn in the beginnings of the 1900s. Fanny was related to the Astors, a family filled with money and scandals. Samuel and Fanny though were known to be kind people, didn’t have any children and other mysterious deaths happening inside of their home. 

So what about the ghost that people keep seeing? Could it just be a trick your mind plays you when staying in an old building, and a local story told for fun in a sleepy seaside town. Or could it be something that the history didn’t record or where the details and facts have become distorted over time?

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References:

American Ghost Walks – Bar Harbor | Culture & Tours | Family Friendly Activities 

The Haunting of Ledgelawn – by Carrie Jones 

Resort company buys historic Bar Harbor inn 

The Haunting Horror of Kolkata’s Putulbari – The House of Dolls

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Once an opulent warehouse, Putulbari mansion in Kolkata is today better known as The House of Dolls. Rumors of the rich and powerful murdering their servants as well as a story about a daughter’s obsession with dolls makes this one of Kolkata’s most haunted places. 

Kolkata, a city renowned for its rich history and vibrant culture, hides an eerie secret within its heart. Among the centuries-old mansions and Rajbaris that grace the city, one stands out for its haunting tales and chilling past.

Read more: Check out all of the ghost stories from India

Putulbari, also known as the House of Dolls, is today a heritage building and infamous for being one of the most haunted places in Kolkata, where the decaying structure tells a story of darkness and despair. Most locals know about the history and the supposed haunting in the building adjacent to the Circular Railway track on 22 Hara Chandra Mullick Lane and are said to stay away from it. Especially at night as the rumors haunting this building are pretty grim and violent.

Historic Building: The old building Putulbari along the river bank is said to be one of the city’s most haunted ones. Allegedly it was a place were they used to traffic women who are now haunting the place. Was it all true?//Image Source

The Opulent Era of Shovabazar

Once upon a time, in the heart of Kolkata’s Shovabazar, stood Putulbari, a sprawling mansion belonging to one of the wealthy families that thrived during the British colonial era. Shovabazar, nestled along the banks of the Hooghly River, was a hub of trade and commerce like spices and silk, fueling the rapid ascent of Bengali aristocrats. 

Their immense wealth and power made these Rajbaris symbols of opulence and grandeur. Still to this day, you can sense the power of the rajbaris, although perhaps not as much as a century ago.

It is said that Putul Bari was used as some kind of warehouse by the river bank ready to ship to the world. However, many of the legends claim it was something more, perhaps even a home for the rich Bengali Babus.

The Sinister Past of Putulbari

However, beneath the surface of grandeur and prosperity lay sinister stories of exploitation, abuse, and inhumane treatment of especially women by the rich and powerful. The mansion owners, often taking advantage of the local women working in their homes and warehouses, subjected them to sexual assaults and torture. 

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To silence these victims, many were allegedly tragically murdered and buried within the confines of the property. Such incidents became alarmingly common, hidden behind the façade of grandeur. All of this is rumored to have taken place inside the walls of Putul Bari.

It is also said that the rich aristocrats came to see a performance by Baiji’s. One night there was a dance performance and one of the dancers was murdered in the building. After this she came back to haunt it and is still seen dancing on the terrace under the full moon nights.

The Doll Obsession

The owner of the mansion’s daughter was known for her peculiar obsession with dolls and filled the house with it. Her collection grew to become one of the largest and creepiest doll collections in the mansion. An eerie statue of dolls adorning the building’s exterior is a haunting reminder of her obsession. 

The sinister aura surrounding Putulbari took a horrifying turn when the doll-obsessed daughter met a tragic end due to a freak accident although details of it are not known. After her demise, the mansion became the focal point of inexplicable and terrifying events. 

Some say that the daughter started to haunt the building, through her dolls as well as throughout the rest of the house. And together with the rest of the girls allegedly buried there, their souls seem to linger there still.

Paranormal Encounters of the Building

People living in this ill-fated mansion shared spine-tingling stories of their encounters of the supernatural kind. They spoke of unearthly cries resonating through the night, apparitions of girls dancing on the mansion’s terrace, and a pervasive feeling of unease that lingered in the building’s every corner. Strangely, some dolls from the past still inhabit the mansion, covered in layers of dust and decay. Some believe that these dolls come to life, although the truth behind these claims remains shrouded in mystery.

There is also the case of the many women that were allegedly murdered that are said to haunt the place as well. And the voices of women screaming are heard by the locals coming from the old building. 

Kolkata’s Putulbari – the House of Dolls

Kolkata’s Putulbari is more than just an abandoned mansion; it is a repository of horrors and secrets from a bygone era. Even though the tenants in late years have put up signs that say “this place has no ghosts” to deter paranormal seekers, they still flock to this place to try to have a look for themselves after hearing the stories.

The landlord when the building was used as some sort of knitting factory claims that someone made up all the stories online, and they have been bothered by unwanted guests looking for ghosts ever since.

So how much of the horror stories behind Putulbari and the House of Dolls are true? The tragic tales of exploitation, the eerie obsession with dolls, and the unexplained encounters have turned this once opulent mansion into a place of terror. 

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References:

Putul Bari: The Ghastly Tales From The Past Dog The House Of Dolls In Kolkata – NRI Vision 

Kolkata’s Putulbari House of Dolls is more like house of terror | Times of India Travel 

Putul Bari – The Case of the Missing Ghost – Indian Vagabond

Kolkata Has A Haunted House Of Dolls That Will Give You Chills Down The Spine 

The Ghostly Brothers Haunting D’Mello House in Goa

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D’Mello House is a place said to be one of the more haunted places in Goa, India. According to legend, a rivalry between two brothers over the property turned deadly and their ghosts are said to linger inside the once grand house.

Hidden amidst the tranquil hillside of Santimol, Raia in South Goa lies a structure shrouded in darkness and dread—the infamous D’Mello House. This abandoned mansion, once a symbol of familial pride, now stands as a haunting reminder of a tragic past. 

Today the mansion has a haunted atmosphere with dark rooms and worn out walls. Both the inside and its exterior are covered by plants, slowly taking over the once grand building. The roof is soon caving in and windows and doors have been broken into countless times by people curious about the haunted story the building holds.

Read more: Check out all of the ghost stories from India

Legend has it that the house is cursed by the vengeful spirits of the D’Mello brothers, forever trapped in a cycle of torment and despair.

The Haunted D’Mello House: Facade of the supposed haunted house as it was in 2021, still abandoned and with the nature about to reclaim. // Source: Wikimedia

The Haunted D’Mello House

The tale dates back to a time when the once close D’Mello brothers during the Portuguese rule in Goa that lasted from 1505 to 1946, heirs to their ancestral property, succumbed to greed and envy. 

Fueled by a relentless desire for power and possession, their sibling rivalry escalated into a violent confrontation one fateful night. In a fit of rage, one brother mercilessly ended the life of the other, staining the very foundation of the house with blood.

But the horrors did not end there. Within days of the gruesome incident, the second brother met a mysterious demise, leaving behind a legacy tainted by tragedy. The exact nature of his death has always remained a mystery. Since then, the D’Mello House has become a beacon of dread, its walls echoing with the anguished cries of the departed souls.

Some say that it was the killed brother who returned as a ghost to get revenge over his brother. And it is said that both of them are now haunting the mansion they quarreled and lost their lives over. 

The Two Brothers Haunting the House

Local lore speaks of chilling encounters experienced by passers-by and nearby residents alike. Strange sounds pierce the silence of the night, sending shivers down the spine of anyone who dares to venture too close. Blood-curdling screams echo through the corridors, serving as a grim reminder of the house’s cursed existence.

Despite its picturesque surroundings, the D’Mello House remains a forsaken relic, abandoned by the living and feared by all who know its dark history. Its crumbling facade stands as a testament to the sins of the past, serving as a warning to those who dare to trespass upon its haunted grounds.

In the dead of night, when the moon casts an eerie glow upon the desolate landscape, the spirits of the D’Mello brothers are said to roam the halls of their former home. Trapped in a purgatorial realm between the living and the dead, they yearn for redemption, their tortured souls eternally bound to the cursed confines of the D’Mello House.

The Curse Set Upon the House

As well as the mansion being haunted, it is also said to be cursed. Those who have tried to live in the house have been plagued by the curse and no one has ever been able to live in it peacefully. 

But was it all true? There have of course been a debate at what really happened inside of the house as there are no names or dates connected to the legend that could help shed light if there really was two brothers that went through it. The more strange debate about the D’Mello House is if or where the house is located at all. 

Truth of the Mansion and its Haunting

A woman named Maria de Lourdes Bravo da Costa Rodrigues was writing an article for The Navhind Times. According to her, she knew the remaining D’Mello family. According to the legend, the house is supposed to be situated in Santimol in Raia, but was it really? According to her sister-in-law living in the village, there really wasn’t a house like that. 

There was however an abandoned house that belonged to the De Melo family who lived in Raia until they moved to Panaji. This house even served as a wedding location in the 1970s and was still not abandoned as in the stories. But was it haunted already then, or did the haunted rumours first start after the family moved away?

In any case, most will refer to this house on Raia Santimol Road were the old mansion still called D’Mello House is slowly deteriorating. So listen closely, perhaps the sound of the screams from the brothers during the night can give us more insight to what really happened inside of this house. 

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References:

D’Mello House – Wikipedia 

Haunted Places in Goa – The Navhind Times 

15° 18′ 53.6882″ N 73° 59′ 42.4669″ E

The Cursed Lisheen House and the Haunting Egyptian Artifacts

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Inside of the strange Lisheen House, there was once almost a museum of strange artifacts from abroad. When strange things started to happen, they became convinced there was a haunted or even cursed artifact that was behind the poltergeist activity. 

On the Coolera Peninsula of Sligo in Ireland stands the Lisheen House, also known as Seafield Mansion from the 1840s. The peninsula is characterized by a vast network of ancient Megalithic and Neolithic tombs, cairns and ringforts spread out across its landscape.

Read More: Check out all of the ghost stories from Ireland

The house was constructed by William Phibbs during the Great Famine. In gaelic, Lisheen means “the little fort.” The full place name Lisheenacooravan means “the little fort on the white level plain.” Phibbs was a landlord known for his cruelty and indifference, making his legacy a shadowy one.

Egyptian Artifacts A Curious Collection

By the early 20th century, Owen Phibbs, a descendant of William, transformed Lisheen House into a repository of Egyptian artifacts, including mummies. He was an archeologist as many of the richer men at the time traveled all around the world in search of rare relics. 

Some even claim that he was also a grave robber and treated his tenants cruelly and had them salute him when he drove by in his luxurious carriage. There are even stories that one of the tenants cast a curse on him and his family. 

He was known for kicking out those that couldn’t pay his unfairly high rent and once a widow cast a curse and swore that day would come when the birds of the air would build their nests in the ruins of Seafield House. She also cursed the Phibbs to walk its halls forever after, in this life or the next, until the end of time.

Lisheen House: Today, the house is almost taken back by nature and only its shell remains. The house was thought to be haunted, possible even cursed by poltergeist like activity. There could be because of an alleged curse put on the family there, or something from the strange and foreign artifacts that were brought back. //Source

He came back in 1855 from traveling through Egypt, Syria and further east. When he came back, he returned with many ancient and foreign treasures he put on display in a room he called the museum on the first floor of his house. Exactly what type of relics and their meaning is not known today. Little did he know that this endeavor would awaken malevolent forces within the mansion’s walls.

The Poltergeist Reign

Servants within the mansion bore witness to harrowing occurrences as strange things started to happen from then on. Lisheen House quaked ominously, and objects seemed to hurl themselves against walls. They could hear loud banding on the walls, doors and ceilings and dark figures would wander around.

The presence of a violent poltergeist was undeniable, and fear permeated the once-luxurious abode. People were sure it was something to do with the foreign artifacts.

Haunting Phantoms and Mysterious Coaches

Among the spectral phenomena reported was the ghostly appearance of a horse-drawn coach, its eerie rumble echoing through the night. The phantom vehicle would approach the mansion’s entrance only to vanish into thin air. Despite multiple attempts at exorcism, the paranormal activity persisted.

The haunting became so bad that the family called upon the local Jesuit priest that came to exorcise the place. Every day for several weeks the priest would try to hold masses to rid the house of the poltergeist, but nothing seemed to work.

The Phibbs Exodus from Lisheen House

The Phibbs family, while living in denial of the haunting, could not retain servants due to the mansion’s sinister reputation and the staff quit one by one and no one stayed for long. It was at this point they also changed the name to Lisheen House to try to save what was left of the reputation. But it was already too late. 

In 1938, a sudden decision was made by the family to abandon Lisheen House entirely. Their departure marked the end of an era for the once-stately mansion.

It is often said that it was because of an incident when the haunting became so intense the whole house was shaking, making them believe it was an earthquake and forcing them outside. After this night both the family and the remaining staff fled to never return.

A Mansion in Ruins

Lisheen House, its history veiled in the supernatural, was left to crumble into ruins after the family left in 1938. No one wanted to go back to the house to claim the house or the things inside it. Most of the content was sold. Were it ended up and what happened to the hauntings after remains a mystery. 

Today, it stands cloaked in wild Atlantic ivy, a silent testament to its eerie past on the green field. It looks peaceful today, but is it really? Many have claimed to have seen a coach with four horses, making the claim that the widow’s curse really came true and that the house is haunted until the end of time. 

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References:

Lisheen House – Go Strandhill 

Did Ireland’s answer to Indiana Jones bring home a Poltergeist in 1855? 

Seafield House | Emerald Isle Irish and Celtic myths, fairy tales and legends 

Drumbeg House and the Haunted Rooms

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From the many rooms at Drumbeg House in Ireland, there have been reports about the haunted screams from a woman and other strange occurrences that guests claim have to be of the paranormal sort. 

Amid the rugged landscapes of County Donegal, Ireland, Drumbeg House stands as a testament to time, its walls holding secrets and stories that have become the stuff of legend. In the most northern part of Ireland, the County Donegal comes from Dhún na nGall, which meansfort of the foreigners” . It got its name because Vikings landed their ships in the 9th century (year 801 through 900 AD) and created camps on the shorelines.

Read More: Check out all of the ghost stories from Ireland

This imposing estate, once a symbol of wealth and power, has earned a reputation as one of Europe’s most haunted places. Within its storied walls, tales of apparitions, ghostly noises, and poltergeist activity have chilled the hearts of those who dare to enter.

A Manor Steeped in History

Drumbeg means little ridge, and Drumbeg House was built by Captain Alexander Montogemery Stewart in the 1820s. Little is known about his life though, but the house he built had more than one purpose: Sometime in the late 1800s, it was turned into a hotel. It has also been used as an orphanage as well as a nursing home, and has had many souls passing through. 

For centuries, it has been a silent witness to the ebb and flow of history, and the stories it holds within are both enchanting and unsettling.

Drumbeg House: The old manor has been used as many things over the years. As a residential house, a school, nursing home and as a hotel on several occasions. People that have stayed and worked in the house have told many stories about it being haunted.

There is a story of an unfortunate soul that resided in the house and managed it when it was a hotel. The house belonged to William Hemmersbach from Cologne in Germany who came to Ireland in the early 1900s when it was used as a hotel. But when the war broke out in 1914, German residents in Ireland were rounded up because they were now seen as the enemy of the state and were sent to the Isle of Man to prison. He never got back his hotel business. 

The Haunting of Drumbeg House

The paranormal activity that infuses Drumbeg House has attracted the attention of ghost enthusiasts and thrill-seekers from around the world. Witnesses have reported a multitude of eerie phenomena, leaving no doubt that this manor is not for the faint of heart.

Although the house is mostly known as: Most Haunted in Ireland, there is not much information about the hauntings itself and who could be behind it. There are however two stories that people have reported about. 

The Woman’s Scream

One of the most spine-tingling occurrences at Drumbeg House is the sound of a woman’s screams that reverberate through its halls. These anguished cries have left many shaken and bewildered. The identity of this tormented soul remains a mystery, her story lost to the ages.

The Mysterious Man in White

Another enigmatic figure said to wander the manor’s long corridors is the spectral “Man in White.” This apparition, often glimpsed out of the corner of one’s eye, leaves a trail of intrigue in its wake. Who he was in life and why he lingers in death remain questions without answers.

Ghostly Noises and Poltergeist Activity

Beyond the apparitions, Drumbeg House is a cacophony of ghostly noises. Unexplained footsteps echo in empty rooms, and the air is filled with whispers and murmurs from unseen entities. Poltergeist activity, from objects moving on their own to inexplicable temperature drops, adds to the mansion’s eerie reputation.

The Haunted Drumbeg House

Drumbeg House in County Donegal remains an enigmatic and haunting presence in Ireland’s rich tapestry of history and folklore. 

So if you stay at Drumbeg House and hear something you can’t quite  figure out, or if there is a sudden drop in temperature, perhaps there is something to the rumors of the old house being haunted after all. 

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References:

Documenting the World’s Haunted Locations One at a Time – Site #24 

History of Drumbeg house,… – Belong to Inver, Co.Donegal | Facebook

The Terrifying Legend of Terra Vera: Bangalore’s Most Haunted House

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After the brutal murder on a 75 year old, it is said she is still haunting her old house. Terra Vera is called the most haunted house in Bangalore, and it is said that piano music could be heard as well as a face staring back through the window of the abandoned building. 

Bangalore, often referred to as the “Garden City of India,” is a bustling metropolis known for its vibrant culture, stunning gardens, and technological prowess. However, amid the city’s modernity and urban charm, there lies a sinister secret that has intrigued and frightened both locals and visitors alike. This secret is the Terra Vera House, an enigmatic and allegedly haunted place that has gained notoriety as one of the scariest spots in the city.

The Murder on St. Mark’s Road

In the early morning hours on 4th of September in 2002, a gruesome murder was committed. On that wednesday a 75 year old woman that lived in her house was stabbed to death. The woman was Dolce Vaaz and she lived there with her 80 year old sister, Vera who saw the whole thing. 

Just past midnight Vera had gone to sleep when she was woken up by the sound of her sister that was screaming for help. The sister could do nothing but scream as the murderer fled the crime scene. 

When she went into her sister’s room she saw her sister struggling with multiple stab wounds on her stomach, neck and hands and Vera cried out “Dolce, you are still warm. Get up…” But it was too late and Dolce was dead before she reached the hospital. 

During the police investigation the police suspected it had to be the thief that had broken into their home six months ago, but the culprit was never found. They also said that there was a motive that had to do with the property and the house the women lived in. It was the last residential house on the street next to Haji’s petrol pump and was even then in a sorry state. 

The Chilling History

The spine-chilling tale of Terra Vera House can be traced back to the year 2002, but its origins reach much deeper into the past. The colonial-style house, nestled on St. Marks Road in Bangalore, was constructed in 1943 or 1934 by some sources by its owner, EJ Vaj who was an advocate of the Bombay High Court. Vaj had two daughters, Dolce and Vera, and it was their lives that became entwined with the house’s dark history.

He left the house to his two spinster daughters who were both spinsters. Dolce was a piano teacher while Vera was an English tutor. 

Following the tragic murder of her sister, Vera left the house due to a property dispute or at least moved to a place deemed safer, abandoning not only the property itself but also a trove of valuable possessions, including a vintage car and furniture. Vera had accused her married youngest sister and some of her relatives that they tried to drive her off her property. She eventually moved out though and some say she went to Australia. The house was left to decay for the next 12 years, and as time passed, it gained a sinister reputation.

The Haunting of Terra Vera

Locals and brave explorers who dared to venture near Terra Vera have reported chilling encounters. Over time, there have also been some added stories to the brutal real murder, such that Dolce was buried on the premises by the murderer.

Read more: Check out all of the ghost stories from India

Strange occurrences, such as sightings of inverted crosses and eerie, unexplained sounds and horrified screams coming from within that have fueled rumors of malevolent spirits haunting the house. 

People have also claimed to have heard piano music coming from the house although it is completely dark and abandoned. 

The Demise of Terra Vera House

As the stories of Terra Vera’s haunting persisted, it became a magnet for thrill-seekers and paranormal enthusiasts. Ultimately, the house was demolished in 2014, but the enigma did not end there. It is also said that dozens of hindu priests had come by and performed Homa, a fire ritual, to chase the evil spirits away. But did they manage it?

Even after the physical structure was gone, eerie sightings and unsettling experiences continued to be reported on the land where the house once stood.

It is uncertain who the old house went to after the two sisters died, and when the workers that demolished the house were asked about who the owners were, they didn’t know and had only been given the order to tear the house down.

A Haunting Legacy

The Terra Vera House, with its tragic history and ghostly tales, remains etched in the annals of Bangalore’s paranormal lore. While skeptics may dismiss the stories as mere superstition, the undeniable presence of eerie phenomena and the lingering fear associated with the house continue to captivate the imaginations of those who dare to delve into its dark past.

In a city known for its rapid progress and technological advancements, Terra Vera House serves as a haunting reminder that the past, with all its mysteries and tragedies, is never too far behind. Whether one believes in the supernatural or not, the enigmatic aura of Terra Vera House is a testament to the enduring power of stories that transcend time and place, reminding us that some mysteries are destined to remain unsolved.

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References:

Vera Vaz stands strong despite tragedy | Bengaluru News – Times of India 

Terra Vera on St. Mark’s Road, Bangalore 

Ghostbusted… @Rs 20 crore? 

Elderly woman murdered on St Mark’s Road | Bengaluru News – Times of India 

The Haunted Qiu Mansion of Shanghai

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The Qiu Mansion in Shanghai is said to be one of the city’s most haunted places. It was owned by the Qiu brothers who mysteriously disappeared and left a haunted house and an unsolved mystery. 

The Qiu Brothers Mansion, also called the Cha House or Cha Gong Guan is an old mansion now restored as a historic building combining both western and chinese style in Shanghai in China. It is in the high end district of Jing’an and was built in a time where Shanghai was a place for people all over the country and world to make money.

Shanghai is known for its diverse cultural elements with a French or British flare to the architecture as well as traditional Chinese. In the early 1900s, it was known as the Athens of China by the Europeans and many tried to make the city their own as they saw the financial importance it played by the coast. 

Read Also: Check out all of the ghost stories from China

By the early 1900s there were a lot of from rags to riches stories, and plenty of people came to the Bund and to Shanghai to try to make a fortune. Some did make good money, although most just kept working away. Even fewer ended up keeping their riches forever.

The Qui Brothers

The Qiu brothers, Qiu Xinshan and Qiu Weiqing began their story as migrant workers in Shanghai that started from nothing and worked their way up. They came from a fishing family on Weishang Lake in Shandong Province, and had to go east in search of a better future.

The Qiu Brother Mansion: One of the most modern buildings in Shanghai is changing into an old classic in the city.

The pair made their fortunes selling paint in the early 1900s when the First World War broke out and the Germans couldn’t trade with China anymore, so the Qiu brothers took over the work from a German merchant selling paint and soon started to see their fortune grow.

With the money from the paint selling business, the two brothers took it and built two identical mansions next to one another in the heart of the city in 1913, or even later in the 1920s. 

The brothers became incredibly rich and lived a lavish lifestyle and their ornate Qiu Mansion grounds became home to the brother’s collection of exotic pets that included Burmese tigers, peacocks, and even crocodiles roamed the gardens.

The Missing Mystery

At the height of their fame and notoriety, the Qiu brothers mysteriously disappeared as their paint industry started to decline in the wake of the wars raging. The Qiu Mansions started to decay and their once great gardens withered. The animals disappeared one by one, many just straight up killed to get rid off or eaten.

What really happened could be something quite different though, as it is also said they moved to a smaller apartment, and they rented out the mansion to be used as a school. What happened to them in the end though, seems to be shrouded in shadows though.

Haunted Rumors of the Qiu Mansion

Rumors emerged of strange occurrences such as objects moving by themselves or shadows appearing in the abandoned mansion and eerie noises could be heard in the night. Yet, no one has been able to prove the legends. 

During World War II the mansions were used as a middle school until 2002 and one of the buildings of the Qiu Mansion was demolished in the 1950s. In 2010 they moved the remaining house almost 60 meters down the road and reopened in 2019 as a historic building. 

Just across the street there is a Four Seasons Hotel facing the former Qiu Mansion. From there, many visitors as well as staff have reported hearing and seeing strange animals roaming around the abandoned site. 

Perhaps the weirdest thing happening to the place is the rumors from the workers working all around the hotel. Construction workers from the restoration have sometimes sought hospital treatment for strange bites they believe come from animals, even though no one knows where and how they got injured. 

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References:

Cha Gong Guan (Qiu Mansion)

In Cold Blood: The Qiu Mansion Haunting | Paranormal World Wiki

威海路412号:邱氏兄弟住宅- 上海著名老洋房-OK房产网 

The Haunted Townhouse of 50 Berkeley Square in London

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One of the most haunted houses in London was 50 Berkeley Square, which according to the stories had a dangerous ghost that could kill the people staying in the attic. 

Once there was a house that was thought to be London’s most haunted house. The Georgian townhouse was located on 50 Berkeley Square in upmarket Mayfair. 

Back in the 18th and 19th century the place was linked with many horrific deaths and mysterious things happening. Residents as well as guests claimed to have seen ghosts in the house before they themselves were found dead. Their mouths and eyes wide open as if they died of pure fear. 

In 1879, reports of the house were published in Mayfair Magazine, telling about a maid who stayed in the attic and was found mad and died in an asylum the day after. In the same article there was also said a nobleman spent the night in the same attic and by morning he was found paralyzed, so scared that he couldn’t even speak. Also he died shortly after.  

The Victorian Christmas Deaths

Britain is known for its ghost stories tied to Christmastime, and this is one of those. One of the more haunted happenings in the house is said to have taken place on Christmas Eve, at least it was published in the magazine as it. 

This is what happened on Christmas Eve in 1887 when two sailors came to London. Blunden and Martin were on leave from HMS Penelope from the Royal Navy and walked through the dark and foggy winter streets, trying to find a place to stay for the night. 
If they were allowed to come in for the night or if they broke into the house is unclear, but they at least settled for the night in the attic. 

What they didn’t know at the time when they found lodging at 50 Berkeley Square when they stumbled upon it, happy to find someplace warm in the cold night, was all the haunted rumors and that the previous occupants of their room had been found mysteriously dead in the very room. 

During the night, Blunden felt uneasy and unable to fall asleep. Something wasn’t right in the house. He woke up Martin when he saw a ghost hanging over him. Blunden acted quickly and went for his weapon to protect them. The ghost came toward him as Martin managed to get out to the streets and found a policeman. 

Martin came back with the bobby and went inside of the house. They found Blunden at the bottom of the stairs, dead. His neck had been broken, probably because of the fall from the stairs. His eyes were wide open, as if from pure terror and fear. 

The Woman in the Attic

The most told legend is that the house was haunted by the spirit of a young woman who killed herself in the attic. After being abused by her uncle for a long time, she is said to have thrown herself out from the top-floor window in the attic. 
She is said to be the one behind the strange deaths as well, as her sight is so frightful people have died from fear of it. Depending who you ask, her spirit takes mostly form as a brown mist or a white ghostly figure.

The Starved Man

Another version of the haunted legends of the house is that there once was a man who was locked in the attic room and was only fed through a hole in the door. His brother, Mr. Du Pre of Wilton Park had to lock him inside because of his violent madness. In some versions he wasn’t mad to start with, but he eventually went mad and died. 

After his death he became a ghost and his moans and screams haunted the whole neighborhood. 

The Strange Thomas Myers of 50 Berkeley Square

So who was haunting the house that in modern times were owned by the Maggs Bros, Antiquarian Booksellers? Most stories are thought to have come from one of the peculiars occupants, Thomas Myers. He slept during the day, and in the night he made strange noises that many believed became exaggerated later. 

He moved into 50 Berkeley Square in 1859 after having been rejected by his fiancee according to the stories. He lived there alone and was said to be slowly getting mad as he locked himself in all day until he died in 1874 at 76. 

When he stayed there, the house with the sweeping stairs, high plaster ceilings and marble floors slowly started decaying more and more and rumors about it being haunted started to form around this time. 

When he was summoned to court for not paying his rates of 50 Berkeley Square, the magistrate excused him because they all knew he lived in a haunted house. So what came first? Thomas Myers or the hauntings?

The Haunted House

The spirits of the house at 50 Berkeley Square are said to be so strong that you only need to touch the Gregorian exterior of the house to feel the shivering hauntings that have infected the house. 

In modern times, we don’t really hear much about any more of the haunted incidents as before, and owners have refuted that the building is haunted. 

So the question is really, was the strange behavior of Mr. Myers the cause behind all of the haunting in the house, or did he see something that made him so?

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References:

Nightmare before Christmas: The history of festive ghost stories

50 Berkeley Square – Wikipedia

https://web.archive.org/web/20140122120101/http://www.walksoflondon.co.uk/37/50-berkeley-square-the-mo.shtml

https://london-beyond-time-and-place.com/50-berkeley-square-the-most-haunted-house-in-london/

Lady Ursula’s Ghost Walk at Madingley Hall on Christmas Eve

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Every year on Christmas Eve, the ghost of Lady Ursula is seen walking from Madingley Hall in Cambridge, unable to move on in the afterlife because of her son’s actions. 

And things are done you’d not believe
At Madingley on Christmas Eve.
From Rupert Brooke, The Old Vicarage, Grantchester

England’s dark and mysterious past, full of brooding castles and unsettled spirits, makes it a place of fascination come the holiday season. Curious tales of Christmas hauntings at old castles and lordly homes throughout England have been around for generations, with local ghost stories passed through generations. Join us as we explore the mysteries behind these tales of longstanding hauntings by ghosts in England during Christmastime!

In Cambridge, England, there is a big conference center. It used to be the Tudor Madingley Hall, a grand estate owned by the Hynde family and built by John Hyde in the 1540s. 

Madingley Hall on Christmas Eve

Cambridge is a notoriously haunted place with its old history and a place where a lot of things happened. The university is said to be one of the more haunted universities in the world. Cambridge University took over the building known as The Shire Manor of Madingley they started talking about sightings of a ghost in the dead of the winter nights.

Read Also: Ghost Stories of Christmas Hauntings

Ghost Haunting the Madingley Hall Inside of the Tudor manor it is said to be heard an eerie music playing from nowhere and a group of women has been seen wandering around the grounds of the hall. Who are they? Some say that it is from Victorian times because of their clothing. There is also a ghost that makes her annual appearance we do know the name and history of. 

Madingley Hall: It is said that the hall is haunted by ghostly music, women in Victorian clothing and every Christmas Eve, there is a ghost that walk from the hall to the town every year.//Source: Bob Jones / Madingley Hall / CC BY-SA 2.0

Every Christmas Eve there is a ghost that walks between the hall and the location where there once was a church in Histon. She has been walking for many years now, and today she has to cross a motorway to get there. But still, every Christmas she haunts the place in anger for what her son ended up doing to her beloved church. 

Ghost of Lady Ursula Hynde

During Queen Elizabeth I reign, Sir Francis Hynde was an MP and he did several expanding of his hall that he took over from his father. Among other things, he demolished a nearby church in the nearby village of Histon that would be the building materials for his own home. 

Lady Ursula Hynde: It is believed that it is the ghost of Ursula hynde that is haunting Madingley Hall and takes her annual walks every Christmas Eve.

This time was a religious turnover in England as they turned from the Catholic church and several of the monasteries and churches were stripped from their wealth, and even the stone and timber they were built in wasn’t safe anymore. This was something that upset many of the English people still catholic at heart, and Sir Francis Hynde’s mother was one of those. 

Read Also: Haunted Monasteries and Churches

He demolished the church almost 40 years after the death of his mother, Lady Ursula. Sir Francis Hynde apparently had a deep hatred for the religious institution, unlike his mother, a devoted catholic to her death in 1555, and beyond if we are to believe the legend. 

The Ghost Walk on Christmas Eve

According to the legend, her spirit got angered by the demolition of the church that were used to expand her sons personal mansion and she has haunted the Madingley Hall ever since

People that claim to have seen her, say she is walking, wringing her hands in anguish almost in prayer and sobbing uncontrollably, heartbroken over her son’s desecrations of the church and opposition to her religion.

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References:

Nightmare before Christmas: The history of festive ghost stories

Lady Ursula’s Ghostly Christmas Walk At Madingley Hall | Spooky Isles

The Ghosts of The Ancient Ram Inn: Exploring a Haunted History

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The Ancient Ram Inn in England is said to be one of the most haunted places in the country as well as a quaint little resting place for travellers dating back centuries. Located in Gloucestershire, it is said to house the restless spirits of both witches, demons, ghosts and ghouls all gathered under the same roof. 

The Ancient Ram Inn is a notoriously haunted building located in the small village of Wotton-Under-Edge, Gloucestershire. Dating back to 1145 to house the workers and slaves building the church nearby, this centuries old inn and former pub has been the focus of hauntings, poltergeists and strange occurrences throughout its mysterious history.

There are many stories told about why the place is so haunted, is it because it is built at the intersection of 2 Ley Lines? Because it is built on a Pagan burial ground? After all this time it is difficult to pinpoint to just one thing, but the haunted rumors and ghosts roaming inside of the walls keep piling up as the history of the building just keeps getting longer. 

The History of the Ancient Ram Inn

The Ancient Ram Inn has a long history that dates back to 1145, and it is believed that the building was originally constructed on the site of a pagan burial ground according to the legends. 

Read Also: Check out more ghost stories from Haunted Hotels around the world

During its 600 year lifespan, this inn has been home to several owners and been frequented by travelers, locals and untold numbers of supernatural beings. Once serving as a monastery and later as a pub, this building has seen much tragedy in its time.

Ancient Ram Inn: The old and historic building is said to house more than just travelling guests. People that have stayed there, visited when it was a pub as well as the owners claim that as many as 20 ghosts is haunting the building. //Source: Brian Robert Marshall / Ram Inn, Potters Pond, Wotton under Edge / CC BY-SA 2.0

Wotton-under-Edge, in Gloucestershire UK, is an ancient market town and one of the primary locations in which The Ancient Ram Inn still stands even after most of it is built anew. As part of the Cotswolds, Wotton-under-Edge has a long and storied history – having been mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086! 

Pagan Burial Ground and Ley Lines through the Ancient Ram Inn

Over the years many strange occurrences have occurred at The Ancient Ram Inn, stories of haunting and screaming in the night. Visitors have reported hearing children playing on the stairs while others have seen eerie shadows lurking in the corners. The room called the Men’s Kitchen is said to have been built on top of the pagan burial ground and the staircase is a place where people have claimed to have felt a push.

© Copyright Ray Bird

As with many haunted buildings in the UK, there are also talk about the Ancient Ram Inn being built on top of 2 ley lines, one of them coming directly from Stonehenge and the other from Glastonbury Tor. These types of lines are drawn between sites of spiritual importance like churches, burial grounds and the likes. Ley lines are thought by spiritualist to fuel paranormal sites like this one with some sort of energy.

The Owner Looking for Demonic Energy

One of the owners, John Humphries, who bought The Ancient Ram Inn in the late 1960s to save it from demolition after it closed down as a pub in 1968. Humphries was very interested in the haunted history of the Inn, or he certainly became a believer after staying there for many years. Already at the first day at his new home he claimed to have been thrown out from the bed by an unseen force.

This didn’t deter him from his mission though, and even when his wife and daughter left the place, he stayed on to preserve his life work.

He claimed to have found evidence that some were worshiping the Devil. He owned and lived in the building until his death in 2017 and many of the ghost stories comes from him when he run it as a guesthouse. Once he found the skeletal remains of children under the staircase he believed to have been stabbed with daggers and that they were actually ritual sacrifices. 

The current owner, his daughter Caroline Humphries says that the place is now a haunting ground for paranormal investigators and that there is as many as 20 ghosts lingering in the little inn. With such a lengthy history, it’s no surprise that this mysterious inn continues to be surrounded by ghostly tales.

The Witch’s Room

One popular legend about The Ancient Ram Inn is the story about the supposed witch that was burned at the stake in the 1500s. The witch panic had taken England  and she was fleeing from the mob that were after her to have her killed because of it.

Read more: Check out all of our stories concerning Witches

Many believe that it is the spirit of the woman that is haunting the place and people have claimed to have seen the ghost of a girl in the window, waving to the people passing by. According to the legend she was hiding in one of the rooms at the inn before getting caught and killed. Today the room is known as The Witch’s Room.

© Copyright Ray Bird

One detail about this legend though is that witches weren’t actually burned in England, they were hanged. So if there really was an alleged witch fleeing prosecution at the inn, her death would have been hanging, not burning. 

There is also said that there is a black cat haunting the room, said to be the spirit of a 500 year old mummified cat John Humphries found in the wall. It is said they put animals in the walls as a sort of good luck charm.

The Incubus and Succubus at the Ancient Ram Inn

Although with a long story as an inn or a guesthouse, it seems to be a problem with the rooms and how private it is. People seem to not have a great night sleep and complain about succubus and incubus in several of the rooms at the Inn.

The latin word of Incubus means a nightmare induced by a demon. This is a female and male demon often said to seducing people in their sleep, disturbing them. There are parallels of this type of demon found in every religion and culture across the world. Today we often explain this type of demon as night terrors, or simply a disturbing erotic dream.

Humphries is said to have shared his bedroom at The Ancient Ram Inn with this type of demon until his death. This bedroom was called the Bishop’s Room and said to be one of the most haunted places in the inn.

The Incubus: In Mesopotamian history, dating back to 2400 BC, demons with incubus-like qualities were mentioned, such as Lilu, who disturbed and seduced women in their sleep. In Western Christian literature, Incubi were believed to engage in sexual relations with women to father children, as seen in the legend of Merlin, making it one of the earliest examples of demonic parentage. The Incubus is said to have been inspired by the feeling of sleep paralysis. Some authors speculate that rapists may have attributed the rapes of sleeping men and women to demons to escape punishment. // Source: The dream of Countess Marguerite of Flanders. Illustration after the ballet pantomime “Riccardo Cuor di Leone” by Salvatore Viganò.

The Bishop’s Inn

The room where most guests complained about in The Ancient Ram Inn something paranormal happening in there was in a room on the first floor called The Bishop’s Inn where as many as 9 ghosts are said to reside in. Even a roman centurion has been spotted riding his horse through the walls by some plumbers doing their work.

According to one story there once was a medium investigating the place and opened up the door. The medium was lifted off the floor and flung across the hallway, giving only bad energy from inside. 

It is said that a ghost of a monk or in some versions, two, is haunting the place and that the ghost has scared more than one guest that fled in the night after being woken up.

By the door there have been more than one guests claiming to have seen a man that look like a shepherd with a dog. There have also been heard screams from a man that was murdered by someone casting his head into the fire. 

Ghost Stories: The owners of the Inn has never shied away from the haunted rumours of the building. Here from the inside of the Ancient Ram Inn. There are several newspaper cuttings to be seen, mostly focusing on the various ghosts that reportedly inhabit the place. The owner was, it has been stated, yanked out of bed on his first night in residence by one of the incumbents wishing to make his or her presence known.//Source: Brian Robert Marshall / Ram Inn interior, Potter’s Pond, Wotton under Edge / CC BY-SA 2.0

The Innkeeper’s Daughter in the Attic

If you make your way up to the attic of The Ancient Ram Inn, it is said the room is filled with an intense feeling of sadness lingering in the old room that has become so unstable you can almost not walk all the way to the back because of the dangerous floor. 

In the early 1500s, the innkeeper had a daughter working there with him at the inn. One night, she was lured up to the attic where she was killed. People that have been directly under the room have said to have heard the sound of something heavy being dragged over the floor. 

There is also said to be a murdered woman named Elizabeth that were buried underneath the bar. She is often seen wandering the house together with all of her fellow spirits of the house.

The Ancient Ram Today

Today as the many years the Ancient Ram Inn has been operating, the Inn will house its ghosts for many years to come as well. After her father died, Caroline Humphries picked up her father’s legacy and continue to keep the old building standing and taking care of its spirits.

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References:

Ancient Ram Inn – Wikipedia 

Ancient Ram Inn Ghost Hunts, Wotton under Edge, Gloucestershire | Haunted Rooms®

The Ancient Ram Inn – Wotton-Under-Edge, Gloucestershire.