Sir Walter Raleigh’s ghost continues his adventures across England, haunting the places he wandered in life
Sir Walter Raleigh – England’s most dashing explorer, poet and Elizabethan heartthrob – didn’t let a little thing like death slow him down.
The man who introduced tobacco to England and charmed Queen Elizabeth I is still making his rounds.
Since his execution on 29 October 1618, his ghost has been popping up all over England, haunting the places that shaped his colourful life.
Let’s visit the spooky hotspots where Raleigh and his fellow spectres are still making an appearance.
The Tower of London
The Tower of London, with its grisly history and collection of ghostly residents, is Raleigh’s number one posthumous hangout.
Locked up there several times, his final stint began in 1603, courtesy of a treason charge from King James I.
He spent 15 years in the Bloody Tower, before his final, doomed mission to South America.
But Raleigh wasn’t quite ready to leave the Tower after his execution.
Visitors and guards swear they’ve seen his spirit strolling the battlements, gazing out over the Thames, possibly dreaming of one last adventure.
There are whispers of soft footsteps where he once paced, and a shadowy figure by the Bloody Tower, still waiting for a pardon that never came.
And Raleigh’s not the only ghostly guest! Anne Boleyn famously wanders the grounds, cradling her severed head, and Guy Fawkes is said to loiter in the dungeons.
There’s even a spectral bear that was spotted in the 1800s. Talk about a packed house!
Westminster Abbey
After his beheading, Raleigh was buried in St Margaret’s Church, right next to Westminster Abbey.
But, clearly, he couldn’t rest easy. His ghost has been seen gliding around the churchyard and Abbey grounds.
Late at night, people report a figure drifting through the tombstones or wandering the Deanery.
Could he be looking for redemption or just some peace and quiet?
Ghost tours love to dish out stories of Raleigh’s nocturnal wanderings.
People claim to see flashes of his ghost or feel an eerie presence lurking in the moonlit cloisters. Some say he’s still protesting the unfair charges that cost him his head.
And he’s not haunting alone – John Bradshaw, the man who sentenced King Charles I to death, is also said to creep around these old stones.
Sherborne Castle, Dorset
In Dorset, Raleigh’s ghost supposedly drifts around Sherborne Castle, the grand home he built in 1594.
This was Raleigh’s happy place, a sanctuary where he planted exotic gardens, wrote poetry, and threw legendary parties.
But when King James I took the throne, Raleigh lost his beloved estate.
Visitors to Sherborne have spotted his ghost strolling through the grounds, especially near the lake or peeking through the tall windows.
Some swear they catch a faint scent of tobacco smoke – a cheeky nod to Raleigh’s favourite pastime.
And if you feel an unexpected chill near his old quarters, don’t worry – it’s just Sir Walter, still not ready to call it a day.
So, if you’re exploring one of these spooky spots and feel a shiver down your spine or see a flash of Elizabethan ruffles, don’t be alarmed.
It’s probably just Sir Walter Raleigh, still searching for something that keeps eluding him.
Have you ever bumped into a ghostly figure at one of these famous sites? Share your spooky stories in the comments!
