7 Ghosts of Cambridge, UK: Haunted Tales from a Historic City
Cambridge may be world-famous for its elite university and charming cobbled streets, but there’s something a little… otherworldly going on beneath the academic prestige. Behind its ancient walls and scholarly silence, Cambridge is also home to centuries of ghost stories.
Ready to take a tour of the spooky side of the city? Here are 7 of the most chilling and historic ghosts said to haunt Cambridge, UK — and where you can still feel their eerie presence today.
1. The White Lady of Addenbrooke’s Hospital
📖 Backstory:
Founded in 1766, Addenbrooke’s Hospital quickly became one of the city’s most important institutions — and apparently, one of its most haunted. The legend of the White Lady dates back to the 19th century and centers on a nurse who perished during a typhoid outbreak. Her spirit is said to appear when a patient is close to death, silently watching over them.
👻 Paranormal Activity:
Staff and patients report flickering lights, doors opening by themselves, and sudden chills in empty corridors. Some have even claimed to feel her presence by their bedsides in the dead of night.
2. The Haunted Don of Peterhouse College
📖 Backstory:
Peterhouse is the oldest of all the Cambridge colleges, established in 1284. According to legend, a scholarly Don was murdered in the 17th century over a bitter rivalry — and he’s never quite left.
👻 Paranormal Activity:
Students have claimed to see books thrown from shelves, cold winds rushing through closed rooms, and the echo of footsteps in empty corridors. Some have even seen a robed figure vanish through locked doors.
3. The Grey Lady of St. John’s College
📖 Backstory:
The 16th-century Bridge of Sighs is beautiful by day… but by night, it may be haunted by a grieving widow from the English Civil War. Legend says she waited for her lost lover until her death — and continues to wait even now.
👻 Paranormal Activity:
Multiple witnesses have reported a translucent figure in grey appearing on foggy evenings, silently watching the river below. Others describe the sound of faint weeping when no one else is around.
4. The Black Shuck on Castle Hill
📖 Backstory:
Castle Hill was once the site of a Norman motte-and-bailey castle. Now, it’s better known for a terrifying ghost hound known as the Black Shuck — a spectral black dog with glowing red eyes, said to foretell death.
👻 Paranormal Activity:
Dog walkers and night strollers have heard howling with no source, and several have reported sightings of a giant black dog that vanishes before their eyes.
5. The Cloaked Man of The Eagle Pub
📖 Backstory:
This historic pub on Bene’t Street dates back to the 16th century. While it’s famous for RAF graffiti left by WWII pilots, it’s also reportedly haunted by a darkly cloaked man — thought to be a former patron who died mysteriously in the cellar.
👻 Paranormal Activity:
Patrons and staff have seen shadows moving near the fireplace, lights flicker without cause, and glasses mysteriously fall off shelves. The figure has been seen pacing upstairs when no one else is present.
6. The Screaming Nun of Jesus College
📖 Backstory:
Jesus College was built on the site of a 12th-century Benedictine convent. One nun, said to have fallen in love and broken her vows, was punished by being bricked up alive in the walls. Her agonizing screams, they say, can still be heard.
👻 Paranormal Activity:
Students have reported an overwhelming sense of dread in the cloisters, and visitors occasionally hear soft wailing or whispering near the chapel.
7. The Scholar of Corpus Christi College
7. The Scholar of Corpus Christi College
📖 Backstory:
In the 1600s, a devoted scholar at Corpus Christi died in a fire while trying to save ancient manuscripts. His academic passion was so strong, it seems his spirit couldn’t leave the library behind.
👻 Paranormal Activity:
Cleaning staff and night workers have heard footsteps across wooden floors when no one was there. Some have found books mysteriously open on ancient texts come morning.
📍 Visit Corpus Christi College
Want to Go Ghost Hunting in Cambridge?
Check out these helpful Amazon UK links for ghost-hunting tools and books:
🛒 EMF Meter Ghost Detector – Amazon UK
📖 Haunted Cambridge – Something To Read
📓 Paranormal Investigation Log Book – Amazon UK
Watch a Ghost Walk Through Cambridge
Here’s a great video to set the mood:
📺 Cambridge Ghost Tour (Haunted History Walk)
Note: This is a third-party video. All rights belong to the original creator.
Fancy Exploring Ghosts Of Cambridge & Cambridge’s Haunted History Yourself?
Try a ghost walk! Tours like the Cambridge Ghost Tour take you through the city’s most haunted spots with spooky storytelling and history.
