School Ghouls - A Guide to Some of The UK’s Spookiest School Ghosts
It’s spooky season and here at Educatus we love a good ghost story! What better way to get into the Halloween spirit than by delving into the eerie world of haunted schools in England? Gather around, brave souls, as we embark on a spine-chilling journey through the hallowed halls of education. Welcome to Educatus' guide to a few of the most haunted schools in England! 👻
Roath Park Primary School in 1909. Credit - Roath Local History Society
1. Roath Park Primary in Cardiff Wales
Kicking off our ghost tour with Roath Park Primary, a school with it’s very own Casper.
This school in Wales takes centre stage as it has a surprisingly beloved spooky resident. Fondly referred to as the "green lady" or "green man," this friendly ghost has become a much loved member of the school itself and anyone who has witnessed it claims that it isn’t there to scare.
Nobody seems to know for sure the true identity of who this ghost may be — some at the school think it may have been a teacher lost in World War One, while others suspect it might be a former caretaker or even a dinner lady. Whoever it is, they're certainly not shy! Doors creak open mysteriously, pencils fly through the air, and voices have been heard by staff members when no one else is around.
An article in Wales Online about the school ghost, mentions an incident in which a child in reception approached a staff member, asking about who the other teacher was in the room. With no one else present the boy was asked what he had seen, in which he simply replied - “Green, no hair. Friendly.”
Chris Webber, a former student who now works as a learning support assistant at the school, reminisces about hearing tales of the ghost during his own school days…
“I was told it was a green lady. The pupils love her and love hearing about her. It’s never frightening.” Chris shared.
Embraced wholeheartedly by the school community, this good-natured ghoul is much cherished as a kind and protective energy, adding an extra layer of charm and mystique to the welsh primary school.
St Philomena's School 1950s - Credit UK Photo And Social History Archive | St Philomena's School Carshalton (ukphotoarchive.org.uk)
2. The Grey Lady at St.Philomena’s in Surrey
Step into the halls of St. Philomena's, an old Catholic school nestled in the quaint town of Carshalton, Surrey. St. Philomena’s School in Carshalton is seemingly home to a ghostly resident known as the Grey Lady. This mysterious apparition, believed to be a former nun, is said to roam the school's old hallways, alongside some other legendary spirits.
In a website article - The Forgotten Ghosts of Carshalton | Secret Carshalton a former student reminisces about their time at the school - “I went to school in Carshalton, Surrey – St. Philomena’s which, at that time, still had boarders. The dormitories were in the old part of the school, Carshalton House…We had the Grey Lady, and most of the boarders had seen her at some time or other…
“One of my friends in class described how the dumb waiter (which was kept locked for security reasons) started moving at night”
“The school grounds, which are beautiful, looked ghostly in the dark and I remembered all those school legends about the Grey Lady, and the footman who fell down the stairs in the 1780s or thereabouts, in the days of Sir John Fellowes…”
These spook-tacular legends make the charming St. Philomena's a mysterious place where both schooling and supernatural meet.
3. The Headless Haunter of St. John’s College Oxford
At Oxford University, within the ancient halls of St. John’s College lurks a ghoul more peculiar than any other - the ghost of Archbishop William Laud. Seemingly one of the more gruesome apparitions - according to local legend, his headless figure roams the school, kicking his detached head! (Eek!)
Serving as the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1633 to 1645, Laud met a grisly demise through beheading. Yet, in the afterlife, it seems that he has found a sense of humour in his tragic end. His eerie presence is often felt within the corridors of St John’s College, where witnesses claim to have seen him, quite literally, pulling his own head off and rolling it at them like a grisly game of bowling.
Numerous accounts tell of Archbishop Laud's appearances long after his passing, and stories that thumping noises can be heard throughout the corridors as he bowls his head along.
While the exact date of the most recent sighting remains unconfirmed, this legend means that the ghostly prankster will continue to weave his otherworldly sense of humour throughout the college for centuries to come.
As you celebrate Halloween this year, spare a thought for the ghostly scholars and teachers who continue their eternal lessons in the afterlife. Remember, even in the spookiest of places, education never rests!
And there you have it, folks! Some spine-tingling stories from England's most haunted schools. Come back next Halloween for next instalment.
Until next time, creep-it real readers!
🦇👻🎃🦇🕷️🕸️
GhoulbyeForNow. Stay spooky, Educatus!👻