Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England, taking in the Peak District and the city of Derby, which is frequently cited as one of the UK's most haunted cities. The county's dense concentration of castles, historic pubs, and plague-era history has produced one of the more extensively catalogued regional collections of ghost stories in England.
Bolsover Castle
Built on the site of a medieval fortress, Bolsover Castle has such a reputation for reported activity that English Heritage staff keep a dedicated "ghost book" for visitors to record their own experiences. Reports include a child said to have died after falling from a tree in the courtyard, sometimes felt holding visitors' hands, and a baby heard crying inside the Little Castle.
Eyam — "the plague village"
Eyam is closely associated with the 1665–1666 outbreak of plague that struck the village, and many of its reported hauntings are tied directly to that period. Eyam Hall, built in 1676, is said to be haunted by Sarah Mills, a servant who drowned in the hall's well, alongside a figure seen in a permanently locked upstairs room.
Winnats Pass
This limestone gorge is associated with the 1768 murder of Henry (Allen) and Clara, a couple reportedly seized and killed by miners while eloping to Castleton. Their ghosts are said to still roam the pass, with screams sometimes reported on dark nights.
Haddon Hall
Haddon Hall's best-known ghost story is tied to Prince Arthur, elder brother of Henry VIII, who is said to have seen a vision at the hall warning him of his approaching death shortly after his marriage to Catherine of Aragon — an event that, had Arthur lived, would have changed the course of the English succession entirely.
Derby Gaol
Derby Gaol was the site of 58 recorded executions. Visitors report cell doors opening and closing unaided, and a persistently oppressive atmosphere in the former condemned cell.
Ye Olde Dolphin Inne, Derby
One of Derby's oldest pubs, dating to 1530, associated with several reported ghosts including a "Blue Lady" and a child seen sitting on the stairs, alongside the local legend of a "Vault of Terror" said to underlie the building.
Investigation activity
Phil Whyman's Dead Haunted Nights has run public paranormal investigation events at Derby Royal Infirmary, among other Derbyshire venues.