With its mysterious footsteps, slamming doors and little boy who appears to hold visitors hands, Bolsover Castle in Derbyshire is officially the spookiest English Heritage site in the land.

The castle is built on an ancient burial ground and was once home to William Cavendish – the first Duke of Newcastle. 

Visitors to the 17th century fortress have reported hearing muffled disembodied voices, doors slamming on their own, and unexplained, eerie lights.

Bolsover Castle in Derbyshire (pictured) has been voted the 'spookiest' English Heritage site, beating the other 400 castles, abbeys and historic houses around the country 

Bolsover Castle in Derbyshire (pictured) has been voted the ‘spookiest’ English Heritage site, beating the other 400 castles, abbeys and historic houses around the country 

Bolsover (pictured) was built in the 17th century and was once home to the first Duke of Newcastle, William Cavendish. Staff have recalled hearing disembodied voices, doors slamming of their own accord, and a young boy coming to hold visitors' hands without them realising 

Bolsover (pictured) was built in the 17th century and was once home to the first Duke of Newcastle, William Cavendish. Staff have recalled hearing disembodied voices, doors slamming of their own accord, and a young boy coming to hold visitors' hands without them realising 

Bolsover (pictured) was built in the 17th century and was once home to the first Duke of Newcastle, William Cavendish. Staff have recalled hearing disembodied voices, doors slamming of their own accord, and a young boy coming to hold visitors’ hands without them realising 

In second place, voted for by the 1,800 English Heritage staff working at sites across the country, is Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire (pictured). It is over 900 years old and staff have heard an antique cot rocking by itself there

In second place, voted for by the 1,800 English Heritage staff working at sites across the country, is Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire (pictured). It is over 900 years old and staff have heard an antique cot rocking by itself there

In second place, voted for by the 1,800 English Heritage staff working at sites across the country, is Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire (pictured). It is over 900 years old and staff have heard an antique cot rocking by itself there

In third place was Carisbrooke Castle on the Isle of Wight (pictured), whose deep well was the site of a young girl drowning

In third place was Carisbrooke Castle on the Isle of Wight (pictured), whose deep well was the site of a young girl drowning

In third place was Carisbrooke Castle on the Isle of Wight (pictured), whose deep well was the site of a young girl drowning

It was voted top of the ‘spooky scale’ by 1,800 English Heritage staff across the country. 

One female employee said she heard a scream as she was locking up the building on one occasion – but found no one it could have come from anywhere.  

Coming a close second in the spooky stakes across English Heritage’s 400 castles, abbeys and historic houses is 900-year-old Kenilworth Castle in Warwickshire, where staff have encountered ghostly figures, an antique cot rocking by itself and the smell of pipe smoke.

In third place was Carisbrooke Castle on the Isle of Wight, whose deep well was the tragic site of a young girl’s drowning.

Coming in fourth place was Pendennis Castle in Cornwall. It was one of Henry VIII's finest coastal fortresses, and has defended Cornwall against foreign invasion since Tudor times

Coming in fourth place was Pendennis Castle in Cornwall. It was one of Henry VIII's finest coastal fortresses, and has defended Cornwall against foreign invasion since Tudor times

Coming in fourth place was Pendennis Castle in Cornwall. It was one of Henry VIII’s finest coastal fortresses, and has defended Cornwall against foreign invasion since Tudor times

It's easy to see why the haunting remains of Whitby Abbey in North Yorkshire (pictured) were the inspiration for Bram Stoker's Gothic tale of 'Dracula'. It came fifth in the list of spookiest English Heritage sites 

It's easy to see why the haunting remains of Whitby Abbey in North Yorkshire (pictured) were the inspiration for Bram Stoker's Gothic tale of 'Dracula'. It came fifth in the list of spookiest English Heritage sites 

It’s easy to see why the haunting remains of Whitby Abbey in North Yorkshire (pictured) were the inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Gothic tale of ‘Dracula’. It came fifth in the list of spookiest English Heritage sites 

In sixth place was 4000-year-old Beeston Castle and Woodland Park in Cheshire (pictured). It is one of the most dramatically sited medieval castles in England. On a clear day you can see all the way from the Pennines to the Welsh mountains

In sixth place was 4000-year-old Beeston Castle and Woodland Park in Cheshire (pictured). It is one of the most dramatically sited medieval castles in England. On a clear day you can see all the way from the Pennines to the Welsh mountains

In sixth place was 4000-year-old Beeston Castle and Woodland Park in Cheshire (pictured). It is one of the most dramatically sited medieval castles in England. On a clear day you can see all the way from the Pennines to the Welsh mountains

Which English Heritage site really is the spookiest of them all? 

King of the spooky castles: Bolsover in Derbyshire

King of the spooky castles: Bolsover in Derbyshire

King of the spooky castles: Bolsover in Derbyshire

1. Bolsover Castle, Derbyshire

2. Kenilworth Castle, Warwickshire

3. Carisbrooke Castle, Isle of Wight

4. Pendennis Castle, Cornwall

5. Whitby Abbey, North Yorkshire

6. Beeston Castle and Woodland Park, Cheshire

7. Dover Castle, Kent

8. Framlingham Castle, Suffolk

9. Clifford’s Tower, North Yorkshire

10. Home of Charles Darwin – Down House, Kent

It is reportedly haunted by several figures and staff often hear the sound of children laughing in other rooms.

Lucy Hutchings, regional director at English Heritage, said: ‘Our sites are soaked in history and from bloody battles to dark deeds, not all of their stories are sweetness and light.

‘Our castles and palaces, especially on these Halloween nights, can be eerie places and some of our team have seen and heard things they can’t easily explain.

‘With Halloween fast approaching, who better then to decide which site is the spookiest of them all than those people who are there from dawn to dusk, who know the sites’ history and its ghostly legends inside out?’ 

The seventh spookiest English Heritage site in the country was Dover Castle on the Kent coast (pictured). It's rich history spans from Roman Times to the Cold War 

The seventh spookiest English Heritage site in the country was Dover Castle on the Kent coast (pictured). It's rich history spans from Roman Times to the Cold War 

The seventh spookiest English Heritage site in the country was Dover Castle on the Kent coast (pictured). It’s rich history spans from Roman Times to the Cold War 

The eighth most spooky English Heritage site was Framlingham Castle in Suffolk (pictured). It was behind these walls that Mary Tudor was proclaimed Queen of England

The eighth most spooky English Heritage site was Framlingham Castle in Suffolk (pictured). It was behind these walls that Mary Tudor was proclaimed Queen of England

The eighth most spooky English Heritage site was Framlingham Castle in Suffolk (pictured). It was behind these walls that Mary Tudor was proclaimed Queen of England

This is Clifford's Tower in North Yorkshire, which English Heritage staff voted the ninth spookiest in the country 

This is Clifford's Tower in North Yorkshire, which English Heritage staff voted the ninth spookiest in the country 

This is Clifford’s Tower in North Yorkshire, which English Heritage staff voted the ninth spookiest in the country 

In at 10 was Down House in Kent (pictured) the home of Charles Darwin and where he wrote 'On The Origin Of The Species'

In at 10 was Down House in Kent (pictured) the home of Charles Darwin and where he wrote 'On The Origin Of The Species'

In at 10 was Down House in Kent (pictured) the home of Charles Darwin and where he wrote ‘On The Origin Of The Species’

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