Kensington Palace
King George II was on his deathbed in Kensington Palace and due to illness forced to stay there instead of his beloved Hanover. He was waiting on news from Hanover, but due to fierce gales the ships were unable to sail to England. King George would continually look out the window at the weathervane and asked "Why don’t they come?" There have been sightings of his face at the window looking towards the weathervane and several people claim to have heard him asking "Why don’t they come?"

The Ghost of Drury Lane Theatre
The ghost is described at various times as a soft grey glow and has made many performances - he is now quite commonplace in the theatre. During renovation in the 1970's, they found a skeleton with the remnants of a riding coat and a knife sticking out of its ribs. The folklore is that whoever sees the ghost is destined for theatrical greatness. The ghost is that of a young man who was murdered in 1780

Following UK Livings ‘Most Haunted’ TV Programme’s visit this ghost has been identified as being the actor Arnold Woodruff, however this has not been independently confirmed.

The ‘Grenadier’ Pub, Belgravia
The Grenadier, in Belgravia's Old Barrack Yard, began life in the 18th century as an officers' mess for the Coldstream and Grenadier Guards. In the early 18th century a young subaltern, caught cheating at cards, was reputedly beaten so severely with horsewhips by his fellow officers that he died. Although documentary evidence for the incident is fragmentary there is good reason to believe that it did take place around 1820, and that the Duke of Wellington himself was involved in the subsequent cover-up.

There is no record of the month in which the manslaughter is supposed to have taken place but, according to reports going back at least to the 1880's, it is always in September that strange happenings occur. These have included an icy coldness in the cellar, the sensation of an invisible body bumping violently into bystanders, and a variety of noises. On one occasion in the early 1970's a barman was struck by an antique military helmet that hurtled from its place on the wall; Some years earlier the cellar man had been grabbed by a powerful unseen hand and pulled backwards down the cellar steps. Although admitting to its presence, the grenadier management is reluctant to advertise their ghost, perhaps fearing that it will deter people from working there. And, despite various enquiries by both the IoPR and other groups, the management refuses to allow a full investigation to take place. (So far…)

The Ghosts of 50 Berkeley Square
During the Victorian age 50 Berkeley Square (in London’s Russell Square), was one of the most famous haunted houses – largely due to Edward Bulwer Lytton’s famous story, "The Haunted and the Haunters." Lytton’s hero agrees to spend a night in the haunted house and is subjected to all kinds of terrifying manifestations, and it does seem that fact has blurred with fiction regarding the exact nature of the haunting.
While it’s not clear exactly when 50 Berkeley Square gained its gruesome reputation, from at least the1840s onwards, there were reports of strange noises coming from the house and neighbours said they could hear the sound of heavy boxes or furniture being dragged across the bare floorboards. It soon had a reputation for being haunted by a ghost "too horrible to describe," others said that it was "shapeless and slimy and emitted gruesome slopping noises" as it went up and down the stairs. The reputation of the house grew fallowing the story of two drunken sailors who broke into the then empty house. On one really knows what happened during the night but one sailor was found within a babbling loon, and the other was found dead, apparently implied on the surrounding railings!
For several decades now, the house has been occupied by a firm of antique booksellers, "Maggs Brothers," who insist that they have never had the slightest reason to believe the place to be haunted, despite being one of the most famous locations in the world. 

Tower of London (London’s most Haunted location?)
The tales of haunting at the Tower are many and varied. Below are just a few of them

During the 14th and 15th century parts of Tower of London functioned as a gaol with many famous people were imprisoned there. Many were tortured to death or beheaded and, as a consequence, their ghosts have been seen in the Tower. In 1536 Anne Boleyn, Queen of England and second wife of Henry VIII, was beheaded and her body was buried inside the Tower in St. Peter's Chapel.

One night in the middle of the 19th century, a soldier was on sentry duty outside the Tower when he saw some strange lights emanating from St. Peter's Chapel. Deciding to investigate, he climbed a ladder and looked through one of the chapel windows. Inside, he saw a group of people in 16th century clothes walking up the central aisle towards the altar. They were led by an attractive woman whom the soldier recognised for he had seen her portrait many times - it was Anne Boleyn. He watched the strange procession until it reached the altar when, suddenly, everyone disappeared and the lights went out.

On another night, a different sentry was on duty when he saw a figure coming out of the darkness. He held his rifle out in front and shouted the traditional sentry's challenge, "Halt! Who goes there - friend or foe?" The strange figure made no sound but continued walking towards him. As it came into the light, he saw a horrible sight - the figure of a headless woman! The sentry panicked and plunged his bayonet into the woman's body but she disappeared into thin air. The sentry fell to the ground in a faint. A few minutes later, his unconscious form was discovered by one of his officers. When he saw the sentry lying on the ground, he arrested him for being asleep on duty. However, when he was put on trial, several of his fellow soldiers came forward and testified that they had seen a similar apparition on numerous occasions. The soldier was finally acquitted and allowed to return to his duties.

Amen Court and Newgate Prison
In 1783, the new Newgate Prison was built and a system of hanging that dropped the prisoner through the floor of the scaffold was introduced. A new scaffold was built outside the prison so that 12 men could be executed at the same time. Between Newgate and the Old Bailey was a small passageway, completely caged in, called Birdcage Walk (or Dead Man's Walk), which was also the location of the lime pits in which the remains of the executed prisoners were buried. Jack Shepherd, the cat burglar, was hanged in November 1724 after having escaped custody three times. Witnesses have seen a dark shape in Birdcage Walk late at night and have heard the sounds of chains and heavy footfalls. It is believed to be Shepherd's phantom.

The ivy-covered wall at the end of Amen Court has been in place since the court and the former prison were in existence. This section of the wall is believed to be haunted by a particularly unpleasant manifestation known for centuries as the 'Black Dog of Newgate'. The Black Dog is said to have been witnessed gliding up and down the streets and crawling along the top of the wall immediately before an execution was to take place. Apparently one prisoner called Luke Hutton wrote down his opinions about the existence of the Black Dog. It is thought that he believed it to be the ghost of a former prisoner called Schoiler, who had been eaten by the other starving prisoners. The act of cannibalism caused the prisoners to imagine that they had seen Schoiler at night, in the form of a black dog, patrolling the prison, his jaws open in preparation for his revenge.

The ghost of Amelia Dyer, the 19th century baby-farmer who took in orphaned children, claimed money from the parish to look after them and then disposed of them, has also been seen at Newgate. She was executed on 10 June 1896 and on her journey to the scaffold she is reported to have said to Mr. Scott, the chief warder, ‘til meet you again, some day, sir'. Some time later Mr. Scott was sitting in the Keeper's Room when he saw the face of Amelia framed in the grille of the door. Scott leapt up and opened the door but there was nobody outside, although there was a woman's handkerchief lying on the floor. There had been no women prisoners at Newgate for years. 

The ‘Viaduct Tavern’ Public House, Newgate Street
It has been previously suggested that the Viaduct Tavern’s Cellar’s small rear rooms were once cells of Newgate prison (see above), but it is more likely that they originate from the Giltspur Compter which once stood upon this site. However, many people, both customers and staff, visiting this 19th-century pub have experienced strange phenomena, particularly in the cellar area. A sudden drop in temperature, coupled with an unusual and unexpected feeling of sadness or melancholy has been felt, especially in the right-hand corner of the cellar, in what appears to be a kind of solitary confinement area. It is unknown from where this poltergeist activity emanates, but the landlords and staff at the pub now refers to the spirit as 'Fred' One landlord found himself locked in the cellar one morning, and all the lights went out, with no apparent cause. When his wife finally rescued him it was apparent that the door had been locked from the inside of the cellar as it was easily opened from the outside, although something had prevented the man from releasing himself, This incident, coupled with other experiences in the cellar, has made many of the staff unwilling to go to the cellars on their own.

You can also read the report of IoPR’s own investigation of the V.T. in the ‘investigation’ section.

Highgate Cemetery Highgate
It really can be no surprise that such a famous and atmospheric cemetery would be considered haunted. Several ghosts can be seen here, one of the most ornate and strangely forbidding cemeteries in the country. 'Inhabitants' include Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Charles Dickens. Rossetti, the famous pre-Raphaelite painter and poet, married his favourite model, a woman of outstanding beauty, by the name of Elizabeth Siddal. Tragically she died in 1862, aged only 29. Rossetti placed a manuscript of poems in her coffin when she was buried in Highgate Cemetery. Shortly after her death Rossetti's career went into gradual decline, but his agent, Charles August Howell persuaded Rossetti to exhume the coffin and retrieve the poems within. Rossetti was not present when the body was exhumed, but witnesses reported that Elizabeth's hair had grown and was as beautiful as it had been when she was alive. Rossetti had gone to Scotland, where he began to drink a lethal mixture of whisky and chloral. Subsequently the poems were published in a volume called The Book from the Grave. Rossetti died soon after publication, and in 1890 Howell also died under unpleasant circumstances. His body was found with a gold coin jammed between clenched teeth and its throat cut. There are unconfirmed reports that either Howell's, or indeed Rossetti’s himself haunts the area near Elizabeth Siddal's grave. Reports have also been made of the spirit of an unknown mad woman who searches the graves for children that she murdered, and a sad-looking shrouded male figure who simply sits and stares. Near the main entrance a ghost with bony fingers lies in wait, and the ghost of a man in a black hat who’s been seen in Swain’s lane, just outside the cemetery walls.

Jack the Ripper: Mitre Square City of London
Site of Jack the Ripper's murder of Catherine Eddowes in September 1888. For years, stories have circulated of people seeing a man running from the Square and a woman in dark clothing lying where Catherine died. As they cross to help her, she disappears...

Charlton House
A ghostly maid holding a baby may be connected to Sir William Langhome, who died heiress in 1714 despite marrying a 17-year-old when he was over 80. He has also been seen there pestering women. Poltergeist phenomena occurred during an investigation in 1999.

Covent Garden Underground
William Terns, a stage star murdered by a deranged rival outside the Adelphi Theatre in the Strand in 1897, is still seen late at night in the staff quarters or on the platform from which he used to return to Putney after his show, in a Homburg hat, grey suit and white gloves.

The House of Detention, Clerkenwell
There has been a prison on this site since 1616, although the series of tunnels and passageways that can be explored date from its last rebuilding in 1844. By the mid-19th century the House of Detention, as it became known, was used as a holding prison for those awaiting trial, and an estimated 10,000 people a year passed through its gates. The prison was demolished in 1890, but an entire underground section survived and lay undisturbed until the bombs of the Blitz saw it reopened as an air-raid shelter. After World War II it was again largely forgotten until, in 1993, it became a museum.

Descend a clanking set of iron stairs and pass under a grim replica of the grotesque head whose screening mouth, sunken eyes and matted hair were meant to symbolise criminal despair. It once hung prophetically over the main gate of the prison. Step into a sinister ventilation corridor where the air hangs heavy with the musty smell of damp and age, and progress slowly through this cavernous world of silent shadows. The floor beneath your feet is uneven and worn, ice-cold moisture drips from above', and there is the unnerving feeling that you are being constantly watched. Many visitors to the prison have caught sight of a shadowy figure mov­ing swiftly through the darkness ahead of them. Others have come back from the cells and grim passages and asked who the old lady is who seems to be searching for something, but does not respond when assistance is offered. Former manager Tom Duran has lost count of the number of people who hear the little girl whose heart-rend­ing sobs reverberate from the inner depths of the jail. 'They genuinely believe that a lost child is wandering the dank maze of corridors and passageways.' Then he adds by way of explanation: 'Children were imprisoned here and the anguish they suffered must have been terrible. Perhaps this little girl's grief has somehow impregnated the stone and some people are just sensitive to that sort of thing.' In addition there may be a particular individual who is very unpleasant and often stalks women who wonder alone through the maze of tunnels.  

Postscript - Will the real owner of the House of Detention please stand up?Although already a famous and interesting location the House of Detention’s reputation was raised even higher by its appearance on UKliving’s ‘Most Haunted’. But the way in which the location was presented seems to be at odds with what is believed, regarding it haunting. Not surprisingly the House of Detention was repeatedly approached by groups wishing to carry out their own investigations. But the prison had been privately purchased, and the new owner intended to convert it into a snooker hall. However, this plan was met by strong opposition by local residents, and as a consequence the plans fell through. The last time we approached the location for a possible investigation we were informed that ownership had passed to the local council, but there does not seem to be anyone within the council who is directly responsible for the prison. So recent enquiries have led nowhere.

Ham House
Built in 1610, the house is haunted by the ghost of Lady Lauderdale, who lived there in the 1670s. She is said to have been a particularly unpleasant individual with, appropriately, an equally unpleasant husband. Her ghost has been seen on numerous occasions walking around the building tapping the floorboards with a cane. Some witnesses also report hearing the faint strains of Greensleeves. Whether the haunting and the music are linked is unknown. One sighting of particular note was by a six-year-old girl, who was awoken by the sounds of fingernails scratching at the wall. The ghost turned to look at the child, who screamed in terror. When the wall was investigated, marks were found, beneath which were hidden documents that proved that Lady Lauderdale had murdered her previous husband, Count Dysart.
Ham House is currently being investigated by The Ghost Club, See IoPR’s submitted pictures section for an interesting photo capture by Paolo S. of IoPR and the Ghost Club.

Route no.7 Cambridge Gardens (The ghost of a bus ?!)
Not all ghosts, that are reported, are human or animal. Occasionally more unusual ‘objects’ become the subject of supernatural sightings, one such example is that of a bright red double-decker bus that, in the mid 1930's, made hundreds of appearances at the intersection of St. Marks Road and Cambridge Gardens, in North Kensington. The road curved sharply there, but it was nothing that the usually excellent London drivers couldn't handle.

According to most popular accounts, it first started in 1934, when a motorist who had crashed his car — but escaped unhurt — told police that he was making the turn when a bright red double-decker bus came hurtling toward him, forcing him off the road. The motorist also reported that the bus lights were on, but that he couldn't see a driver or any passengers.

The authorities set out to track down the offending bus, but were surprised to find that no buses were scheduled in the area at that time or anywhere near that time, even thought the aforementioned driver was not the only person to have sighted the phantom bus.

Then more accidents started happening, and again the story was the same, a red double-decker bus forcing the cars off the road. In every case, witnesses reported that the bus vanished right after it had caused the accidents. However, mainly due to this increase in accidents, the road layout was altered, making the road straighter and safer.  Since then the mysterious bus has been seen no more.

St Bartholomew's Hospital
The grey lady that has been seen in the area of Grace Ward is believed to be the apparition of a former nurse at the hospital. The nurse was responsible for caring for the patients in the psychiatric ward. Unfortunately she was killed by one of the patients and, presumably, chooses to continue her work even in death.

Separated by a road from the hospital, Charterhouse, the original house of the famous school, was founded in 1611 by Sir Thomas Sutton as a hospital for poor boys, fulfilling his lifelong wish to found a benevolent institution. The headless ghost of Thomas Howard, 4th Duke of Norfolk, has been seen in the building. He owned it before Thomas Sutton. After Howard's wife, Lady Dacre, died, the duke became involved in a plot to marry Mary Queen of Scots and he was executed in 1572. His apparition is said to walk down the staircase of the Great Hall. The courtyards are also said to be haunted by the apparition of an unknown monk who wanders or drifts over the cobbled yard.

Apparently the hospital was the scene of the murder of a nurse in years gone by. She was murdered in the lift and it is believed that it is her manifestation that causes the lift to malfunction at times. Now known as 'the Coffin Lift', it appears, at times, to have a will of its own and regularly takes the occupants to the basement of the hospital, regardless of which button they have pressed. A phantom lift has also been reported as following witnesses up the stairs that run to the side of the 'actual' lift.

Cleopatra's Needle, Embankment
A strange, silent apparition, thought to be the ghost of one of the many people who have chosen this spot to commit suicide, has been seen on numerous occasions. The ghost is described as being male, tall and naked. Witnesses have seen him jump from the parapet beside the needle and hit the water but create no splash. Other witnesses have clearly heard strange laughing and moaning in the vicinity. Cleopatra's Needle, on the Victoria Embankment, was sculpted over 3,000 years ago and is reported to have been cursed by the legendary Egyptian queen.

The Atlantis Bookshop, Museum Street 
The Atlantis Bookshop is probably the most famous, and certainly oldest Esoteric/Occult bookshop in the world, but it also has its own ghost, although the spectral visitor never actually enters the shop. Instead the ghost is content to simply rattle the door handle. Those who have seen this unexpected customer have described a man wearing and grey suit, and is thought to be a previous owner.

From the Institute for Paranormal Research
http://www.iopr.org.uk