Cursed Reels and Real Places: Haunted Horror Places Across the UK

When the cold dark nights draw in and the last leaves rattle in the wind, the UK transforms into a ready-made horror set. This is a land of dilapidated manors, crumbling abbeys, twisting alleyways and centuries-old secrets buried beneath stone and soil. From the windswept wilds of Northumberland to South England’s haunted manors and shadow-drenched villages, filmmakers have long turned to Britain to summon dread, suspense and the supernatural. And as Halloween looms round the corner, those on-screen nightmares feel closer than ever.

This season, I'm exploring the real-world locations where horrors were born on film, and the places where real world horror resides. Step into the grave-still corridors that housed cinematic ghosts, follow the winding lanes once stalked by monsters and murderers, and stand beneath towers that have witnessed both legend and lens. Whether you’re planning a fear-fuelled day out or simply chasing the spirits of your favourite scary movies, these destinations promise more than atmosphere, in fact they promise a haunting you won’t forget.

28 Days Later trilogy

Is there a more chilling and disturbing scene in British horror, than Cillian Murphy wondering around a deserted London? The production crew shot the majority of the opening scenes for 28 Days Later, at the break of daylight when there was no one else on the streets. Start your journey at Westminster Bridge, where that iconic shot was filmed of Jim in hospital scrubs, with the Houses of Parliament looming behind him. Nearby, Piccadilly Circus, Tottenham Court Road and Cornhill were also used to paint the unsettling emptiness of a world undone.

As the outbreak spreads in 28 Weeks Later, the terror shifts to a quarantined and militarised London. Head to Canary Wharf and the Docklands, where glass towers and sterile streets set the stage for a fragile, false sense of security. Again Trafalgar Square was used for deserted London scenes, with Whitehall also making another appearance. In a change from London, the scenes shot in Wembley stadium were filmed at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

While 28 Years Later is still fresh, with a new instalment being released on the 6th January 2026 there are some brand new locations to explore. In the first film, there was a plethora of locations across the UK but mostly in the North East. You can check most of them out from when I posted about my favourite locations, where each place gives off the atmospheric feeling that is shown perfectly in the film.

Let Sleeping Corpses Lie

Long before the zombies of 28 Days Later infested the UK horror scene, the 1974 cult classic turned the tranquil English countryside into a nightmare. Following two travellers who stumble into a wave of zombie terror through rural England, this film was directed by Spanish filmmaker Jorge Grau around Manchester and the Peak District.

My journeys took me to Manchester city centre, where Grau shot key opening sequences capturing the contrast between urban grit and countryside calm. The film’s early scenes feature Victoria Street, Bridge Street, Portland Street and Church Street. From there, the story moves outward into the misty moors and valleys that surround the city, where the landscapes suddenly become hauntingly still.

Visiting these locations today, you’ll find the same pastoral quiet that unsettled audiences half a century ago. It’s easy to imagine the distant hum of the film’s eerie score echoing through the city streets, as though the dead might just be stirring around the corner once more.

Beetlejuice Bettlejuice

More than three decades after the iconic Tim Burton gothic comedy, the ghost with the most has returned. Although the sequel may be set in the same eerie, otherworldly town of Winter River, but much of its spectral charm was conjured right here in the UK. From the bright lights of East London to the ivy-draped ruins of Hertfordshire, the film transforms familiar British settings into something deliciously dark and delightfully Burtonesque.

The production team paid a visit to Protein Studios in Shoreditch, a creative space turned supernatural playground. The studio’s flexible warehouse space was used as a pop up art gallery for Delia's crazy and wild sculptures. Behind those giant glass doors, the entire room was transformed into the perfect New York looking place for amazing scenes between Lydia and Delia. You will even get a glimpse of the outside road with the classic East London brick and giant glass entrance.

Beyond the East London studio, filming also took place at St. Paul’s Church in Langleybury, Hertfordshire, a hauntingly atmospheric 18th-century church. Its gorgeous architecture, manicured graveyard, and eerie quietness made it perfect for Astrid's wedding in the ending dream sequence. Fans visiting Langleybury will find the church just outside Watford, surrounded by countryside that feels plucked straight from Burton’s imagination.

Doctor Who

Few shows have showcased the UK’s haunting landscapes like Doctor Who has. From the windswept coasts to the cobbled streets of South Wales, the series has turned the country into an endless cosmic stage. Since its 2005 revival, the Doctor’s adventures have been filmed across dozens of British locations but it’s South Wales that has truly become the heart (or two) of the Whoniverse. The region’s blend of Gothic architecture, rugged countryside, and adaptable towns has doubled for alien planets, Victorian London, and far-future civilizations alike. Cardiff, Barry, Penarth, and Newport have all stood in for countless worlds, meaning you don't need a TARDIS when everything is within a few miles.

One of the most atmospheric and haunting modern episodes, Village of the Angels (Series 13), transformed the quiet village of St Hilary in the Vale of Glamorgan into the eerie, 1960s English hamlet of Medderton. The production team filled its short and narrow lanes with vintage cars, flickering lampposts, and fog to conjure a timeless, haunted atmosphere worthy of the Weeping Angels. St Hilary’s stone cottages, ivy-covered walls, and surrounding farmland became the perfect backdrop for one of the series’ most chilling stories — where even the simplest blink could bring doom. For fans of Doctor Who, this quaint village carries a subtle tension, as though the Angels might still be watching from the shadows.

Shaun of the Dead

Before zombies took over glossy Hollywood blockbusters, they invaded suburban London. Edgar Wright’s British horror-comedy, blended genuine scares with perfectly timed wit. Nearly all of its most memorable moments were filmed in North London, turning everyday streets, pubs, and corner shops into an apocalyptic playground. Today, fans can still retrace Shaun’s stumbling, blood-smeared path through one of cinema’s most beloved zombie uprisings.

Start your undead pilgrimage in Crouch End and Highgate, bringing the classic everyman London setting. The now-iconic Winchester Tavern, where Shaun and his friends make their last stand, was actually The Duke of Albany pub on 39 Monson Road in New Cross which now looks slightly different. However the surrounding streets still feel unmistakably quiet, tree-lined, and ripe for a zombie shuffle.

Then head to West Finchley, where Shaun’s flat and local shop were filmed. The unforgettable “morning zombie walk”, with Shaun obliviously wandering through chaos to buy a Cornetto, was shot around Nelson Road, West Finchley. Though the shop itself has changed hands, it remains a pilgrimage point for fans who want to reenact the world’s most British apocalypse. You will find Shaun's parents house nearby in East Finchley, and a bit further afield Liz's apartment at Cunningham House, Hillcrest.

Hot Fuzz

If Shaun of the Dead brought horror to suburbia, Hot Fuzz brought chaos to the countryside. Director Edgar Wright’s hometown of Wells, Somerset served as the real-life setting for the idyllic-yet-sinister village of Sandford, where Nicholas Angel uncovers murder behind the hanging baskets. With its medieval streets, Gothic cathedral, and picture-perfect marketplace, Wells provided the perfect backdrop for a story where everything looks too good to be true.

Start your pilgrimage in the Market Place, instantly recognisable from the film’s many action-packed scenes — including the shootouts, police chases, and that unforgettable swan pursuit. The Crown pub, where Angel and Danny down their first pints together, the exterior is actually The Crown at Wells, a friendly local still welcoming fans for a less-lethal drink.

Just a short walk away stands the magnificent Wells Cathedral, whose towering façade dominates the skyline. Its Gothic spires appear in several shots, even if they had to be digitally erased in post-production to make Sandford look more “village” than “city.” Fans will also recognise The Bishop’s Palace, with its moat and gardens doubling as the idyllic grounds of Sandford’s darker secrets, where you may find the terrorising swans.

St Cuthbert’s Church was used several times throughout the film, most recognisably as the site of the summer fete with the spire murder. As you wander the various cobbled lanes, it’s easy to imagine Angel’s siren echoing down the road, or Danny Butterman emerging from a corner shop with Cornetto's in hand. Lovers Walk is the sight of the women with pushchairs after a foot chase, and the Little Theatre is the exterior from that awkward play.

American Werewolf in London

Few horror films capture the eerie duality of London, with its mix of ancient mystery and modern chaos. Equal parts terrifying and tragic, this cult classic used the city’s most recognisable landmarks to tell the story of two backpackers whose holiday goes monstrously wrong. From fog-choked streets to underground tunnels, these filming locations invite visitors to follow the beast’s trail across London, preferably not under a full moon.

Begin your journey in Piccadilly Circus, the site of the film’s explosive finale. Director John Landis secured rare permission to shoot there in the dead of night, capturing a cinematic feat that turned one of London’s busiest intersections into a chaotic horror spectacle. Next, descend into one of London’s most famous and unsettling scenes, the Tottenham Court Road Underground Station, where a lone commuter meets a grisly fate. The long, tiled corridors and echoing tunnels remain much the same. Horror fans often retrace the victim’s desperate run down the escalators, though thankfully without the howling accompaniment.

For a quieter contrast, venture to Belgravia’s 64 Coleherne Road, which served as the exterior of Nurse Alex’s flat, where David recovers after his attack. It’s a surprisingly peaceful stop amid the chaos, though knowing what comes next adds a delicious tension to its elegant facade. Finally, a visit to Clink Street, Southbank will bring the dark mystery that was portrayed in that horrifying body change scene, where the classic London bricks added a stunning backdrop for this classic horror.

Frenzy

Before Covent Garden became the bustling hub of shops and street performers, it was surprisingly the setting for one of Alfred Hitchcock’s most chilling films back in 1972. The master of suspense returned to his native London to shoot the story of a serial killer stalking women through the city’s streets, and he chose Covent Garden Market, as the film’s grimly authentic backdrop.

Hitchcock himself was seen directing among the crates and cobblestones, capturing the market’s mix of bustle and decay before it was redeveloped. The area’s narrow alleys and shadowed archways became the perfect stage for his tale of charm and horror colliding in plain sight. Standing in the Apple Market today, surrounded by polished boutiques and bright cafés, it’s hard to imagine the same spot once echoing with Hitchcock’s quiet command.

The Conjuring 2

While the movie transports viewers deep into the haunted council house of Enfield, one of the early moments unfolds in the heart of London. Towards the start of the film, paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren arrive in Britain, stepping out into the grey drizzle outside Marylebone Station. The station’s grand Edwardian façade and old-world charm made it the perfect gateway to the film’s shadowy take on 1970s London.

The crew dressed the area with vintage cars, rain-slicked pavements, and period signage to recreate the dreary atmosphere of postwar England, setting the tone for the supernatural horror to follow. Standing there today, beneath the same red-brick arches and ornate clock tower, it’s easy to imagine the Warrens’ wary glances as they step into a city trembling on the edge of another haunting.

Last Night in Soho

Few films capture London’s haunting beauty quite like Edgar Wright’s Last Night in Soho, a neon-soaked descent into obsession, nostalgia, and the ghosts that linger beneath the city’s glittering surface. Set between the modern day and the swinging ’60s, the film transforms real London streets into a dreamscape where glamour soon falls into something sinister. Wright insisted on shooting entirely on location, grounding the film’s surreal time travel in the city’s living history.

The story’s beating heart is Soho itself, particularly around Frith Street, Greek Street, and Old Compton Street. At night, their glowing signs and smoky bars become a bridge between eras — the same corners where stars once glittered and shadows still whisper. The film’s most striking sequences were captured near The Toucan, Soho Square, Dean Street, and Piccadilly Circus, places where Wright weaves illusion and memory into a shimmering nightmare.

Beyond Soho, the film makes haunting use of other London icons. The Empire Cinema in Haymarket, UCL Ramsay Hall and Goodge Street feature in key moments, while Fitzrovia’s quiet backstreets host Eloise’s modern-day apartment — a contrast to the vibrant chaos of the West End. Even the film’s eerie reflections and mirror scenes were shot practically, using real interiors across central London to heighten the sense that history itself is watching.

My Top 3 Scariest Locations

There’s something magnetic about places where history and intrigue still lingers in the air, where the silence feels heavier than it should, and the walls seem to remember everything. Over time, whilst trying to visit filming locations, I’ve sought out some of Britain’s most chilling filming and photography locations, and a few stand out as truly unforgettable: the kind of spaces where even the faintest echo can make your skin crawl.

The Clerkenwell House of Detention, Central London

Beneath the streets of Clerkenwell lies a warren of underground cells, tunnels, and echoing corridors, all that remains of a Victorian prison that once held London’s thieves and debtors. The space is now used occasionally for film shoots and events, but wandering through it feels like stepping into a Gothic nightmare. My camera flash illuminated centuries-old brickwork streaked with soot, rusted bars, and graffiti carved by prisoners long gone. The air was thick and stale, and every sound, from the creak of a floorboard to the drip of water was echoing far too well. It’s a place where time doesn’t move enough to forget its horrifying past.

Filmed here: The Gentleman, Blitz, The Hitman's Bodyguard, Suffragette, Harlots, Secret Diary of a Call Girl & Sherlock Holmes

The Royal Masonic Hospital, Ravenscourt Park, West London

Abandoned hospitals are obviously unsettling by nature, but the Royal Masonic Hospital feels particularly haunted by its past. Once a grand Art Deco medical facility, it now sits in eerie silence, with long corridors lined with peeling paint, forgotten gurneys, and sunlight filtering through cracked glass. The symmetry of its design and its faded grandeur create a strange, cinematic beauty, but the deeper you go, the colder it feels. Taking photos here felt like documenting the ghost of a place that hasn’t quite realised it’s dead.

Filmed here: Joy, Sweetpea, Trigger Point, Insomnia, Heart of Stone, Starstruck, Locked In & Say Nothing

Shrewsbury Prison, Shropshire

Still heavy with the weight of its history, Shrewsbury Prison is one of the most chilling sites I’ve ever stepped into. Once a functioning Category B prison, it closed in 2013 but has been preserved almost exactly as it was — cells untouched, personal belongings left behind, and execution rooms that seem to hum with memory. Many film and TV productions have used its grim authenticity, but standing inside it yourself is an entirely different experience. The metallic clang of doors, the oppressive architecture, and the knowledge of what once happened within those walls make it impossible not to feel a shiver down your spine.

Filmed here: Time, Man Like Mobeen, Happy Valley, Brassic, Joan, Ipcress File, Bancroft, Coronation Street, Celebrity Hunted & Most Haunted

Each of these places carries its own kind of haunting — not necessarily ghosts, but the echoes of human stories trapped in stone and steel. Through the lens, they reveal both decay and beauty, reminding me why exploring the darker side of history is so irresistibly compelling. So now it's a week away from Halloween, why not delve into the world of horror whether visiting a location for the eerie and dark atmosphere or tracing the footsteps of the best horror films.