Chester: England's Most Haunted City

A Musical Ghost?

Overlooking Chester's ancient city walls on the western edge of the city is the ornate Victorian Queen's School. The city walls here take clever advantage of the steep banks of the old river, and the wall-top walkway is level with the school.

Few people realise, however, that this upmarket private girls' school stands on the former site of the 'City Gaol and House of Correction'. The jail was one of the first to install a 'drop', or mechanical gallows. The gallows stood high on the front of the building where they were used for the public hangings of Chester criminals. The grisly scenes of death attracted large, ghoulish crowds.

It's not surprising then, that the school is haunted today. The narrow stairs and cramped attic rooms create an atmosphere of foreboding. Former pupils testify that the music room has a resident ghost. During lessons, they say, the door would often open, even if properly closed. Then, after enough time had elapsed for someone, or something, to leave the room, it would silently shut again.

Nothing was actually seen or heard by the girls, but it became common for the whole music class to respond in unison with a gentle call of 'hello ghost!'.