Spooked in Southend - The most haunted places

In Southend there is an abundance of petrifying paranormal locations to visit if you're looking for a good old fright. 

Here are our the spookiest places to visit in Southend:

Prittlewell Priory

The Prittlewell Priory is now one of Southend's museums, but the historic former monk's home is said to still be haunted by spooky spirits.

The Priory was built in the 12th Century and was almost obliterated on the orders of King Henry VII during the Reformation in the 16th Century. 

Founded in 1110 by Robert FitzSuen, the original “Preterwelle priory” of St Mary was home to 18 monks, who followed the rule of St Benedict.

In the Sixties, an archaeological dig is said to have found the skeleton of a monk who had been beheaded and buried face-down in the earth – suggesting he was bound for hell.

Legend has it that the property is haunted by a monk who can be seen gliding up the path leading to the old cloisters and especially by the former minstrel's gallery.

Palace Theatre

Image - Google Maps

Located in Westcliff-on-Sea the Palace Theatre was opened in 1912. 

Actors have reported strange tobacco smells and theatre-goers sitting with no one beside them have also reported feeling a cold hand on their shoulder. 

The ghost is thought to be the old theatre manager who hung himself from the fly floor when the theatre got into financial difficulties.

There have also been sightings of a lady in white and the sound of a piano coming from the deserted pit. 

The Sarah Moore

The Sarah Moore pub in Leigh is named after an old ghostly legend. 

The 'bent and bitter old witch', Sarah Moore, was a fortune teller who made her living sitting down by the estuary telling fortunes and selling sailors 'a good wind' for a penny.

This meant she would take a piece of string or ribbon and 'tie' wind into it, the sailor would buy it and then at sea if they needed wind to sail they would untie the ribbon.

It is said that one day a foreign captain arrived in Leigh and after hearing about Moore he forbade his crew to go near her or buy any of her spells. 

When Moore heard of his rules she blew into a blind rage and summoned The Great Storm of the Estuary. 

She threw her curse onto the ship as the captain and crew set sail once more - out on the water the crew tried to take down the sail but it was impossible. 

Fearing death, the captain took an axe and with three almighty blows he chopped the mast down. 

On returning to Belle Wharf the sailors found Sarah Moore's body laying there with three axe wounds across her corpse. 

What's your favourite ghostly tale from Southend? Let us know in the comments.