Top 5 Eerie Cambridge Ghost Stories

Eerie Cambridge Ghost Stories (and Where To See The Ghosts Today!)

Explore ghost stories that have passed down through generations and blend the city's academic heritage with its supernatural folklore.

Cambridge, with its centuries-old history and grand architecture, is not only known for its academic brilliance but also for its darker, more mysterious side. Beneath the city’s cobbled streets and behind its ancient college walls, ghostly tales have lingered for generations.

From tragic love stories to eerie apparitions, the city’s past is haunted by spectres said to roam its courtyards, corridors, and gardens. These stories offer a glimpse into a hidden world, where the living occasionally cross paths with the dead. Here are five of Cambridge’s most chilling ghost stories.

The Ghost of Peterhouse College

Peterhouse, the oldest college in Cambridge, is said to be haunted by a former cook named Thomas Whytehead. The story goes that Whytehead was dismissed by the college bursar and later took his own life. His ghost is said to haunt the Combination Room, where many have reported cold drafts and the sound of a clattering knife, believed to be Whytehead’s spirit seeking revenge on the bursar.

Anecdotes of sightings suggest that the ghost of Thomas Whytehead, the former cook, has been spotted in the Combination Room. Several Fellows and staff members have reported feeling sudden cold drafts in the room, and some even claim to have heard a clattering sound in the quiet of the night, as if Whytehead is still angrily wielding a knife. One story tells of a student in the 1980s who encountered the apparition of a man in kitchen attire, only for him to disappear when approached.

  • How to see him: The Combination Room is still part of the college, but access may be restricted to members. If you’re visiting during an open event or on a tour, lingering near this space late in the day might give you a chance to experience an icy chill or eerie sound.

The Grey Lady of Girton College

Girton College has its own ghost, often referred to as the Grey Lady. She is believed to be the spirit of a former student who died tragically in the early 20th century. The Grey Lady is often seen wandering the corridors at night, dressed in period clothing. Students and staff have reported feeling an icy chill when she passes by and have occasionally heard soft, sorrowful sobbing.

Students and staff at Girton College have long told stories of the Grey Lady, with sightings dating back over a century. Many students report seeing a woman in old-fashioned clothes walking silently through the halls, only for her to vanish when approached. A cleaner in the 1990s described seeing the Grey Lady disappear into a wall while mopping the floor late at night. The ghost is said to appear especially during times of academic stress, adding to the tension of exam periods.

  • How to see her: Girton College is a bit far away from the main city centre, but its grounds can be visited by arrangement or during open days. Some students claim the Grey Lady tends to appear in the older parts of the college, so a visit to these areas may give you a chance to glimpse her.

The Haunted Fellows' Garden at Corpus Christi College

Corpus Christi College’s Fellows’ Garden is said to be haunted by the ghost of Dr. Henry Butts, a former Master of the college who died by suicide in 1632 after a long bout of depression. His apparition is reportedly seen walking through the garden at night, his head hung low in sorrow. His spectral presence has been reported by several Fellows over the centuries, often coinciding with a sudden drop in temperature.

The ghost of Dr. Henry Butts is often seen during the late evening or early hours, wandering through the Fellows’ Garden at Corpus Christi College. Visitors have reported an overwhelming sense of sadness while walking through the garden, and Fellows have spoken of sudden temperature drops that seem to have no cause. One haunting tale tells of a visitor in the 1920s who saw a figure in a long academic gown walking silently through the garden, head bowed low, only to disappear behind a tree.

  • How to see him: Access to the Fellows’ Garden is usually limited to Fellows and students of the college, but the garden is visible from certain viewpoints on the college grounds. Evening visits may increase the likelihood of a strange encounter with the solemn ghost of Dr. Butts.

The Headless Horseman of the Fen Causeway

One of the more gruesome ghost stories of Cambridge is that of the Headless Horseman, believed to haunt the Fen Causeway, a historic road leading out of the city. According to legend, the horseman is the ghost of a soldier or messenger who was decapitated during the English Civil War. His ghost, mounted on a spectral horse, is said to gallop along the Causeway at night, his severed head carried in his hand.

Sightings of the Headless Horseman galloping along the Fen Causeway tend to occur on misty nights, particularly in winter. A cyclist in the 1960s recounted hearing the thunder of hooves behind him while cycling home late one foggy evening, but when he turned around, there was nothing but an eerie, chilling silence. Another local in the 1980s claimed to have seen a shadowy figure on horseback, carrying something in its hand, before vanishing into the fog.

  • How to see him: The Fen Causeway is a public road just outside the city centre, running through the countryside towards the river. The best time for an encounter with the headless horseman is late at night on a foggy or misty evening, particularly during the winter months. Walking or cycling along the road during these times might bring you face to face with the ghostly rider.

The Black-Scholar of King’s College

A ghostly figure known as the Black Scholar is said to haunt King’s College. This spectre is thought to be the spirit of a young scholar who fell in love with a local woman. After the romance soured, he ended his life in despair. His dark, shadowy figure is reportedly seen wandering the corridors and courtyards of King’s, shrouded in black robes, especially on cold, misty nights.

The Black-Scholar has been seen wandering the courtyards of King’s College, particularly around dusk. A former student in the 1970s recalled seeing a shadowy figure standing under an archway, dressed in dark academic robes, only for the figure to dissolve into the night air upon being approached. Staff members have also reported fleeting glimpses of the ghost crossing the college grounds at night.

  • How to see him: King’s College Chapel and its surrounding courtyards are accessible to the public, particularly during the day. For a ghostly experience, try visiting during the evening or on a misty day, when the atmosphere lends itself to a sense of the supernatural.