As the nights draw in and the autumn mist rolls over the Essex countryside, it’s not just creaky floorboards that send a shiver down the spine. Our county is brimming with centuries-old homes, and some of them have more than just history peering out of their windows. This Halloween, we’re taking a spooky look at Essex’s most haunted houses and their famous panes and portals.
Let’s start with Borley Rectory said to be one of the most haunted properties in Essex. Locals say that a ghostly figure often appears at the upstairs window, in the form of a nun who was executed for her relationship with a monk, still watching for her long-lost love. Visitors have reported the faint tapping of fingers on the glass, as though someone is desperate to be let inside.
Then there’s our very own Kelvedon Hatch Secret Nuclear Bunker which was built in Brentwood in 1952 to house people in the event of a nuclear attack. Thankfully, it was never used for its intended purpose, but when it was being built an old grave was discovered. Since then, there have been reports of unexplained noises and stones being thrown at tourists visiting the Bunker.
Over in Colchester, the oldest recorded town in Britain, the tales grow darker. At The Red Lion Hotel, one of the town’s most famous haunts, the ghost of Alice Catherine Millar is often seen gazing sadly from a second-storey window. She was tragically murdered in the 17th century, and rumour has it she keeps watch over the high street below.
Here at Essex Window and Door Centre, we love our county’s architectural heritage, haunted or not. Windows and doors have always been symbolic thresholds: between light and dark, warmth and chill, the living, and the unseen. Whether you’re protecting your home from draughts or the odd ghostly visitor, our modern installations blend safety, style, and tradition.
So, this Halloween, as you draw the curtains or shut the door against the cold night air, spare a thought for those who might be looking back from the other side of the glass…
