The Galleries of Justice, located in Nottingham, is a historic site that has long been rumored to be haunted by the spirits of its past.
This former courthouse and prison has a macabre history, dating back to medieval times, and has served as a site of punishment, execution, and, somewhat ironically, injustice.
The Galleries of Justice
The Galleries of Justice, originally called the Shire Hall and County Gaol, were built in medieval times, as there are records of the building serving as a courthouse as far back as the 14th century.
The building and the cave system below played a vital role in the administration of justice throughout the centuries and served as the main courtroom for the county of Nottinghamshire.
The prison also held prisoners awaiting trial or sentencing in the cells located in the basement, known as the “dungeons,” and was used until the late 18th century.
The Galleries of Justice was also a site of execution for criminals sentenced to death. Many criminals who were executed at the Galleries of Justice were convicted of petty crimes such as theft and were hanged on a scaffold on the steps at the front of the building.
The last execution to take place at the Galleries of Justice was in 1864, after which all executions in the county were transferred to a different location.
The Galleries of Justice museum displays the last working gallows in Britain, which were maintained until 1990. The gallows are not the original gallows of the Galleries of Justice but were transferred to the museum from Wandsworth Prison and stand on the same spot where many lost their lives.
The Galleries of Justice Ghosts and Hauntings
The Galleries of Justice is said to be one of the most haunted prisons in the world with several areas within the building believed to be particularly active with paranormal activity.
The most haunted location in the Galleries of Justice is reported to be the cave area, dug into the sandstone below the building.
The cave system also houses a sinister oubliette. Prisoners were thrown into the oubliette dungeon (from French oublier meaning to forget), held in complete darkness, and often left to die of starvation.
Visitors often feel a sense of unease and dread while in the dungeons, and shuffling or dragging sounds have been reported along with violent poltergeist activity.
The feeling of being watched or touched by unseen hands is also prevalent in this area. The dungeon is part of the building tour guides try to avoid!
There is also lots of reported activity in the courtroom, where many trials and sentencing occur.
The large, oppressive room is haunted by the spirits of those who were tried and often sentenced to death there, with visitors hearing footsteps, loud knocking, and bangs regularly.
One ghost is believed to be that of William Saville, who was executed for killing his wife. One particular ghost story on Amy’s Crypt blog mentions his presence is usually accompanied by a strong and unpleasant smell.
Apparitions have also been seen in the execution yard, where many prisoners met their grisly end.
My Ghost Hunting experience at the Galleries of Justice
We met in the entrance hall of the building and began our investigation by walking around all of the known paranormal hot spots.
A local psychic felt that there were two spirits in the entrance hall of the building who were aware of our presence and asked them to try and communicate.
There were a few knocks and creaks as we stood quietly in anticipation. However, these noises could easily be debunked as the building cooling down for the evening.
The Court Room
We moved into the courtroom, and it was more of the same. There were little taps, and sometimes loud bangs, but natural phenomena could also explain the majority of noises.
The noises became more compelling when we heard what sounded like footsteps lightly pacing between the benches, mainly as the group stood entirely still and nobody else was in the building.
Activity began to ramp up. A few people saw a shadow figure darting across the balcony, so a Ouija board was set up to open contact with any spirits that may have wanted to communicate.
Before long, the glass did start to move around the board; however, I remained skeptical as to whether ghostly hands were pushing it, given I had only met a couple of those participating a little more than an hour before!
Washroom / Laundry Room
We then headed for the Laundry Room, and while calling out to the spirits, a few of us heard a female voice make a very quiet ‘aaah’ sound behind us. I was standing at the back of the group, so I could rule out the possibility of it being one of the other investigators.
Cells, Pits, and Dungeon
We spent the rest of the night in the dungeon, where prisoners were kept in inhumane conditions and often chained to the walls. A table tipping experiment roused the activity.
The air felt thicker, and we all felt as though we were no longer alone. As we sat in a circle and called out to what we believed was an older man, the group could suddenly smell body odor. The smell mysteriously lifted as quickly as it came, but it became clear that we were not alone.
Then all hell broke loose! Several thuds were heard as objects were thrown or dropped onto the sandy surface, and the atmosphere in the pits was now oppressive and genuinely frightening.
We sat in absolute pitch black, so it was impossible to rule out foul play completely; however, I became concerned that one of us may get hurt as the alleged poltergeist activity increased.
The most compelling piece of evidence came a few moments later when a stone was thrown with force and hit my back. Given where I was sitting, there was no possibility it dropped from the ceiling or that one of the group had thrown this item. It’s the best poltergeist activity I have ever witnessed, and to this day, I have no rational explanation for the incident.
Evidence
The full vigil was also recorded on an audio recorder, which was left in the middle of the room as we called out to the spirits in an attempt to record some EVPs.
A number of the thrown items can be heard landing in the clip, and when the old man is asked to make himself known, the stone that was directed at me is clearly thrown in response.
During the vigil, we all clearly heard a male voice whispering ‘No’ in answer to a similar question. This direct voice phenomenon is one of the clearest DVPs we have ever recorded.
Please listen to the best bits of our intense investigation in the Caves below the Galleries of Justice below!
Haunted Locations nearby
If you’re looking to make a day of it, several other locations in Nottingham are said to be extremely haunted.
Nottingham Castle is said to be haunted by the spirit of a former resident, the notorious outlaw Robin Hood and the ghost of a porter who was murdered on the castle grounds.
Another must-see location is Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, a Grade II listed pub built into the rock at the foot of the castle. It is considered one of the oldest pubs in England and is believed to date back to around 1189.
The Trip is haunted by a number of ghosts, including a woman in a long red dress and a man in medieval clothing. There is also a cursed model galleon on display that staff refuse to clean.
