12 spooky film locations you can visit

Calling all followers of film, spectators of the silver screen, supporters of cinema, and habitués of horror. Did you know the UK is full of fantastic film locations that you can go and visit? Spend this spooky season visiting some of our best horror film locations and recreate your favourite scenes from horror movie history.

We’ve put together our list of the 12 spookiest film locations in the UK that you can visit right now. Whether it’s a day out or a weekend away, take some time to satisfy your inner film buff and see one of these terrifying film locations.


Witchfinder General (1968) – Lavenham, Suffolk

LavenhamAs well as being a stunning picturesque location, Lavenham was used in the 1968 classic Witchfinder General because of its historical accuracy. Lavenham is one of the best preserved medieval towns in Britain, and its town square was the real site of witch burnings in the 1600s. Clearly, Lavenham’s history has stood the test of time, as it’s still a common location for films of the occult, recently appearing as Godric’s Hollow in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1.

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The Wicker Man (1973) – Culzean Castle, Ayrshire, Scotland

HalloweenIf you have a fascination with the paranormal, then you’ll love a visit to Culzean Castle. The Castle grounds starred in the weirdly creepy 1973 adaptation of The Wicker Man as the elaborate home of Lord Summerisle. Culzean itself is rumoured to be haunted, and back in the early 2000s, the castle made an appearance on the scream-filled ghost-hunting television show, Most Haunted. You can easily spend a whole day here visiting the castle and extensive grounds, which include 40 buildings and secret follies, beaches, a deer park, and an adventure playground. Keep your eyes peeled for the ghosts of a servant girl or piper that haunt this grand castle.

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The Omen (1976) – All Saints Church, London

HalloweenA short walk from Putney Bridge, All Saints Church has earned itself a place in horror movie history as a filming location for the chilling classic, The Omen. Dating back to 1440, this ominous church is featured in one of the most memorable scenes of the movie, when a priest is impaled by a falling lightning conductor. The nearby Bishop’s Park was also used to film some of Damien’s paranormal deeds.

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Dracula (1979) – St Michael’s Mount, Cornwall

HalloweenSeparated from the mainland by a causeway that is only accessible at low tide, St Michael’s Mount made for the perfect isolated lair of Dracula in the 1979 feature film starring Laurence Olivier. This iconic castle has been the backdrop for many feature films and has a history dating back to the bronze age. St Michael’s is surrounded by myth and legend, with tales of giants, mermaids, and miracles leaving their mark on the Mount. See what tales you take home with you from a trip to this breathtaking island.

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The Witches (1990) – Headland Hotel, Newquay

The Roald Dahl book turned movie classic, The Witches, is a chilling tale where a convention of wig-toting witches at a seaside hotel hatches a plan to turn children into mice. The aptly named Headland Hotel in Newquay took centre stage as the main location in the 1990 film starring Angelica Houston and Rowan Atkinson. With a beautiful beach nearby, this is a great location to visit with the family. It might be worth taking some extra cheese with you though, just in case your little ones get turned into rodents.

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Sleepy Hollow (1999) – Hambleden, Buckinghamshire

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This quintessentially English village has played host to many a spooky scene over the years. Amongst the lengthy list of flicks filmed here is Tim Burton’s Sleepy Hollow, starring Johnny Depp. As well as offering the perfect location for a spine-tingling tale, this Buckinghamshire village is also a beautiful place to have a leisurely stroll. With its flint cottages and medieval church, it’s well worth a wander. Hambledon was also the site of a U.S. military base in the build-up to D-Day and appropriately featured as a training ground for East Company in the Spielberg mini-series Band of Brothers. 

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28 Days Later (2002) – Oxford Street, London

HalloweenOver 200 million people visit this film location each year. Oxford Street is one of the most famous shopping areas in the world and is renowned for its bustling crowds. This made it the perfect location for an apocalyptic scene in 28 Days Later, where Cillian Murphy’s character awakes to a desolate London. In order to achieve a real sense of isolation for the film, shooting started as early as 4am to ensure no one was around. Also featuring in the deserted opening of the film are Westminster Bridge, Piccadilly Circus, and Horse Guards Parade. Fancy walking around London at 4am to recreate that 28 Days Later feeling? 

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Dorian Gray (2009) – Highgate Cemetery, London

Highgate Cemetery is certainly one of the spookiest around, making it the perfect choice for a chilling movie scene. London’s creepiest cemetery gets plenty of screen time in the Colin Firth film, based on Oscar Wilde’s novel, Dorian Gray. With stunning architecture, and wonderfully overgrown shrubs and trees, Highgate cemetery can be a haven of tranquillity in busy London. Make sure you’ve left here by nightfall though, you wouldn’t want to get lost in the twists and turns of this graveyard. Other key London locations in the film include the Old Royal Naval College and The British Academy.

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The Woman in Black (2012) – Layer Marney Tower, Essex

HalloweenFrom the West End stage to the silver screen, The Woman in Black has been terrifying audiences for years. Now you can go behind the scenes of this fearsome flick with a visit to Layer Marney Tower. Creep along the corridors and sneak amongst the shadows of the tallest Tudor gatehouse in the country. Keep your eyes peeled though, you may just see the ghostly figure of Lord Marney, who is said to haunt the tower to this very day.

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Dark Shadows (2012) – Bourne Wood, Surrey

HalloweenBourne Wood is a small hilly woodland that’s become a popular hit with Hollywood filmmakers. With well-spaced Scot’s Pines and a large clearing, Bourne Wood has been central to creating some of the biggest films in recent history. Johnny Depp’s film Dark Shadows was shot here, saw a vampiric mansion constructed in the woodland. Other appearances on the silver screen include the opening battle in Gladiator, three Harry Potter films, and three Avengers films. This is a film location not to be missed.

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Under The Skin (2013) – Tantallon Castle, Lothian, Scotland

Tantallon CastleCritically acclaimed and completely creepy, Under The Skin stars Scarlett Johansson as an otherworldly woman who seduces young men to their demise. Many of the shots were filmed with hidden cameras, using non-actors to play the characters, giving an eerie sense of realism to the film. Under The Skin was shot in several locations around Scotland, including the haunting coastal fortress, Tantallon Castle in Lothian. Having withstood several sieges, Tantallon Castle is an impressive ruin of a 14th-century castle with a 50-foot curtain wall, and well worth a visit for history and film lovers alike.

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Ghost Stories (2017) – Saltaire Village, Yorkshire

Saltaire Village

Ghost Stories is a darkly comic film about a sceptical professor who tries to find logical explanations for stories of supernatural hauntings. Filmed in several locations around Yorkshire, Saltaire Village is certainly the most attractive spot you can visit, and a UNESCO world heritage site. This fantastically preserved Victorian mill town really gives you the sense of life 200 years ago, and is an ever-popular filming location, recently appearing in the gritty drama Peaky Blinders.

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