Stay ConnectedWelcome to How Haunted? the paranormal podcast where each episode we explore the horrible history, and terrifying ghost stories of one of the most haunted places on planet Earth.
I’m Rob Kirkup. Author, paranormal historian, and ghost hunter from the north-east of England. Allow me to be your guide as we dare to investigate in depth the, often dark and troubled, history of each location, and of course, the chilling tales of the ghosts that reside within.
In Patreon Bonus Episode 51, you join me in Stockton-on-Tees, inside Elmwood House.
It's just after ten o'clock at night. The doors have been locked, the staff have gone home, and for the next eleven hours I'll be completely alone inside this Victorian building.
Around me are multiple audio recorders, a night vision observation room, motion sensors, cat balls, and a few experiments I've never attempted before.
Over the coming hours, I'll attempt to discover why so many people leave Elmwood House convinced they've experienced something they can't explain.
This episode was recorded entirely on location, live inside the building itself.
So what happens when you spend the night completely alone inside one of the North East's most talked-about paranormal locations?
Let's find out.
Tonight, join me as we find out just how haunted is Elmwood House?
Get access to the full episode at https://www.patreon.com/howhauntedpod.
If you don't wish to subscribe to Patreon, but would still like to hear this episode, all Patreon exclusive episodes are available to be purchased individually for a one off fee of £4.99. Check out the Patreon link to find out more.
Find out more about the pod at www.how-haunted.com and you can email Rob at rob@how-haunted.com
Music in this episode includes:
"Darren Curtis - Demented Nightmare"
" HORROR PIANO MUSIC " composed and produced by "Vivek Abhishek"
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this special Halloween roundtable episode, Dr Icy Sedgwick, Wayne from Eerie Edinburgh and I chat about ghost hunts, spooky experiences, favourite ghost stories, and, of course, Halloween.
Whether you're a seasoned ghost hunter or simply enjoy a good tale told on a dark October evening, settle in and join us for a spooky conversation.
About Dr Icy Sedgwick
If you love folklore, legends, witchcraft and the strange stories that shape our world, be sure to check out Dr Icy Sedgwick's work at icysedgwick.com and her excellent Fabulous Folklore podcast.
About Eerie Edinburgh
For atmospheric tales of ghosts, history, folklore and Edinburgh's darker side, visit eerieedinburgh.com and subscribe to the Eerie Edinburgh YouTube channel at Eerie Edinburgh YouTube for regular spooky content from Wayne. Wayne also writes paranormal books under the name W.J. Gilbert, including the Hidden Haunts series, which explores lesser-known ghost stories and hauntings from across Scotland and beyond.
Support How Haunted? by subscribing and leaving a review.
Check out the official merch store at how-haunted.dashery.com where you can buy t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, hats, and much more. They come in a vast selection of colours and a wide range of sizes.
Find out more about the pod at https://www.how-haunted.com and you can email Rob at Rob@how-haunted.com
You can become a Patreon supporter for as little as £1 a month. You can choose from three tiers and get yourself early access to episodes, and exclusive monthly episodes where Rob will conduct ghost hunts and you'll hear the audio from the night.
To sign up, and take advantage of a free seven day trial, visit https://patreon.com/HowHauntedPod
Perhaps you'd rather buy me a coffee to make a one off donation to support the pod, you can do that at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/HowHauntedPod
Music in this episode includes:
Darren Curtis – Lurking Evil: https://youtu.be/3i0aVnpeppw
" HORROR PIANO MUSIC " composed and produced by "Vivek Abhishek"
Music link :https://youtu.be/xbjuAGgk5lU || SUBSCRIBE us on YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/DQQmmCl8crQ || Follow on Facebook: https://bit.ly/33RWRtP || Follow on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2ImU2JV
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In episode 148, our journey through Touched by the Dead continues as we turn our attention to physical traces.
Throughout history, people have reported discovering marks they believed could not be explained through ordinary means. Burned handprints. Unexplained scratches. Marks appearing on religious objects. Statues said to weep tears or blood.
A sighting lasts a moment.
A physical trace remains.
Tonight we'll travel from Rome to Japan, explore some of the world's strangest claims and ask a simple question, can the dead leave their mark?
Support How Haunted? by subscribing and leaving a review.
Check out the official merch store at how-haunted.dashery.com where you can buy t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, hats, and much more. They come in a vast selection of colours and a wide range of sizes.
Find out more about the pod at https://www.how-haunted.com and you can email Rob at Rob@how-haunted.com
You can become a Patreon supporter for as little as £1 a month. You can choose from three tiers and get yourself early access to episodes, and exclusive monthly episodes where Rob will conduct ghost hunts and you'll hear the audio from the night.
To sign up, and take advantage of a free seven day trial, visit https://patreon.com/HowHauntedPod
Perhaps you'd rather buy me a coffee to make a one off donation to support the pod, you can do that at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/HowHauntedPod
Music in this episode includes:
Darren Curtis – Lurking Evil: https://youtu.be/3i0aVnpeppw
" HORROR PIANO MUSIC " composed and produced by "Vivek Abhishek"
Music link :https://youtu.be/xbjuAGgk5lU || SUBSCRIBE us on YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/DQQmmCl8crQ || Follow on Facebook: https://bit.ly/33RWRtP || Follow on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2ImU2JV
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In episode 147, our journey through our Touched by the Dead series continues as we turn our attention to objects.
Most of us own something we could never throw away. An old watch, a piece of jewellery, a favourite book. Usually they're reminders of the people we've lost. Sometimes they're said to be something more.
A doll blamed for strange events. A chair linked to death. A box people claim should never be opened.
Tonight we'll explore some of the world's most infamous haunted and cursed objects and ask a simple question:
Can an object really become haunted?
Support How Haunted? by subscribing and leaving a review.
Check out the official merch store at how-haunted.dashery.com where you can buy t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, hats, and much more. They come in a vast selection of colours and a wide range of sizes.
Find out more about the pod at https://www.how-haunted.com and you can email Rob at Rob@how-haunted.com
You can become a Patreon supporter for as little as £1 a month. You can choose from three tiers and get yourself early access to episodes, and exclusive monthly episodes where Rob will conduct ghost hunts and you'll hear the audio from the night.
To sign up, and take advantage of a free seven day trial, visit https://patreon.com/HowHauntedPod
Perhaps you'd rather buy me a coffee to make a one off donation to support the pod, you can do that at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/HowHauntedPod
Music in this episode includes:
Darren Curtis – Lurking Evil: https://youtu.be/3i0aVnpeppw
" HORROR PIANO MUSIC " composed and produced by "Vivek Abhishek"
Music link :https://youtu.be/xbjuAGgk5lU || SUBSCRIBE us on YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/DQQmmCl8crQ || Follow on Facebook: https://bit.ly/33RWRtP || Follow on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2ImU2JV
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Spooky Season is finally here!
In episode 146 we enter spooky season and begin a brand new five-part series, Touched by the Dead. Throughout October we'll explore the many ways people claim the dead leave evidence of their continued existence. From haunted objects and mysterious scratches to Electronic Voice Phenomena and possession.
Tonight we begin with perhaps the most famous form of paranormal evidence of them all. Photographs. We'll explore the origins of spirit photography, examine some of the most famous ghost photographs ever taken, including the Brown Lady of Raynham Hall, Freddy Jackson's Ghost, the Tulip Staircase Ghost and the Newby Church Monk, and ask why almost all of these famous images come from the distant past.
So let's ask together, can the dead be photographed?
Support How Haunted? by subscribing and leaving a review.
Check out the official merch store at how-haunted.dashery.com where you can buy t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, hats, and much more. They come in a vast selection of colours and a wide range of sizes.
Find out more about the pod at https://www.how-haunted.com and you can email Rob at Rob@how-haunted.com
You can become a Patreon supporter for as little as £1 a month. You can choose from three tiers and get yourself early access to episodes, and exclusive monthly episodes where Rob will conduct ghost hunts and you'll hear the audio from the night.
To sign up, and take advantage of a free seven day trial, visit https://patreon.com/HowHauntedPod
Perhaps you'd rather buy me a coffee to make a one off donation to support the pod, you can do that at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/HowHauntedPod
Music in this episode includes:
Darren Curtis – Lurking Evil: https://youtu.be/3i0aVnpeppw
" HORROR PIANO MUSIC " composed and produced by "Vivek Abhishek"
Music link :https://youtu.be/xbjuAGgk5lU || SUBSCRIBE us on YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/DQQmmCl8crQ || Follow on Facebook: https://bit.ly/33RWRtP || Follow on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2ImU2JV
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
The nights are drawing in. Summer is fading into memory. Big coats are being pulled from wardrobes and children are already deciding which frightening costume they'll wear on Halloween night.
Spooky Season has arrived.
And here on How Haunted?, things are about to get very, very frightening indeed.
Join me as we look ahead to everything coming this October, including a brand-new five-part Halloween event, a huge listener EVP experiment, an overnight ghost hunt inside a notoriously haunted Victorian building, a special Halloween roundtable and much more besides.
To check out the Patreon go to https://www.patreon.com/howhauntedpod
The Merch store can be found at https://how-haunted.dashery.com
and tickets for Newcastle After Dark Online are at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/newcastle-after-dark-online-tickets-2001510731477
Join me this Spooky Season, and every week we will ask.....How Haunted?
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Originally released for Patreon supporters in June 2025 I hope you enjoy this very special episode.
In the 34th Patreon bonus podcast you join me at the site of a former infectious diseases hospital, which is today the countryside centre for the vast country park in which it is located.
But what would happen when John, Tom and I joined Spiritus Paranormal for a night which none of us would forget in a hurry.
Tonight, let us together ask the question, just how haunted is the Scaffold Hill Hospital?
To get episodes such as this around a year sooner, you can become a Patreon for £3 a month, and get yourself early access to episodes, and more exclusive episodes where Rob will conduct ghost hunts and you'll hear the audio from the night. To find out more, or take advantage of a seven day free trial, head on over to https://patreon.com/HowHauntedPod
If you'd like to hear this episode, but not commit to a monthly subscription? All Patreon episodes can be purchased individually for a one off fee.
Perhaps you'd rather buy me a coffee to make a one off donation to support the pod, you can do that at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/HowHauntedPod
Check out the official merch store at how-haunted.dashery.com where you can buy t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, hats, and much more. They come in a vast selection of colours and a wide range of sizes.
Huge thanks to Spiritus Paranormal, check out their future investigations on their Facebook page www.facebook.com/SpiritusParanormalInvestigations
Check out Rob Davies' YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/c/DeadAirTV
Support How Haunted? by subscribing and leaving a review.
Find out more about the pod at https://www.how-haunted.com and you can email Rob at Rob@how-haunted.com
Music in this episode includes:
Darren Curtis – Lurking Evil: https://youtu.be/3i0aVnpeppw
" HORROR PIANO MUSIC " composed and produced by "Vivek Abhishek"
Music link :https://youtu.be/xbjuAGgk5lU || SUBSCRIBE us on YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/DQQmmCl8crQ || Follow on Facebook: https://bit.ly/33RWRtP || Follow on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2ImU2JV
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In our last episode, we uncovered the forgotten past of Blackpool — a place shaped by ancient sands, coastal storms, tragic losses, and generations of holidaymakers whose laughter still echoes along the promenade. But that was only the beginning. Behind the bright lights and autumn crowds lies a deeper, darker layer to this famous seaside town.
In episode 145 we return to the heart of Blackpool just as the Illuminations glow against the darkening sky. We’ll step back inside its grand theatres, explore the hidden corners of its piers, and wander the dim corridors of its most haunted hotels. From phantom performers to guests who never checked out, Blackpool’s central district holds stories far stranger — and far more unsettling — than its cheerful façade suggests.
So join me, as together we ask once again: just how haunted is Blackpool?
Support How Haunted? by subscribing and leaving a review.
Check out the official merch store at how-haunted.dashery.com where you can buy t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, hats, and much more. They come in a vast selection of colours and a wide range of sizes.
Find out more about the pod at https://www.how-haunted.com and you can email Rob at Rob@how-haunted.com
You can become a Patreon supporter for as little as £1 a month. You can choose from three tiers and get yourself early access to episodes, and exclusive monthly episodes where Rob will conduct ghost hunts and you'll hear the audio from the night.
To sign up, and take advantage of a free seven day trial, visit https://patreon.com/HowHauntedPod
Perhaps you'd rather buy me a coffee to make a one off donation to support the pod, you can do that at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/HowHauntedPod
Music in this episode includes:
Darren Curtis – Lurking Evil: https://youtu.be/3i0aVnpeppw
" HORROR PIANO MUSIC " composed and produced by "Vivek Abhishek"
Music link :https://youtu.be/xbjuAGgk5lU || SUBSCRIBE us on YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/DQQmmCl8crQ || Follow on Facebook: https://bit.ly/33RWRtP || Follow on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2ImU2JV
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In the 50th Patreon bonus podcast, we return to Ryton Masonic Hall on a warm summer night at the end of a record-breaking week in June 2026.
In Part One, John, Tom, Rich and I joined Spiritus Paranormal to investigate a former Victorian home that has become one of the North East's most intriguing paranormal locations. We explored the building, heard stories of shadow figures, unexplained voices and a mysterious child reportedly captured on camera, and began our investigation inside the hall's impressive Lodge Room.
As Part Two begins, our investigation is in full swing.
We'll return to the imposing Lodge Room, experiment with a scrying mirror, investigate reports of footsteps on an empty staircase, and spend time in one of the most frequently discussed locations within the building — the ladies' toilets.
Will Ryton Masonic Hall finally reveal evidence of whatever is said to remain here? Were the unexplained noises, voices and temperature fluctuations from earlier in the evening simply the product of an old building... or something else entirely?
And what happens when I leave the rest of the group behind and find myself sitting completely alone in the darkness of the building’s most impressive room?
Let's find out.
Tonight, we continue to ask...Just how haunted is Ryton Masonic Hall?
Get access to the full episode, which is almost two-hours long, at https://www.patreon.com/howhauntedpod.
If you don't wish to subscribe to Patreon, but would still like to hear this episode, all Patreon exclusive episodes are available to be purchased individually for a one off fee of £4.99. Check out the Patreon link to find out more.
Find out more about the pod at www.how-haunted.com and you can email Rob at rob@how-haunted.com
Join me for a Newcastle After Dark ghost walk. A small-group ghost walk exploring real locations across Newcastle after hours (running June to September 2026). Tickets and more info:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1989225437833?aff=oddtdtcreator
Music in this episode includes:
"Darren Curtis - Demented Nightmare"
" HORROR PIANO MUSIC " composed and produced by "Vivek Abhishek"
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In episode 144 we travel to a place millions know as Britain’s favourite seaside resort… but beneath the bright façade lies a far older, far darker story.
Long before the thrill rides, arcades, and dazzling Illuminations, this stretch of coastline was shaped by shifting sands, fierce storms, and tragedies lost to time. From prehistoric hunters and wrecked sailors to Victorian holidaymakers and performers who never left the stage, this town has gathered layer upon layer of tales — countless lives lived, lost, and whispered about in the shadows.
Tonight, as the autumn nights draw in and the sea breeze carries the echoes of the past along the promenade, join me… and together let us ask: just how haunted is Blackpool?
Support How Haunted? by subscribing and leaving a review.
Check out the official merch store at how-haunted.dashery.com where you can buy t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, hats, and much more. They come in a vast selection of colours and a wide range of sizes.
Join me for a Newcastle After Dark ghost walk. A small-group ghost walk exploring real locations across Newcastle after hours (running June to September 2026). Tickets and more info:
https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1989225437833?aff=oddtdtcreator
Find out more about the pod at https://www.how-haunted.com and you can email Rob at Rob@how-haunted.com
You can become a Patreon supporter for as little as £1 a month. You can choose from three tiers and get yourself early access to episodes, and exclusive monthly episodes where Rob will conduct ghost hunts and you'll hear the audio from the night.
To sign up, and take advantage of a free seven day trial, visit https://patreon.com/HowHauntedPod
Perhaps you'd rather buy me a coffee to make a one off donation to support the pod, you can do that at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/HowHauntedPod
Music in this episode includes:
Darren Curtis – Lurking Evil: https://youtu.be/3i0aVnpeppw
" HORROR PIANO MUSIC " composed and produced by "Vivek Abhishek"
Music link :https://youtu.be/xbjuAGgk5lU || SUBSCRIBE us on YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/DQQmmCl8crQ || Follow on Facebook: https://bit.ly/33RWRtP || Follow on Instagram: https://bit.ly/2ImU2JV
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Our TOPPODCAST Picks 
