Aberystwyth University Old College

Aberystwyth University’s Old College, opened in 1872, is one of Wales’ most recognizable buildings—a spectacular Gothic Revival structure perched on the seafront of Aberystwyth. Originally intended to be a grand hotel before being purchased for use as the first university college in Wales, the building’s towering facade, labyrinthine corridors, and dramatic coastal setting have contributed to over 150 years of reported paranormal activity. The combination of Victorian tragedy, student deaths over the decades, and the building’s isolated, atmospheric location overlooking Cardigan Bay has made it one of the most haunted university buildings in Britain.

The most persistent ghost story concerns a student who allegedly fell to his death from one of the building’s upper floors in the early 20th century. His apparition has been seen standing at windows, particularly in the tower sections, staring out to sea before vanishing. Students and staff report hearing anguished screams echoing through empty corridors, followed by the sickening thud of impact, though no physical cause is ever found. The tower staircases are considered particularly haunted, with witnesses experiencing sudden temperature drops, the sensation of being pushed by invisible hands, and the overwhelming feeling that they are not alone.

The Old College’s extensive system of underground passages and basement rooms, which once served various functions for the building when it was intended as a hotel, are now rarely used but remain intensely haunted. Maintenance workers report seeing shadowy figures moving through the darkness, hearing Victorian-era music emanating from empty rooms, and experiencing equipment malfunctions that cannot be explained. The building’s grand hall, used for examinations and ceremonies, has been the site of numerous sightings of a Victorian woman in black, believed to be either a former matron or a bereaved mother visiting the place where her son once studied.

Students living in or studying within the Old College frequently report poltergeist activity including books flying from shelves, doors slamming shut with tremendous force, and the sound of furniture being dragged across floors in rooms that are empty and locked. The building’s library sections experience regular phenomena including the apparition of a scholarly figure who appears to be searching for a specific book, the smell of pipe tobacco in non-smoking areas, and the sensation of being watched by unseen eyes. During storms, when the wind howls off Cardigan Bay and rattles the Gothic windows, the Old College seems to come alive with ghostly activity, with multiple witnesses reporting simultaneous sightings and experiences throughout the building’s many floors and corridors.