The Screaming Skulls of England

Several English manor houses are home to “screaming skulls,” human remains that allegedly cause supernatural disturbances when removed from the property. The skulls are kept in the open, often on shelves or in cabinets, as removing them reportedly leads to poltergeist activity, screaming, or disaster.

Bettiscombe Manor

The most famous screaming skull resides at Bettiscombe Manor in Dorset. Attempts to remove or bury it have allegedly caused terrible screaming sounds and supernatural disturbances until it was returned. The skull is believed to belong to a seventeenth-century slave.

Burton Agnes Hall

Burton Agnes Hall in Yorkshire houses a skull attributed to Anne Griffith, who was fatally injured by robbers in 1620. Her dying wish was that her head remain in the house she loved. When this wish was ignored, disturbances occurred until the skull was retrieved.

Wardley Hall

Wardley Hall in Lancashire contains a skull attributed to Father Ambrose Barlow, a Catholic priest martyred in 1641. Attempts to remove or bury the skull have been followed by violent storms and disturbances.

Common Themes

All screaming skull legends share similar elements: a person with strong attachment to the location, violation of their wishes, and supernatural consequences. Whether genuine phenomena or folk tales explaining the presence of unusual relics, the screaming skulls represent a unique English tradition.