Ramsgate Tunnels

The Ramsgate Tunnels form a vast network of underground air raid shelters carved into the chalk cliffs beneath the town during World War II. At their peak, these tunnels provided shelter for up to 60,000 people during German bombing raids, essentially creating an underground town complete with hospital facilities, a railway tunnel, and living quarters. Despite their protective purpose, several people died in the tunnels, including victims of illness, childbirth complications, and a direct hit that penetrated the chalk above. The spirits of those who suffered and died underground are said to remain.

Visitors and tour guides report hearing children’s voices echoing through empty passages, the sound of families talking and crying, and the wail of air raid sirens that no longer exist. Some witnesses describe seeing the ghosts of children playing in the tunnels, appearing solid and normal until they vanish through walls or fade away. The most poignant reports involve sightings of mothers holding babies in the sections that served as maternity wards, with some witnesses reporting the sound of infants crying when the tunnels are empty.

In the sections that served as military command posts and communication centers, witnesses report seeing uniformed soldiers going about their duties, operating equipment that is no longer there, or standing guard at tunnel junctions. Staff members have reported unexplained cold spots, the sensation of being touched or pushed by unseen hands, and doors mysteriously locking or unlocking. Some sections of the tunnel network maintain an oppressive atmosphere that leaves visitors feeling anxious or distressed. Paranormal investigators have recorded unexplained electromagnetic field fluctuations and captured audio that appears to contain period-appropriate conversations and the sounds of wartime activity, despite the tunnels being empty during recording sessions.