CREDIT: LEANDRA GUMB
With Halloween right around the corner, now is a good time to learn about the number of haunted spots in and around London

Ghosts are yet to be proven to exist, but there is also no proof that they don’t. Halloween is just around the corner and there are numerous places that are allegedly haunted throughout Ontario. However, London is said to be one of the most haunted places in Ontario. There’s no better time to look in to London’s chilling history then around Halloween.

Eldon House

John Harris, the owner of the house in 1839, was a father to seven daughters. One of his daughters, Sarah invited a lieutenant by the name of Wenman Wynniatt to be her date for a dance being held at Eldon house on May 14. When the night of the party began, Wynniatt arrived wet and pale completely ignoring Sarah upon arrival. She followed him to the dining room where he was nowhere to be found. The following day Wynniatt’s body was found floating in the Thames River. Sources say that he was last seen near the Thames River on his way to the party. It is said that his ghost now haunts the historic landmark that is Eldon house.

The Grand Theatre

In 1919 Ambrose J. Small was a rich businessman from Toronto. He was also the original owner of the Grand Theatre. He decided to sell the theatre for what is now an estimated price of $750,000. However he would never claim the money. On December 2, 1919 Small disappeared without a trace. Police could not find any evidence of assault, murder, suicide or simply running away. It’s said that Small is known to haunt the Grand Theatre and is often seen in the balcony of the theatre. To this day no one knows what actually happened to Small.

The London Asylum for the Insane

It should be noted that this location is not available for the public to visit. The London Asylum for the Insane was built in 1870. By 1914 the patient population was around 1,200 patients.

Apparitions of former patients and staff are said to haunt the building. Visitors have reported phantom screams, bangs, footsteps, faces appearing in windows, sounds of doors opening and closing on their own, shadow figures, feelings of being watched and much more.

Middlesex County Courthouse

This courthouse is no longer operating as a courthouse. However, stories of its past still linger. Officially 15 people went to the gallows in the building. One of the most notable criminals that is said to haunt the building is Marion “Peg- Leg” Brown. Brown, nicknamed Peg-Leg for his wooden leg, was from Texas where he was estimated to have killed five people. He was passing through London, Ont., where upon arrival, he assaulted a man named James Ross. Ross reported the man to the police where the officer who confronted Brown was shot dead. Eventually Brown was convicted of murder. However, most witnesses could not identify Brown as the assaulter and killer. It was said that Brown said “another innocent man has been convicted, the fact that no grass shall grow on my grave shall prove my innocence”, after his conviction. On May 11, 1899 Brown was hanged in the courthouse. Rumour has it the second Brown died it suddenly started raining and a lightning bolt struck the courthouse. A local pastor witnessing the events cried out for forgiveness for the town. The unmarked grave of Marion Brown was covered in cement as a parking space for Middlesex County Courthouse. Grass has not grown there since Brown’s hanging.