Aldgate Underground Station, serving the Circle and Metropolitan lines, is one of the oldest on the London Underground network, having opened in 1876. Its haunted reputation is deeply entwined with the area’s grim past, particularly its location atop a mass burial site used during the Great Plague of the 17th century. When the station was constructed, workers unearthed numerous human remains, and it is believed that over a thousand plague victims remain interred beneath the platforms and tunnels. This macabre foundation has long been cited as a source of the station’s unsettling atmosphere and the many ghost stories that have emerged over the years.
One of the most enduring and curious tales associated with Aldgate involves an incident from the 1980s, when a London Underground electrician collapsed onto the electrified rail while working on the tracks. Despite the high voltage, he survived the incident without injury. Witnesses later claimed to have seen a translucent figure, a woman in period clothing, kneeling beside the man and gently stroking his hair moments before he was discovered. Some believe this apparition intervened to save his life, while others interpret it as a lingering presence of compassion from those buried beneath the station.
Reports of paranormal activity at Aldgate have persisted for decades. Staff working night shifts have described hearing unexplained sounds, such as shuffling footsteps and whispered voices emanating from empty tunnels. Many have spoken of a sudden, bone-chilling cold that descends without warning, or the eerie sensation of being watched while alone in the station. There are also accounts of objects being inexplicably moved or knocked over, and of lights flickering or extinguishing without any apparent cause.
A recurring phenomenon involves the appearance of shadowy figures seen at the periphery of vision, particularly near the platform edges. These apparitions are often indistinct and vanish as soon as they are noticed. Some believe these figures are the spirits of plague victims, still seeking peace centuries after their deaths. Others suggest they may be the ghosts of workers who died during the station’s construction, or of individuals who lost their lives in accidents on the tracks.
The station’s spectral reputation is further compounded by its association with more recent tragedy. On 7 July 2005, Aldgate was one of the sites targeted during the London bombings, when a terrorist attack on a Circle line train resulted in the deaths of seven people. In the aftermath, emergency responders and station staff reported a number of strange occurrences, including unexplained cold spots and the sensation of being accompanied by unseen presences while navigating the tunnels.
Although Transport for London (TfL) has only officially acknowledged one recent report of paranormal activity across the entire network, a sighting by a distressed teenager at King’s Cross in 2023, Aldgate’s haunted reputation is far older and more deeply rooted. Anecdotal evidence from staff and enthusiasts suggests that Aldgate may have its own internal logbook of ghost sightings, passed down informally among employees. While not officially confirmed, this idea reflects the station’s long-standing place in London’s folklore.
Some of the more specific reports include the sound of a woman sobbing near the stairwells late at night, with no one visible nearby. Others have described hearing the faint echo of children’s laughter, despite the platforms being empty. One former employee claimed to have seen a figure in Victorian dress standing motionless at the far end of the platform, only for it to vanish when approached. Another account tells of a train driver who, while pulling into the station, saw what he believed to be a person standing dangerously close to the edge, only for the figure to disappear as the train came to a halt.
There are also stories of malfunctioning equipment that defies explanation. Signal lights have reportedly changed without input, and CCTV cameras have occasionally picked up unexplained movement or interference. While these incidents are often attributed to technical faults, some believe they are further signs of the station’s haunted nature. Despite skepticism from some quarters, the consistency and emotional intensity of these reports suggest that Aldgate is a place where the past continues to make itself felt. Whether these experiences are the result of psychological suggestion, environmental factors, or something more mysterious, they have become an indelible part of the station’s identity.
