The Marsden Grotto
The Marsden Grotto is located in Tyne and Wear, England, and was built into the limestone cliffs on the north-east coast by a man named Jack “The Blaster” Bates. The building is believed to have been originally built in 1782. Many deaths have been recorded in the building that now serves as an inn and restaurant. Some of these deaths include: suicide by leaping from the cliffs, sailors coming from the shore, and killed smugglers. These deaths are believed to have lead to the paranormal events that occur at the grotto on a daily basis. There is unexplained knocking on the manager’s door, and when he goes to answer no one is ever there.
The main door to the beer cellar is often heard shaking as if someone is trying to get out of it from the inside. When the staff goes to open the door, they never find anything in there. The chain that is used in the bar to keep the customers from the back of it is often seen and heard rattling and shaking when no one is there. The sound of voices and whispering are also heard by people while they are in their lonesome. A set of footprints can be seen on the wooden floors, and even after they are cleaned they continue to reappear mysteriously.
Electrical drainages have been reported along with strange lights and sounds recorded on digital cameras. In the lower cave bar, a woman once reported seeing the apparition of a man. The Marsden Grotto is a hotbed for paranormal activity, and will be sure to ignite your senses after spending a night here.
(Source: Belanger, Jeff. Encyclopedia of Haunted Places. 2005.)
