Eight Ghosts: The English Heritage Book of New Ghost Stories

by Rowan Routh (Editor), Andrew Michael Hurley, Mark Haddon

Rooted in place, slipping between worlds - a rich collection of unnerving ghosts and sinister histories.

Eight authors were given after hours freedom at their chosen English heritage site. Immersed in the history, atmosphere and rumours of hauntings, they channelled their darker imaginings into a series of extraordinary new ghost stories.

Sarah Perry's intense tale of possession at the Jacobean country house Audley End is a work of psychological terror, while Andrew Michael Hurley's story brings an unforgettably shocking slant to the history of Carlisle Castle. Within the walls of these historic buildings each author has found inspiration to deliver a new interpretation of the classic ghost story.

Also includes two afterwords: Andrew Martin's Within These Walls: How the Abbeys and Houses of England Inspired the Ghost Story, and Katherine Davey's A Gazetteer of English Heritage Hauntings, properties which are said to be haunted, including the eight locations which inspired the stories in this book.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Fiction, Gothic, Anthologies, Ghost Stories, Ghosts

214 pages, Hardcover

First published September 18, 2018

Reviews

[Dannii Elle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been obsessively hoarding spooky books for October and am so glad I am finally getting to my most anticipated horror reads. And that they are living up to the months’ long hype I have placed upon them!

I begun my spooky October tbr with Eight Ghosts, in which a plethora of renowned authors have written a chilling tale, each told inside a different English Heritage site. Of the eight authors collected here I had previously read from a good portion of them and heard of all bar one, so was pretty sure I was going to get along well with the contents. What I didn’t anticipate was just how cleverly constructed and historically informative it was going to be!

Each story here was lighter in delivering the horrifying elements than I had anticipated, yet I appreciated this book for that. Instead of the usual ghostly apparitions and haunted house tropes, many of these authors used their spooky settings to deliver a message.

My personal favourites were Kamila Shamsie’s Foreboding, which drew parallels between the English ruins of time and the remains from war-torn countries, as well as between the hauntings from ghosts of place and ghosts of a more personal past.

I also adored Jeanette Winterson’s As Strong as Death, which transcended time to deliver a small story from lesbian history into her contemporary tale, that had me initially fearful and sobbing by the end of it.

[Karl]

"Eight Ghosts: The English Heritage Book of New Ghost Stories" consists of eight eerie tales, each inspired by and set within the walls of one of English Heritage’s historic properties.

Contents:

001 - "They Flee From Me That Sometimes Did Me Seek" by Sarah Perry
017 - "Mr. Lanyard's Last Case" by Andrew Michael Hurley
039 - "The Bunker" by Mark Haddon
063 - "Foreboding" by Kamila Shamsie
079 - "Never Departed More" by Stuart Evers
101 - "The Wall" by Kate Clanchy
115 - "As Strong As Death" by Jeanette Winterson
135 - "Mrs. Charbury at Eitham" by Max Porter
Afterwords
161 - "Within These Walls" by Andrew Martin
171 - A Gazetteer of English Heritage Hauntings
211 - Biographical Notes

[A.E. Chandler]

For me, Kamila Shamsie’s “Foreboding” set at Kennilworth Castle was far and away the best story in this collection. “Never Departed More,” by Stuart Evers for Dover Castle and “Mrs. Charbury at Eltham,” by Max Porter are also worth reading.

[Blair · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of brand new ghost stories by a strong selection of highly regarded authors, inspired by historic English Heritage sites; Eight Ghosts was a must-have, a book I just had to buy as soon as I laid eyes on a copy. It didn't disappoint. Although I liked some more than others, I enjoyed every one of these tales, with those by Sarah Perry, Stuart Evers, Kamila Shamsie and, particularly, Max Porter standing out as highlights.

The stories are accompanied by a short essay – 'Within These Walls: How the Castles, Abbeys and Houses of England Inspired the Ghost Story' by Andrew Martin – and a 40-page gazetteer of English Heritage hauntings. The book itself is a beautiful object; if you have a lover of ghost stories in your life, I'd recommend picking this up as a gift.

'They Flee From Me That Sometime Did Me Seek' by Sarah Perry (inspired by Audley End House and Gardens, Essex)
Short but potent, Perry's tale is a pleasing chiller with an outcome that brings to mind the short stories of Daphne du Maurier and Shirley Jackson. The framing device, wherein the narrator is told the story second-hand by a friend, adds to the effect.

'Mr Lanyard's Last Case' by Andrew Michael Hurley (inspired by Carlisle Castle, Cumbria)
Hurley is alone among the authors in choosing a historical setting; this story is set in the mid-18th century. In the time of the Jacobite trials, Lanyard is a prosecutor with a fearsome reputation, while the narrator is a clerk who observes his strange downfall. A tale of terror that fits a rather traditional mould – but the creepy capuchin monkey is a stroke of genius.

'The Bunker' by Mark Haddon (inspired by York Cold War Bunker)
I was excited about this; York Cold War Bunker sounds so intriguing, and promised to inspire something a bit different from the other locations. However, I found the plot – in which a nurse begins to experience blackouts in which she appears to enter an alternative timeline (?) – unclear and unsatisfying. For me, this was probably the weak point of the collection.

'Foreboding' by Kamila Shamsie (inspired by Kenilworth Castle and Elizabethan Garden, Warwickshire)
Right from the beginning, the character-building around Shamsie's protagonist Khalid was so powerful that I completely forgot this was a ghost story. The narrative is as much about Khalid's feeling of being trapped between two cultures and languages as it is about the hauntings at Kenilworth. His close bond with his sister, whom he often thinks of, proves to be pivotal to his fate.

'Never Departed More' by Stuart Evers (inspired by Dover Castle, Kent)
A dissolute young American actress has been cast as the lead in Ophelia (seemingly a version of Hamlet with a focus on that character) and visits Dover Castle, where it will be shot, to prepare. Throwing herself into the role, she dons her costume and wanders the castle in character, reciting lines; when she meets a man dressed as a WWII-era pilot, she takes it all in her stride and plays along, even while the feelings she develops for the man – Edward – are very real. I loved the vivid imagery here; there's something of the fairytale about the description, Maya's blithe acceptance of strange sights, and the 'be careful what you wish for' culmination of the plot.

'The Wall' by Kate Clanchy (inspired by Housesteads Roman Fort, Northumberland)
Since 'the fire', when she burned her school books in a bin, teenage Alison hasn't been the same. The narrator, her mother, struggles to get through to her and resents the fact that it seems easier for her husband, Simon. On a trip to Hadrian's Wall, the real nature of this family's problems becomes evident. While it's effectively bittersweet, this is a quiet sort of story that hasn't stuck in my mind as much as some of the others.

'As Strong As Death' by Jeanette Winterson (inspired by Pendennis Castle, Cornwall)
Two women, Tamara and Jamie, are getting married at Pendennis Castle; told in vignettes, their story charts their relationship alongside the history of the castle, its romances and tragedies. It flows beautifully, despite being structurally choppy, but again, this one didn't really stay with me.

'Mrs Charbury at Eltham' by Max Porter (inspired by Eltham Palace and Gardens, London)
The best is saved for last; I LOVED this. It's also the most audacious, choosing to centre a character whose attitude towards English Heritage contains a great deal of contempt. The titular Mrs Charbury is a stubborn woman who, in her twilight years, revisits Eltham, where she used to attend wild society parties thrown by the Courtaulds. It was also the last place she saw her sister, 'poor peculiar Delia', before the latter disappeared. Porter weaves the colourful history of Eltham into his story effortlessly, making it funny, intriguing and genuinely unnerving.

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[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t normally like short stories but for ghost stories, I think the format works well. This is a really good collection that features castles and English Heritage sites from all over the UK. The stories are full of atmosphere and make you want to visit all the sites. I really enjoyed this.

[Stephen Robert Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A one day wonder no.7 A good collection of modern stories I loved both Mr Lanyard's Last Case & They Flee From Me That Sometimes Did Me Seek

[Carla (carlaslittlelibrary) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bit of a mixed bag overall to be honest 🤷🏻‍♀️ some of the stories were spooky and fun, but some I found a little boring or confusing.

[Lotte · Rating 3 out of 5]

My favourite story was the first one, They Flee From Me That Sometime Did Me Seek by Sarah Perry – gorgeously written and deliciously creepy. I also really liked Mrs Charbury at Eltham by Max Porter and Foreboding by Kamila Shamsie. Some of the stories just didn't work for me, for instance, I felt like I didn't understand half of what was going on in Mark Haddon's story and there's something about Andrew Michael Hurley's writing that just always seems to bore me. Overall, I had fun reading this, but it's not a book I'll revisit in the future.

[BookishSteph1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review to follow.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5
Favourite stories: "As Strong as Death" by Jeanette Winterson and "Foreboding" by Kamila Shamsie

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

As in any collection, there are some stories that are better than others. The concept behind this book was to ask 8 British authors to create a ghost story set in historical English sites. Most of the stories are set in castles (no surprise), but my favorite The Wall by Kate Clancy, was set in the ruin of a fort. As I read, I realized I knew the place (unnamed in the story). It was Housesteads Roman Fort along Hadrian's Wall, which I visited in 2016. Several of the stories were uniquely creepy and not typical ghost stories including Mrs. Charbury at Eltham by Max Porter, and Foreboding by Kamila Shamsie. The Afterward "How the Castles, Abbeys and Houses of England Inspired the Ghost Story" provides a context and the final section "A Gazetteer of English Heritage Hauntings" confirmed some the of the settings that were only hinted at (e.g. Housesteads). A perfect book for October!

[Catherine Mason · Rating 2 out of 5]

If it hadn't been for Jeanette Winterson's excellent story As Strong As Death, I would have given this book one star. I didn't like the other seven stories in this volume. The one I disliked the most was the first one by Sarah Perry. They were horror rather than ghost stories. I prefer a different kind. The fictional stories generally didn't show any love for history or historical places and weren't really about the places themselves. I was very disappointed with this volume which I had ordered from England at some expense. The section in the back about various haunted English Heritage sites was much more interesting.

[Samantha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting book idea; picked because of Jeanette Winterson's inclusion; some short stories worked well - of particular note - Sarah Perry; Kamila Shamsie. Winterson's 'As Strong as Death' did not disappoint.

[Jenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I <3 ghosts. Highlights were Stuart Evers, Jeanette Winterson, and Max Porter.

[Charles Edwards-Freshwater · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some great stories by some very talented writers. As ever with a book of short stories by different authors, some resonated more than others.

My favourites were:

The Bunker by Mark Haddon
Mrs. Charlbury at Eltham by Max Porter
They Flee From Me That Sometime Did Me Seek by Sarah Perry.

All three of these stories have really stuck with me since reading (I even had a horrific Bunker-themed dream so it must have hit the mark!) and as a huge Porter aficionado there was no surprise that his story ranked highly with me too.

I wouldn't say that any of the stories are poor quality. Even the ones I liked less were still written well, and I was impressed that none of them felt predictable or cliche.

What elevated this collection to a 4 star read for me was undoubtedly the afterword and collection of true ghost sightings at various English Heritage properties across the country. This section inspired me to add a number of new properties to my "must visit" list, so I'm definitely looking forward to seeing some hauntings of my own!

[Delphine · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘If haunting is anything, perhaps that’s what it is: time in the wrong place.’ (Jeanette Winterson)

This volume is the prequel to ‘These our monsters’, a collection of short stories inspired by English Heritage sites.

The concept of ‘Eight ghosts’ is identical: eight well-known authors were given after hours freedom at an abbey, a mansion, a world war bunker, invariably a place rumored to be haunted.

The results are very diverse, but three stories really stood out for me:

• ‘Foreboding’ by Kamila Shamsie: because of its interesting point of view. Khalid, an asylum seeker, gets haunted by his own particular ghost he left behind while he is working as a security guard at Kenilworth Castle.

• ‘Never departed more’ by Stuart Evers: in which an actress, preparing for a part as Ophelia, falls in love with a ghost, Edward, at Dover Castle. You know from the very first word this doesn’t end well.

• ‘The wall’ by Kate Clanchy: in which history is viewed as therapy and ghosts always accompany the living, in this case strolling around Hadrian’s Wall.

I particularly enjoy this concept of English Heritage publications and would definitely welcome another collection!

[Nicke Pearson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Please be aware I read this while the sun was blazing hot and kids were playing noisily outside. This is not the best atmosphere to be reading such a book but here I am! The stories were only interesting for the historical places they were set in rather than the actual story itself sadly. As usual with short stories many fell under the ‘soap opera’ ending which I don’t personally enjoy. Some also left me confused as to what actually happened. Not worth keeping to reread during spooky season but it has encouraged me to visit some of the English Heritage sites in my local area!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a superb collection of ghost stories by eight British authors, four of whose novels I've also enjoyed (Sarah Perry, Max Porter, Andrew Michael Hurley, and Jeanette Winterson). Each chose as a setting a particular English Heritage site and were inspired by the history, lore, and atmosphere of the places to write ghost stories. I didn't dislike a single one, but I found "They Flee From Me That Sometime Did Me Seek" by Sarah Perry, "As Strong As Death" by Jeanette Winterson, and "Mrs. Charbury at Eltham" by Max Porter the most frightening, effective, and evocative. The book also contains a gazetteer by Katherine Davey which recounts some of the stories and legends that the stories were inspired by or based on, as well as other tales of hauntings at various additional English Heritage sites. The endpapers and title design, featuring a cloudy moon, a raven, and a black cat in silhouette as part of both the main illustration and images excerpted from it to accompany each writer, add to the look and ghostly undertone of the book.
I particularly liked the quote from William Hazlitt that introduces the collection: "The future is like a dead wall or a thick mist hiding all objects from our view: the past is alive and stirring with objects, bright or solemn, and of unfading interest." - From "On the Past and Future" in Table-Talk; or, Original Essays (1821).

[Julie Bozza · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this volume. This was my 'read on the plane' book during a trip this week.

It's such a cool idea: eight ghost stories by some cracking authors, each set in a different English Heritage property. There was quite a range of style and subject matter, and each had its merits - though it's no surprise that I am fondest of the queer story 'As Strong as Death' by Jeanette Winterson.

The stories are followed by Andrew Martin's look at the evolution of the ghost story. And then there are some 'ghost truths', or reports of occurrences at a range of English Heritage properties, including the eight that are the subjects of the stories.

Jolly good stuff!

[Sharon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the concept behind this collection of creepy stories - eight British authors were given time to explore haunted English Heritage sites, and asked to contribute a ghost story afterwards. The tales make fabulous use of their settings, drawing on existing folk lore, or architectural features of the locations, to recount fictional hauntings. While each story is quite different, they are united in their creativity and eeriness. Sarah Perry, Max Porter and Stuart Evers' tales stood out to me as the strongest.

[Emma Berry · Rating 4 out of 5]

A chilling collection of ghost stories by a fantastic array of authors - all based on visits to English Heritage sites around the country.

Steeped in myth and suspense, each short story uses the atmosphere and environment of a chosen location, to create a fictional ghost story rich in gothic imagery and mystery.

Loved each story - and immediately wanted to visit each location to find my own inspiration.

[Marivi Sanz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderfully creepy stories. Most of them 4 stars, but Sarah Perry, Max Porter and, my favourite by far, Jeannette Winterson's deserve a solid 5 stars. Some of these gave me actual chills while I was reading them at night.

Just wonderful.

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

“If haunting is nothing, perhaps that’s what it is; time in the wrong place.” Rowan Routh’s (ed.) Eight Ghosts, The English Heritage Book of New Ghost Stories, is eight modern ghost stories written by eight different authors who were given their choice of an English Heritage site which became the setting of their ‘new’ ghost story. I thought this a clever idea and decided to read these stories as I have visited some of these sites. These authors “were given after hours freedom at their chosen English Heritage site”, and the stories they wrote are strange, clever, and quite varied. If I may, I would like to state that Stuart Evers’ ghost story set at Dover Castle (a place I have seen twice) is my favorite of these eight, but the others are by no means any less a good ‘new’ ghost story. English Heritage sites include the following: Housesteads Roman Fort, Dover Castle, York Cold War Bunker ( What an endings!), Carlisle Castle, Audrey End, Eltham Palace (another goody), Kenilworth Castle, and Pendennis Castle. Why not try reading this book to ‘get in the mood’ for Halloween?! 4 stars.

[ThatBookish_deviant · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.4/5

The aptly named, Eight Ghosts, is an anthology featuring eight ghostly stories. I ranked my top five favorites from the collection below.

1. The Wall by Kate Clanchy
2. As Strong as Death by Jeanette Winterson
3. They Flee From Me That Sometimes Did Me Seek by Sarah Perry
4. The Bunker by Mark Hardin
5. Mrs. Charbury at Eltham by Max Porter

Other authors included in this anthology are Michael Hurley (one of my favorite folk horror writers), Stuart Evers, and Kamila Shamsie.

The collection includes an afterword detailing specific houses, castles, and abbeys which are English Heritage sites where ghostly haunting have been documented. It’s a nice resource for anyone interested in visiting the locations.

Overall this was an enjoyable and diverse collection of spooky stories that range from traditional gothic to speculative science fiction.
It’s a quick read that’s perfect for crisp autumn evenings.

[Annabelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hey, I love a good English Heritage site and I also love a good ghost story. Would be 5 stars but honestly I found a couple of the stories didn't pack as much of a punch as the others (some of those stories got really philosophical which I adored), and also I'm heartbroken that no-one wanted to write a story about Bolingbroke Castle 🥺

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eight Ghosts is a collection of short ghost stories by various authors. Each story is based in a different English Heritage property and all have differing themes and time period settings. Some I enjoyed more than others, but none are particularly scary just a little creepy. But overall, an enjoyable read.

[Shona (spectralpages) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic little collection of modern ghost stories!

[Lauren Lewsley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eight Ghosts stories, all set around English Heritage properties in order to raise money for the charity.
Eight ghosts was very underwhelming, and 7 out of 8 of the stories failed to capture my attention as a reader. The stories did not really capture the atmosphere of a ghost story for me and instead of a nice Halloween read, was a little bland.

[sarah]

faves:
never departed more—stuart evers
mrs charbury at eltham—max porter
afterword essay 'within these walls'—andrew martin

[Kelly Pells · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so excited when I heard about this collection. You have to admit it’s a fantastic idea; eight authors, eight haunted locations, and eight ghost stories based on places the reader is able to visit in real life. I was expecting a lot from a group of stories by writers including The Essex Serpent author Sarah Perry, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time author Mark Haddon, and The Loney author Andrew Michael Hurley. Thankfully, I was not disappointed.

There’s a chance that any collection of short stories based on a common theme will be repetitive. But these delightfully creepy ghost stories are varied enough to make sure the reader never gets complacent, and can never guess what is going to happen next. From Sarah Perry’s tale of possession at a Jacobean country house, to Mark Haddon’s story set in a Cold War bunker, each story is as unique as the writer who created it, and every reader is sure to find something to enjoy here.

I also thoroughly enjoyed the section in the afterword – A Gazetteer of English Heritage Hauntings – in which we explore some of the most haunted buildings looked after by English Heritage, including the ones chosen by the writers. The only change I would have liked to see would be to have the notes about the authors’ chosen settings immediately after each story, to add a little more context.

Sarah Perry’s story set at Audley End, They Flee From Me That Sometime Did Me Seek, and Mark Haddon’s The Bunker were my favourite stories from this collection. They build a sense of dread so powerful that I almost didn’t want to keep reading.

The collection also includes Kate Clanchy’s heart-breaking tale set at Housesteads Roman Fort on Hadrian’s Wall, and Kamila Shamsie’s chilling story about a night security guard at Kenilworth Castle.

These brilliantly written and fantastically creepy tales are a must for ghost story fans. Guaranteed to send a chill down your spine.

Many thanks to September Publishing for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.