So far we’ve gone south quite a few times: New Orleans witches for Coven, a murderous clown in Florida for Freak Show, and now a North Carolina transplant couple being faced with the reckoning of a spectral colony in Roanoke. The second season’s Asylum admitted us to a Massachusetts mental health facility. And, of course, Los Angeles was the backdrop for not one, but two seasons when we moved into Murder House and checked into Hotel. Ugh, #EastCoastBeastCoast, anyone? Yeah, let’s make that a trending topic.

Because I am an adopted New Yorker, and because I’m sick of Murphy staying in his LA backyard, I couldn’t help but wonder what a Manhattan-set edition of AHS would be like. Because of this season’s excellent execution of the real-life Roanoke Colony’s disappearence, the showrunners could pull from plenty of NYC’s haunted past and dark secrets for inspiration and I’ve decided to compile some suggestions…

The Dakota, Upper West Side

Sure, the posh and prestigious co-op building would have some parallels to Hotel. But perhaps the historic Central Park West residence, which was also the setting for the 1968 horror film Rosemary’s Baby, could be connected back to Lady Gaga’s Countess character from season five. After all, she did make mention of having lived in NYC for some time. While there, she could have lived in the storied building and had some run-ins with John Lennon and Yoko Ono.

Of course, Lennon was shot and killed by a fan outside the Dakota in 1980. At the time, he was living there with Ono, who has since reported seeing the Beatle’s ghost sitting at his white piano. He reassured her, “Don’t be afraid. I am still with you.”

But even before his death, Lennon was very much part of the Dakota’s ghostly lore. He was one of many to claim to have seen a spirit that has come to be known as the Crying Lady Ghost. It’s believed that she’s the ghost of former manager Elise Vesley. She was a believer in the supernatural herself and experienced the tragedy of her son getting hit and killed by a truck right outside the building. Add this to the apparition of a little girl that greets residents and Murphy has got himself the perfect menagerie for a full season’s worth of spookiness.

84 and 85 West Third Street, Greenwich Village

Let’s face it, between his birth in Boston and death in Baltimore, more places claim Edgar Allan Poe as their own than Abraham Lincoln. But the American gothic writer did call Gotham home for a bit, too. 85 West Third Street, now NYU’s Furman Hall, was Poe’s humble abode while he penned parts of his poem “The Raven.” Although all that remains of the original house is a banister, Poe has been seen by students climbing the accompanying stairs.

But Poe has otherworldly neighbors, too. Actually, Anderson Cooper now lives at 84 West Third Street and is very much alive. But before the CNN superstar anchor moved in, the building was a fire patrol station. In 1930, a Firefighter Scwartz hanged himself from the ceiling. His apparition has been seen hanging in his final state… American Horror Story: College, with special guest star Anderson Cooper, anybody?

St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery, East Village

Would St Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery really be Manhattan’s second oldest church without at least one ghost? Not only is the church built on the former farmland of Dutch colonial governor Peter Stuyvesant, his remains are also buried in the churchyard. All of this adds up to peg-legged Stuyvesant’s ghost disturbing the peace as he’s been known to ring bells and disrupt church services. Oh, and don’t forget his singing hymns in Dutch for all to hear. Maybe musical numbers didn’t go over so well on Freak Show, but I don’t see Stuyvesant making it on The Voice so let’s give him a musical season of AHS.

The House of Death, Greenwich Village

I don’t know about you, but the ghosts of 14 West Tenth Street are feeling 22. Or at least that’s how many supposedly haunt the townhouse. One of them is yet another historical figure, writer Mark Twain.

But more gruesomely, the house is the site where attorney Joel Steinberg beat his six year-old, illegally adopted daughter, Lisa into being brain dead and eventually physically dead. When Lisa was fond unconscious, another baby was discovered covered in filth and tied up to a playpen. That baby survived, but the horrific history of the townhouse remains.

12 Gay Street, West Village

Apparently Manhattan ghosts prefer townhouses over apartments. But this West Village site has scarier elements than its creaking floorboards.

During the Prohibition Era, the picturesque townhouse was actually a speakeasy called the Pirate’s End, as if the establishment foreshadowed its own haunted future. A specter wearing a top hat has been seen in the windows and many believe it to be the ghost of former NYC mayor Jimmy Walker, who used to live in the house. But Howdy Doody puppet designer Frank Paris also called the now haunted house home so it could be him, too. Regardless, AHS has proven a penchant for men in top hats: see the voodoo gatekeeper of the spirit world Papa Legba in Coven and the ghost of real-life man-with-two-faces Edward Mordrake in Freak Show

The Morris-Jumel Mansion, Washington Heights

This Washington Heights mansion has plenty of historical significance, even housing George Washington for a bit after the Battle of Brooklyn. But the real eeriness surrounds Eliza Jumel, the widow of Stephen Jumel. After Stephen died under mysterious circumstances, Eliza went on to marry none other than Aaron Burr, the former vice president who killed Alexander Hamilton. Rumor has it, Eliza still haunts the mansion so beware… Especially if you’re in a group of school kids, whom she’s been known to scold to quiet down.

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Highgate Cemetery

The most famous of the seven, Highgate Cemetery is a labyrinth of crumbling beauty. From imposing mausoleums to dishevelled, ivy-clad angel statues, it has the air of a hidden fantasy world. Be sure to visit the famous residents (many with fittingly outlandish headstones) including Karl Marx, George Eliot, Patrick Caulfield, Malcolm McClaren and Douglas Adams.

Events: On the 1st of November they open late for a beautiful candle lighting cemetery in honour of All Saints Day.

Opening Times: Mon-Fri: 10am-5pm, Weekends: 11am-5pm

Entrance Fee: £12 for East and West Cemetery Tour, £4 for East Cemetery

Closest Station: Archway

www.highgatecemetery.org

Abney Park Cemetery

An overgrown jumble of gravestones, nature and modern fencing, Abney Park is just the right side of decaying beauty. This Hackney cemetery became the resting place for many of London’s religious nonconformists, and has at its heart Europe’s oldest non-denominational chapel. With a surprise around every corner, Abney Park is perfect for explorers.

Events: Fear In The Dark, a Hallowe’en anthology show adapted from stories by Edgar Allan Poe, HP Lovecraft, Sheridan Le Fanu and MR James. 20-23 and 26-31 Oct, 7pm & 8.30pm.

Opening Times: 8am-7pm

Entrance Fee: Free

Closest Station: Stoke Newington

www.abneypark.org

Tower Hamlets Cemetery Park

More nature reserve than cemetery, Tower Hamlets is a colourful addition to the seven. To add extra magic, download one of these specially written audio walks: www.abneyrambles.com.

Opening Times: Dawn-dusk

Entrance Fee: Free

Closest Station: Mile End/Bow Road

www.fothcp.org

Kensal Green Cemetery

A more formal, manicured cemetery, inspired by Paris’ famous Père Lachaise. Kensal Green’s gothic atmosphere has provided the backdrop for a number of horror films, and also makes it the perfect Hallowe’en trip.

Opening Times: Mon-Sat: 9am-5pm, Sun: 10am-5pm

Entrance Fee: Free

Closest Station: Kensal Green/Ladbroke Grove

www.kensalgreencemetery.com

Brompton Cemetery

Owned by the Crown, this regal cemetery has stunning architecture at its heart. Famous residents include Emmeline Pankhurst, John Jackson and Blanche Roosevelt Macchetta. To add some fun to your visit, play a game of Beatrix potter bingo – many of her character names can be found on the tombstones, including Peter Rabbett, Mr Nutkins and Mr McGregor.

Events: To check the website for latest, click here or follow the link: www.royalparks.org.uk/parks/brompton-cemetery

Opening Times: Dawn – dusk

Entrance Fee: Free

Closest Station: West Brompton

Nunhead Cemetery

One of the lesser known of the seven, Nunhead is well worth a visit for winding romantic lanes and a beautiful view over London. Over 1,000 angels are hiding amongst the foliage.

Opening Times: Dawn – dusk

Entrance Fee: Free

Closest Station: Nunhead

www.fonc.org.uk

West Norwood Cemetery

West Norwood suffered heavily from bombing during World War II and when Lambeth Council (illegally) cleared many of the old monuments for new ones. A little more like a modern lawn cemetery than the other six, it is still a delightful place to visit. The fairly ordered gardens give way to hints of wilderness here and there, with flowers adding spots of colour to the green.

Opening Times: Dawn – dusk

Entrance Fee: Free

Closest Station: West Norwood

www.fownc.org

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Aldgate Station

It has been said, a few years ago, an electrician working at the station had slipped between the tracks and hit a live rail which sent 22,000 volts through his body. Miraculously, he managed to survive; instead, he was knocked unconscious and experienced minor bruising on his forehead. However, his co-workers, who watched the accident happen, told an investigation that they saw an old lady stroking the electrician’s hair just before his fall. This was not the first time Aldgate station have experience paranormal activity, the staff have reportedly heard mysterious footsteps in the tunnels during their night shift. Some have even claimed the station keeps a special log book for ghost sightings.

Location: Aldgate East Underground Station, Whitechapel High Street, London, E1 7PT

Liverpool Street Station

In summer 2015, new archaeological evidence revealed the station was dug through one of London’s mass burial pits, containing the remains of plague victims from the 17^th century. The plague pit, thought to have at least thirty bodies, contained coffin remains and a grave stoned marked “1665”. Samples were taken for tests and researchers at the Max Planck Institute in Germany were able to scan the teeth and confirm that the cause of death was bubonic plague. The workers at the station have reportedly complained that the air often felt oppressive and at times they felt uneasy.

Location: Liverpool Street Station, Liverpool Street, London, EC2M 7PY

British Museum Station

British Museum was a working station on the London Underground. The “ghost station” is still located between Tottenham Court Road station and Holborn Station on the Central Line; Londoners can still see the disused platform when they look through their window but no passengers have used the station since 1933. The abandoned state of the station has captured the attention of influential writers, with an appearance in Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere, a mention in the 1972 horror film Death Line and featured in a movie called Bulldog Jack.

In Bulldog Jack, the station had a fictitious tunnel from the station to the Egyptian room at the museum. Rumour has it, on the same night the movie was released two women disappeared from Holborn station, the next station along, and strange marks were found on the walls of British Museum station.  Stories began to spread that the station was haunted by an Egyptian spirit that appears in a loin cloth and Egyptian headdress. Some sources suggest that prior to the station’s closure a local newspaper offered a reward to anyone willing to spend the night and hunt the vengeful spirit.

Location: British Museum Station, 133 High Holborn, London, WC1V CPN

Bethnal Green Station

During World War II, Bethnal Green station was used as an air raid shelter, providing shelter to the public from German bombs. On March 3, 1943, nicknamed “The Bethnal Green Tube Shelter Disaster”, an explosion was heard and panic spread causing 173 people to be crushed to death as people desperately trying to desperately enter the station.  In fact, allegedly, most of the lives lost were women and children. It has been rumoured that a member of the station, as the last train departed, had heard strange noises. He claimed to hear children sobbing, women wailing and compared the sounds to people panicking.

Location: Bethnal Green Underground Station, Cambridge Heath Road, London E2 0ET

Covent Garden Station

Legend has it that notable Shakespeare performer William Terriss, who was stabbed to death by fellow, mentally unstable, actor Richard Prince at the nearby Adelphi Theatre, haunts Covent Garden station. The late William Terriss was said to be a regular customer at a bakery which stood in the station’s place; it was well known he was fond of their cake and bread. So late at night, members of the public reportedly spotted a tall man in an old-fashioned grey suit, hat and gloves pacing around the platforms. When they were shown a picture of the deceased actor, they claimed the ghost looked identical to William.

Location: Covent Garden Underground Station, Long Acre, London, WC2E 9JT

Edited by Chermaine Sowah

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Museums are widely-known for their gothic architecture, hidden passages and creaky floorboards. With a sinister past and rooms filled with ancient tales, it is no surprise that the capital has embraced its historical heritage alongside the holiday spirit; this year numerous museums have joined the celebration and will provide Londoners with a diverse range of unique experiences. Here are our favourite ways to spend All Hallows’ Eve.

Queen Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge

8 Rangers Road Chingford, London E4 7QH, 020-7332 1911

Event: Tudor and Pyjama Welly Party

Date: 27 October 2016

Time: 18:00 – 21:00

Price: £15

With a Tudor hunt set to take place in Epping Forest, London’s largest open space, Queen Elizabeth’s Hunting Lodge has taken hunts to the extreme. The event includes three dark, top secret activities planned during the 1543 hunt and is accompanied with delicious Tudor snacks supplied mid-evening. If you are someone who usually prefers to stay in, the laid back event has an optional dress code of pyjamas and wellington boots, creating an atmospheric night.

Charles Dickens Museum

48 Doughty Street, London WC1N 2LX, 020-7405 2127

Event: Dickens After Dark: A Halloween Special

Date: 28 October 2016

Time: 18:30

Price: £15

For readers with an incurable obsession with literature, Charles Dickens Museum has created an immersive All Hallows’ Eve experience. From dimly lit rooms to strange sounds, spending the evening in Dickens’ townhouse involves a night of storytelling, mystery, and a Victorian candle lit bar open throughout the evening.

Museum of Brands, Packaging and Advertising

111-117 Lancaster Road, Notting Hill, London W11 1QT, 020-7243 9611

Event: Black Halloween Banquet

Date: 28 October 2016

Time: 19:30 – 22:30

Price: £59.99

In a perfect blend of horror and extravagant dining, The Museum of Brands and GrubClub have collaborated to celebrate Halloween with a seven course meal, with the spooky theme of “black” coloured food. Award-wining chef Adam Rawson has creatively named his menu items to include foods like burnt aubergine, black quinoa, and aged beef.

Natural History Museum

Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD, 020-7942 5000

Event: Pop-up Planetarium: The Wonders of Space

Date: 28 October 2016

Time: 18:30 – 21:45

Price: £15, Members: £13.50

Perhaps you prefer something relaxing for Halloween? The Natural History Museum’s “Museum Lates” let you explore the historic museum after hours. You can have a little wander around, enjoy the food and drinks, or enjoy an exhibition. The Wonders of Space event is part of October’s “Lates” and involves stepping inside an inflatable planetarium to discover the origin and evolution of the universe.

Vestry House Museum

Vestry Road Walthamstow, London E17 9NH, 020-8496 4391

Event: Hitchcock’s Halloween

Date: 27-29 October 2016

Time: 18:00 – 21:00

Price: £2 suggested donation for adults, Children go free.

Inspired by the legendary Alfred Hitchcock, Vestry House Museum invites you to help solve the murder of famous actress Charlotte Inwood, with the aid of music, delicious cocktails and cakes. For the full experience, you are encouraged to dress in fancy dress as you will be able to create your own film still in a photo-booth and immerse yourself in a fictitious world of mystery.

Edited by Ivy Joseph

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