Hellfire Caves, West Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
Hellfire Caves in West Wycombe is truly a very sinister location. With a history of satanic rituals, worship, murder, and sacrifice, it’s of little wonder that this location is one of the most haunted in England.
Ghosts of Hell Fire Caves
The number of reports here, along with the frequency and the consistency, makes this a fascinating experience for ghost hunters. It has a very long and dark history, and one of the most famous names to visit here is Benjamin Franklin! He became a regular visitor here during the 1750s, and it’s believed he still haunts the corridors along with Paul Whitehead to this day.
Whitehead was once a steward of the Hellfire Club and a friend of Sir Francis Dashwood. Legend has it that Whitehead’s heart was placed in an urn kept at the Mausoleum at West Wycombe, but an American soldier supposedly stole it. It’s now believed his ghost haunts the caves and the hill above, searching for his stolen heart.
Another story relates to a young girl named Suki. She was tricked into meeting a man she had fallen for, but her innocence led her to her death at the hands of several men. It is her ghostly figure that is seen in the Banquetting Hall where she took her last breath. A visitor to the caves caught a woman in white in film in one of the alcoves in this room. Upon closer inspection, it matches Suki’s description perfectly.
Will you encounter Suki on your ghost hunt in this area?
Brief History of The Hellfire Caves
The Hellfire Caves is an elaborate system of corridors and rooms carved into the chalky hillside in West Wycombe. Its purpose was to facilitate meetings for the infamous Hellfire Club. The caves were the brainchild of Sir Francis Dashwood and were completed and used by the end of 1752.
Beforehand it was a natural cave system but was then extended to include secret tunnels and vast chambers. The Hellfire Club regularly used the caves for their satanic rituals, experiments with the occult, and their forays into black magic.
The caves were a scene of drunkenness and debauchery, and this inner sanctum for the club was a way of life that meant absolutely everything to its members. The caves have remained almost entirely as they were hundreds of years ago, with tunnels leading down 300 feet which stretches to the River Styx, then the Inner Temple beyond that.
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Visiting the hellfire caves
The Hellfire Caves are open at weekends only from 11 am – 5:30 pm. Tickets are £8.50 for Adults, Children, and Concessions are £7, with family tickets (2 adults and 2 children) £24.
Visit their website for more info.
Address: Church Ln, West Wycombe, High Wycombe HP14 3AH