Step into the eerie world of Reculver Towers, where crumbling Roman ruins and chilling legends haunt the Kent coastline
Reculver Towers, just east of the town of Herne Bay, is one of the most haunting places in Kent.
Its two tall towers rise up from the edge of a crumbling cliff, looking out across the cold sea. The site is old — very old. But it’s not just history that lingers here. Strange sounds, ghostly figures, and the cries of something not quite human have made this ruin a place of fear as well as fascination.
Many say Reculver is cursed. And when you hear the stories, it’s not hard to see why.
History of Reculver Towers
Long before the towers were built, the Romans had a fort here. They called it Regulbium. It guarded the coast and watched for enemies coming by sea.
Later, a church was built on the site. The twin towers we see today are all that remain. The sea has eaten away the land over the years, taking most of the old village with it.
By the 1800s, the church was falling apart. The towers were left standing so sailors could use them to guide their ships.
Today, the ruins sit on a windy headland, surrounded by silence — and stories.
Hauntings of Reculver
The Wailing Baby
The most famous ghost at Reculver isn’t seen — it’s heard.
On stormy nights, people say they hear a baby crying in the ruins. The sound is strange and awful. It seems to come from nowhere, and it doesn’t stop.
An old tale says the Romans buried a baby alive under the walls as a sacrifice to protect the fort. For years, it was thought to be just a creepy story.
Then, in the 1960s, archaeologists dug up eleven baby skeletons from beneath the walls. No one could explain why they were there.
Since then, more people say they’ve heard the baby’s cries. Once you’ve heard it, they say, you never forget it.
The Hooded Figures
There are also reports of two dark, hooded figures that walk between the towers at night.
People have seen them moving silently through the ruins. But if you try to get closer, they vanish into thin air.
No one knows who they are. Some say they’re monks from the old church. Others believe they’re ghosts from Roman times, still guarding the site.
Ghost hunters say the towers give off strange energy. Cameras fail. The air turns cold. And always, there’s the feeling that someone is watching.
The Ghost of the Sailor
Not far from the ruins, there’s an old pub by the sea. It’s said to be haunted by a ghostly sea captain.
He wears a heavy coat, a sailor’s cap, and has glowing red eyes. People say he smells of rum, smoke, and tar. You feel him before you see him — the room turns freezing cold, and the air gets heavy.
The story goes that his ship sank in the Swale. He crawled through the mud to a nearby cottage, begging for help. But the owner refused to open the door. In the morning, the sailor was found dead on the doorstep.
Since then, his ghost has haunted the building. Landlords and customers have seen him many times — sometimes glaring from the foot of the bed, sometimes walking through walls.
One boy even woke to find the sailor lying next to him in bed.
Reculver looks peaceful during the day. But as night falls, a arker feeling creeps in.
The cries of a dead baby. Hooded shadows. A sailor’s ghost with glowing eyes. These stories have been told for generations — and new ones are still being added.
Is it just the wind and waves? Or is something truly haunting this ruined place by the sea?
Have you ever visited Reculver Towers? Did you sense something eerie in the air? Share your experience in the comments below!
