In one of the sunniest counties in Ireland stands a mansion, known for being haunted but it all began with a simple game of cards. On the southeastern coast of Ireland, in County Wexford, Loftus Hall stands on the Hook Head peninsula overlooking the sea. It is often described as one of the most haunted houses in the world. The land itself has 800 years of history and stories, beginning with the Norman invasion in the 1100s. Over centuries the property changed hands, eventually becoming Loftus Hall. But the story most people remember began in 1765. During a violent storm, a stranger arrived at the door of Loftus Hall seeking shelter. Welcomed inside by the Tottenham family who currently owned the estate and the stranger stayed for several nights. One evening during a game of cards, Anne Tottenham dropped a card and bent to pick it up. When she looked under the table she exclaimed the stranger was not human. Unfortunately, Anne never recovered from this incident. Seemingly going insane, she was locked away for the remainder of her life. Since then unexplained occurrences have been reported inside Loftus Hall. Disembodied voices, shadow figures, cold spots, and an overwhelming feeling of being watched. Some fully believe Anne never truly left the house.
Sources:
“Loftus Hall, Ireland's Most Haunted House, Hosts a 'Paranormal Lockdown'” by Lilit Marcus on Conde Nast Traveler on October 31, 2016 (https://www.cntraveler.com/story/loftus-hall-irelands-most-haunted-house-hosts-a-paranormal-lockdown)
“Loftus Hall, Ireland’s Most Notorious Haunted House, Has Hit the Market” by Michele Debczak on Mental Floss on July 25, 2020 (https://www.mentalfloss.com/culture/weird/loftus-hall-ireland-for-sale)
“The Story of Loftus Hall, the most haunted house in Ireland” by Ian Middleton (https://ianmiddleton.co.uk/story-of-loftus-hall/)
“Loftus Hall – Exploring Ireland’s Haunted History” on Haunted Halls Ireland (https://www.loftushall.ie/loftus-hall-set-to-reawaken-665-years-of-history)
“The Story Behind Loftus Hall: The Most Haunted House In Ireland” by Keith O’Hara on The Irish Road Trip on January 9, 2026 (https://www.theirishroadtrip.com/loftus-hall-haunted-ireland/)
“Loftus Hall” on Little House of Horrors on March 14, 2026 (https://thelittlehouseofhorrors.com/loftus-hall/)
“Loftus Hall: Most Haunted House in Ireland Has Not Revealed All Its Dark Secrets” by Joanna Gillan on Ancient Origins on July 21, 2020 (https://www.ancient-origins.net/unexplained-phenomena/loftus-hall-most-haunted-house-ireland-has-not-revealed-all-its-dark-secrets-021750)
“The Haunting History of Loftus Hall” on House of Waterford (https://www.houseofwaterford.com/blog/general-news/haunting-history-loftus-hall)
https://www.ireland.com/en-us/destinations/county/wexford/county-wexford/
https://www.visitwexford.ie/historical-points-in-county-wexford-that-history-lovers-shouldnt-miss/
“Loftus Hall” on Destination Fear, Season 3, Episode 15 on Discovery+
