The London Underground station 'so haunted people turned down money to stay there'

Halloween is sadly over but there are still spooks to be had around the capital - or should I say below it. There are rumours that part of the Central line is haunted because of strange artefacts at the nearby British Museum nearly 100 years ago.

It began before 1933 when there used to be a Central line station at the British Museum - the aptly named British Museum station. Its close proximity to the museum and its pieces of antiquity seem to have had an effect on the station because it got the reputation of becoming haunted by ghosts and spirits that found their way down into the dark tunnels and the station.

British Museum station closed in 1933, but it is less than 100 metres from Holborn station today, so some believe these spirits and ghosts have migrated to torment travellers in the city using an old tunnel that connects the two stations.

READ MORE:South London domestic abuse victim asks for urgent rehousing - council says she's fine where she is

READ MORE:Man accused of raping girl in train toilet 'told her he would kill horses if she didn't do what he wanted'

The haunting problem was made worse during World War Two when British Museum artefacts were hidden in Holborn Station to protect them against the fire destruction of the Blitz, according to The Nudge.

More creepy stories about Holborn's haunting

There was one particular artefact that took the 'haunting' to another level. It was said that the mummified remains of an Egyptian princess named Amun-Ra were kept at the British Museum, and that her spirit haunted passengers on the Tube. Frightened travellers began reporting sightings of her ghost, dressed in only a loincloth and headdress, wailing and shrieking through the tunnels.

In 1935, a comedy thriller called Bulldog Jack was released. It featured an imaginary secret tunnel from Holborn station to the Egyptian room at the museum. That same night, two women vanished from Holborn station’s platform, leaving commuters shaken. Strange markings were reportedly found on the walls afterward, and there were additional reports of eerie sounds and ghostly sightings.

Thirty years later, rumours still circulated at the station, leading a newspaper to offer a reward in the 1960s to anyone willing to spend the night there. No one accepted, likely fearing a fate similar to that of the two missing women.

Earlier, in 1924, another newspaper had reported that visitors to the British Museum felt unwell near the coffin of Princess Amun-Ra. One even claimed to have suffered chest pains.

The International Psychic Gazette added to the intrigue, publishing a story about how museum staff, spooked by the “malevolent powers” of her coffin’s lid, had it moved to the basement and replaced it with a replica.

Afterward, this coffin lid was shipped all the way to America... on the Titanic. This fuelled the rumour that the haunted lid had caused the ship’s tragic sinking.

Are the claims true?

So, is there any truth to these claims? Well, partly. The British Museum still holds a coffin lid known as the “unlucky mummy.” It is beautifully designed and was meant to cover the mummified body of a woman whose identity remains unknown.

The craftsmanship suggests the lid’s owner was a woman of high rank, likely involved in temple rituals for Amun-Ra. The mummy lid was donated to the British Museum in July 1889 by Mrs. Warwick Hunt of Holland Park, London, on behalf of Mr. Arthur F. Wheeler.

Since the 1890s, it has been displayed in the Museum's 'First Egyptian Room,' fuelling ongoing speculation about its so-called “evil powers.” It’s now on display in room 62—if you dare to see it for yourself.

And next time you’re at Holborn… best of luck.

Get the top stories from across London directly to your inbox. Sign up for MyLondon's The 12 HERE to get the biggest stories every day