More than a fifth (22%) of Brits have encountered a cursed or possessed object, research by the London Dungeon has today revealed as part of its spine-tingling new show, Cabinet of Curiosities – which explores the Victorian obsession
with possessed objects from distant lands.

Terrifyingly, supernatural sightings have been documented all over the country with those surveyed in Birmingham (30%) and London (27%) the most likely to state they’d come face to face with a possessed or haunted object, followed by Nottingham (26%), Newcastle
(25%) and Brighton (25%). Those aged 25-34 are clearly collectively cursed as they were found to be the most likely (38%) to have suffered a cursed or possessed item sighting.

The eerie discoveries continue as Brits listed historical artefacts (30%), porcelain dolls (28%) and old toys (26%) as the top three possessed items they’ve encountered. And, admitted having the misfortune of crossing paths with them in graveyard’s (30%), basements
(14%) and attics (11%).

Just under half (42%) knew they came into contact with a possessed object as they had ‘felt a presence’ in the object, while over a third (34%) witnessed the object moving without being touched. In addition, a quarter (25%) saw electronics or lights flickering
and malfunctioning, whilst nearly a third (30%) said they’d even observed strange behaviour from pets when around the possession.

Cursed competition winner

The London Dungeon held a nationwide competition to find the most cursed object to feature in the show, ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’, in exchange for free entry to the attraction for a year.

The winner, a haunted doll named Florence, was deemed to be the creepiest after owner, 20-year-old Londoner, Skye Burchell, discovered the figure in the attic of her family home in 2013. It’s Florence’s involuntary movements and the unexplained noise of the
doll’s feet clapping together which has led Skye to believe the much-loved figure is now possessed.

The runner up was Sinead Doherty from North London who responded to the call out by submitting her 1960’s radio which she discovered in rural Ireland. The radio once belonged to a little boy who relied on it for communication after a tragic farming accident.
Sinead described the lingering coldness she gets from the vintage radio when she’s in the room with the object from the supernatural being that inhabits the old school tech.

The ghostly findings set the stage for the London Dungeon’s chilling new show, Cabinet of Curiosities, which opened on 5th April. Those brave enough to dive into the spooky depths of the London Dungeon will be able to see Florence in all her glory alongside
uncanny replicas of The Mermaid and The Mummified Cat, two of the British Museum’s most hair-raising artefacts believed by the Victorians to capture souls recreated by the attraction’s talented studios team, alongside haunted artefacts from the eerie depths
of the Dungeon’s own collection.

A London Dungeon spokesperson said, “We’ve always known that the British public has a penchant for the paranormal, but these findings and the vast number of haunted submissions we had into our nationwide call out truly give us goosebumps. From cursed
dolls to possessed radios, we saw it all and are delighted to be able to include some of the entries into our show, opening this weekend, which will bring our guests face-to-face with the supernatural. Hold onto your souls! ”

The London Dungeon, which is situated on the capital’s South Bank, uncovers unsettling tales of London’s darkest past with interactive shows exploring spine-chilling historic characters including Jack the Ripper, Sweeney Todd, and Mrs Lovett herself.