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How to Build a Haunted House

The History of a Cultural Obsession
By Caitlin Blackwell Baines
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Brief Description
What makes a house haunted? Why do some buildings conjure up a reputation for being particularly creepy, while others leave us unmoved? Barring the possibility of a looming afterlife, what are the particular features, contexts and histories that lend a building the dreaded identity of haunted... Read More
Format: Hardback
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A grand tour of The Haunted House through art, architecture, ghost stories and more.

A grand tour of The Haunted House through art, architecture, ghost stories and more

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

What makes a house haunted? Why do some buildings conjure up a reputation for being particularly creepy, while others leave us unmoved? Barring the possibility of a looming afterlife, what are the particular features, contexts and histories that lend a building the dreaded identity of haunted house?

How to Build a Haunted House tours some of the world's most famously spine-chilling structures in search of answers. From Medieval Scotland to Enlightenment-era London; Victorian suburbs to pre-Civil War Louisiana, Blackwell-Baines, an expert in Gothic art and architecture, explores that specific set of ingredients that captures our imaginations and contributes to our collective understanding of the eternally eerie.

After all, whether a staunch sceptic or paranormal enthusiast, we all know a haunted house when we see one.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781805221487

Publisher: Profile Books Ltd

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 09 October 2025

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Profile Books Ltd

Edition: Main

Illustration: chapter ornaments

Audience: General / adult, Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 34.0mm

Width: 156.0mm

Height: 238.0mm

Weight: 520g

Pages: 320

Collections

Caitlin Blackwell Baines Education & Reference Health & Wellness Non-Fiction Self-Help & Personal Development

About the Author

Caitlin Blackwell Baines is an art historian and author, specialising in Georgian art and architecture. Born in Toronto, she later emigrated to the UK to pursue an MA from the Courtauld Institute of Art and a PhD from the University of York in art history. Upon completing her studies, she moved to the Isle of Bute off the Western coast of Scotland, and worked as a curator at Mount Stuart, a late Victorian Gothic Revival palace. When she isn't visiting haunted houses and recording her ghost story-themed history podcast, Haunted Homes, Caitlin is based in East Sussex.

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