St Columb's Cathedral, built from 1633 within the walls, is the Church of Ireland cathedral of Derry. Spirited Isle says its most enduring haunting dates from the 1860s, when restoration work disturbed the resting place of Bishop William Higgins, an early bishop of Derry. His remains are reported to have been moved, and tales began of footsteps echoing through the upper gallery after the doors were locked.
Caretakers and vergers spoke of a man walking the length of the aisle, turning at the chancel steps and pacing back, a heavy, deliberate stride as though inspecting his church. When they unlocked the doors, the gallery was empty. On stormy evenings the organ was said to sound a few solemn notes before falling silent. The page notes that modern safety switches now prevent accidental operation, yet the story persists.
Late tours are said to have reported the sense of being watched from the choir stalls, the sound of robes brushing the pews and a tall robed figure vanishing behind a pillar near the Bishop's Door. The entry also mentions photographs of misty shapes on the cathedral steps, which sceptics put down to light.
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