The ghosts who frequent the area of the Monument which was built in 1671-77 by Sir Christopher Wren and Dr Robert Hooke to commemorate the Great Fire of London in 1666 are thought to be those of the six people who committed suicide by leaping off the top of the 202 foot viewing platform after climbing the 311 winding inside steps.

       The last suicide was Jane Cooper on August 19 1842 and it was reported at the time:

       It is with feelings of horror we have to give publicity to another dreadful affair, which occurred this morning. At about half-past ten o'clock the neighbourhood of Fish Street Hill, Eastcheap, and their Vicinities, were thrown into a state of the greatest alarm and agitation, in consequence of a report having been circulated that a young woman had committed suicide by throwing herself off the Monument. On arriving at the Monument we ascertained that a young woman had this morning ascended the Monument and in about ten minutes after she had ascended she was observed getting over the rails, and before any person ascended, she had thrown herself off the rails, and in her descent struck the coping stone with her head, and fell into the street, a little beyond the curb. She was immediately picked up, and appears a very fine young woman, about the age of 22, and very neatly dressed.
Her name and place of abode is at present unknown.

      According to eyewitness reports, she actually struck one of the four stone griffins situated some forty odd feet from the ground with such force that she bounced right over a passing cart and landed in the road beyond.