Hauntings of Pluckley Village, Asfhford

The village of Pluckley is said to be the most haunted village in the United Kingdom, if not the world, with 12 official ghosts and many more tales of spooky occurrences and creepy sightings. Here are just some of the hauntings we came across.

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A lady in white is said to roam St Nicholas Churchyard, buried in seven coffins and an oak sarcophagus. A lady in red, believed to be Lady Dering, has been seen wandering St Nicholas’s churchyard searching for the grave of her stillborn baby. An 18th century Highwayman died at the hands of village peacekeepers and is said to be seen fighting his last stand. The lady of Rose Court is thought to have poisoned herself over a love triangle. Dering Woods is known as the Screaming Woods thanks to the disembodied blood curdling screams heard through the night. In Park wood, the spirit of a hanged Colonel is often spotted. On Dicky Buss’s Lane a teacher is said to have hanged himself following WWI, his lost soul haunting the spot ever since. A brickworker was crushed and drowned in a wall of clay at the brickworks. A menacing monk haunts the house of Greystones. At Pinnock Bridge, a gypsy woman is said to have been accidentally burned to death. She haunts the spot, sitting silently and smoking her pipe. In the Black Horse Pub, items have been said to move around without any human touch. A spectral horse and carriage have been seen and heard on the ancient village streets.

That is a lot of ghosts!

You can visit the lovely village of Pluckley and explore the many haunted locations throughout the year: https://pluckley.net/

Drummer boy of Dover Castle

Dover Castle was built soon after 1066 but it was during Henry II’s 12th century reign that it began to take shape as the castle we know today. There is some evidence to suggest there may have been Iron Age occupation or fortifications on the site. During the Roman period, the site was clearly of some importance and one of only three surviving Roman lighthouses in the world can be found within the castle walls. An impregnable fortress was said to occupy the site since at least the Saxon period and fortifications have been improved during almost every conflict since.

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The most famous hauntings at Dover Castle include a young drummer boy, said to have been delivering a message or important package through the warren of tunnels beneath the castle when he was seized upon, brutally murdered and decapitated. It is said his headless spirit wanders the tunnels and battlements. A spectral lady in a crimson dress accompanied by a man in a Cavalier outfit have been seen wandering the grounds. Disembodied voices, doors opening and closing of their own accord, chills and screams are heard and felt throughout the grounds.

Visit Dover Castle and explore the nations historic first line of defence: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/dover-castle/

Ghosts of Fort Amherst, Chatham

Fort Amherst was constructed in the 18th century as a line of defence protecting the southeastern approaches to Chatham Dockyard. It also acted as protection for the River Medway against the potential threat of attack from France. During its construction in 1779, numerous finds of a Roman date were discovered including brick, tile and some early Roman coins, suggesting a long continuation of land use in the area.

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The network of eerie tunnels beneath the fort are said to be one of the most haunted places in the country. Staff and visitors have reported being approached by a phantom soldier on the lower gun deck. A wailing woman and crying children are often heard, with no sign of where the cries emerge from. Some have even claimed to have been followed by children through the tunnels and have had to brush away child sized hand prints from the back of their clothes.

Explore the amazing fort and tunnel systems at Fort Amherst: https://fortamherst.com/

Roman phantoms of Reculver Towers

The impressive twin towers of St Mary’s church dominate the coastline of Reculver. The area was once a strategic position at the north-western end of the Wantsum Channel separating the Isle of Thanet from the mainland. A Roman fort was built to protect this location, later becoming a Saxon Shore Fort. A monastery was established on the site dedicated to St Mary in 669AD and it became a church in the 12th century. Much of the church was demolished in the early 19th century but the towers survived as a stunning coastal monument.

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During excavations at the site, a number of infant burials were discovered under the Roman walls. It has been said that they represent ancient sacrifices to protect the site, and terrifying sounds of wailing babies have been heard during stormy nights. There have also been reports that two hooded ghostly figures have been spotted between the towers and pacing the monastery grounds.

See the spectacular Reculver Towers for free any time, there’s even a fantastic pub right next door!: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/reculver-towers-and-roman-fort/

The Dripping Man of Scotney Castle

Scotney Old Castle was a 14th century, fortified manor house located on an island in a small lake in the valley of the River Bewl. Only the southern tower remains of the original structure. In the 19th century a new house was built and the old castle became a beautiful relic in the stunning gardens, themselves a site of special specific scientific interest.

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The Dripping Man is thought to haunt the Castle moat. Some claim he is a Jesuit priest who leapt into the moat to avoid authorities. Whilst others claim the 18th century estate owner, Arthur Darrell, murdered an excise officer before throwing his corpse into the moat. Apparently to escape justice, he fled, but turned up at his own funeral after faking his own death!

Visit the Castle and discover the history: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/kent/scotney-castle

Dipsa

A Dipsa is a snake that is so small that you cannot see it before you step on it, and its venom is so poisonous that it kills its victims before they feel its bite.

Seps

The Seps is a small snake with a deadly corrosive poison, which consumes both the body and bones of any creature it bites.

Jaculus

The Jaculus is a small winged serpent which perches in trees, and when its prey approaches, throws itself down and kills its victim.

Hydrus

The Hydrus is a creature that lives in the River Nile, and is the enemy of the crocodile. When it sees a crocodile sleeping on the shore with its mouth open, it rolls in the mud, making it easier to slide into the crocodiles mouth, and allowing the crocodile to swallow it alive. The Hydrus eats its way out through the crocodiles stomach, killing the crocodile and escaping. In medieval Christian tradition, this is allegorical of the resurrection of Christ (the Hydrus), bursting free from Hell (the crocodile).

Amphisbaena

The amphisbaena is a lizard or serpent with two heads, one at the front as normal,  and another at the end of its tail. It can move in both directions. It is often depicted with feathered wings and scaled feet and horns on its head. It has no fear of the cold, and is the first to come out from hibernation.

Scitalis

The Scitalis is a serpent which is said to have such brightly coloured markings on its back, that all other creatures, stunned by its appearance, slow down and are caught. The Scitalis is so hot,  that even in winter it will shed its skin and expose its glowing body.

Basilisk

The Basilisk is often described as a crested snake, and depicted as a cock with the tail of a snake. In Greek, it is called "regulus" which means "little king", because it is the king of creeping things. It's odour can kill other snakes, and its stare can kill a person" The Weasel is the only creature that can kill a Basilisk. The Basilisk is said to be hatched by a toad from the egg of a cockerel.

Dragon

The dragon is the greatest of all the serpents on earth, it is larger than all the other serpents and animals. The dragon has a crest, a small mouth and narrow nostrils; its strength is in its tail not its teeth, its lashing tail causes more harm by blows, and it kills anything caught in its coils . The dragon is the enemy of the elephant, and hides near paths where elephants walk, entangling their feet and suffocating them. When the dragon is tempted from its cave and into the air, it stirs up the air and makes it glow. Dragons are found in India and Ethiopia. The word "dragon" is derived from the Latin "draconum", which means"huge serpent".

The devil is like a dragon because he is the worst of all serpents.  The dragons crest reminds us that the devil is the king of pride, and just as the dragon leaves his cave, rising into the air making it glow, so the devil rises from the abyss and makes himself appear as an angel of light to deceive the foolish with the hope of worldly pleasures. The devil, deprived of his strength, deceives with lies, and just as a dragon lies in wait for the elephant, so the devil attacks people, lying in wait on their path to heaven, wrapping them in his coils and suffocating them with sin.

Siren

Sirens are deadly creatures, half human and half bird or fish. The top half of the body down to the navel is human (usually female), and early sources say that from the waist down to their feet they are like birds, although later sources claim that they are like fish.  Sirens charm seafarers by singing a beautiful song with the sweetest melody, which sailors hear far off, and are lured from their course and head towards the sirens. The sweetness of the song lulls the sailors to sleep, whereupon the sirens attack them and devour their flesh.

The moral of the story of the sirens is that people who delight in worldly pleasures will fall prey to the devil.

Hercinia

The Hercinia is a bird that lives in the Hercynian Forest in Germany. It has feathers which glow so brightly in the dark that it serves as a beacon to travellers, lighting up their path.

Caladrius

The Caladrius, (sometimes spelt Charadrius), is a mythical river bird with pure white plumage,  which is said to possess the power of prophecy, and whose dung has medicinal properties. With a glance it can tell you if a sick person will live or die. The Caladrius is brought to the bedside of  sick person; if the bird turns away , the patient is going to die, but if the bird continues to look into the face of the patient, it will draw all the sickness into itself, and then fly into the sun where the sickness will be burnt up and destroyed, curing the sick person. It is also said that the dung of the caladrius can heal blindness.

The Caladrius is seen as a representation of Christ, it's white plumage is without blemish, just as Christ was without blemish. Just as the Caladrius turns away from the dying, so Jesus turned away from the Jews because of their unbelief, and instead turned his face towards the gentiles, taking their sins upon himself, just as the Caladrius takes sickness upon itself. It's flight towards the sun is a reflection of Christ's ascension into Heaven.

Cinnamolgus

The Cinnamolgus is a bird that lives in Arabia, and builds its nest from the fruit of the cinnamon tree, which is valuable and highly prized. Men cannot climb the trees to reach it, because the branches are too delicate and break easily, and so they shoot lead weighted arrows, or throw lead balls into the trees to bring the cinnamon down. The Cinnamolgus is most commonly illustrated as a bird in a nest at the top of a tree, with a man below, shooting an arrow or throwing a lead ball from a sling.

Phoenix

The Phoenix is a bird from Arabia which lives for five hundred years. There is only one living Phoenix in the world at any time. When it feels itself growing old, it builds a pyre of wood and spices and sits on it, facing the sun and spreading its wings, setting itself on fire. When it has been consumed by fire, the next day a new bird arises out of the ashes. The Phoenix is sometimes depicted in medieval  art and literature as endowed with a halo, which emphasises the birds connection to the sun.

The story of the Phoenix is allegorical of the death and resurrection of Christ, who said:

"I have the power to lay down my life, and I have the power to take it again (John 10:18)

Satyr

The Satyr is described as a type of ape, but is usually illustrated as a wild man. It is said to have a lively character, and a pleasant face, although in most illustrations they have an ugly face. Satyrs are generally shown as having features that are more human-like than ape-like, and are often pictured carrying a club. This type of Satyr is quite different from the image of the traditional Roman/ Greek Satyr, which is usually depicted as having a male upper body, with the legs and horns of a goat.

Blue Bell Hill Bride

Blue bell Hill is an area with an astonishing prehistoric past. The incredible megaliths of Kits Coty House, The Countless Stones, White Horse Stone and The Coffin Stone can all be found nearby. They lie near the Pilgrims Way, an ancient trackway likely to have followed a natural causeway east to west along the North Downs.

It is not from the prehistoric, but from the modern era that Bluebell Hill is apparently haunted. In November 1965, a tragic car crash killed a young bride-to-be returning from her hen night. She was due to be married the following day. Since then there have been a number of sightings of a young woman in a wedding dress running into the middle of the road. Some drivers even claimed to have hit the spectre, or picked up a young lady, only to see her disappear from the back seat with no explanation.

You can visit many parts of this prehistoric landscape, but it is better to stay clear of the road on foot! Find out more: https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/kits-coty-house-and-little-kits-coty-house/