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/

Children of Tiny Tim’s Tearoom, Canterbury

There is evidence of a Roman Townhouse on the site now occupied by Tiny Tim’s Tearoom in Canterbury. It was developed by a notorious pirate, Sir Geoffrey Newman, who escaped execution and torture in Bilbao and sought property in Canterbury for his family of 12 children. In 1964 the building became a Chinese restaurant, but a suspicious fire destroyed much of the building. It was during the succeeding renovations that the eerie history of the building emerged.

Watch Craig at Tiny Tim’s Tearoom in Canterbury

Within the walls of the attic were the mummified bodies of three children, all clutching bibles inscribed with the date 1503. Alongside these were mummified cats and dogs, thought to have been placed earlier than the children to ward off evil spirits during the construction of the property. Behind panels in the wall, 186 further bundles containing hair, teeth and the names of additional 16th century children were discovered. Workers removing the remains, reported hearing the sound of children playing up and down the stairs, of chills, sounds, whispers and many other unexplainable occurrences.

Come have a delightful tea and take a moment to visit the ghost room in the attic: https://www.tinytimstearoom.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/

Phantom monks of Bilsington Priory

Bilsington Priory, previously known as St Augustine’s Priory, was an early 13th century monastery, built by Sir John Mansell with the permission of Edward III and home to the Black Canons of St Augustine. The priory often served as a hostel for Canterbury Pilgrims. After its 16th century demolition during the dissolution of the monasteries by Henry VIII, it was utilised as a hideout by smuggler gangs including the Aldington Gang.

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There have been countless stories of otherworldly occurrences at Bilsington, but the most famous sighting is of an army of phantom monks, marching through the kitchens and up the stairs. Staff and visitors alike have reported on strange noises, creepy chills, spectral visions and moving objects.

We recommend a visit to this beautiful venue for afternoon tea and great hosts: https://bilsingtonpriory.co.uk/

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

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/

Red-eyed monk of Mote Park

Mote Park is a fantastic public park in Maidstone, with a boating lake, miniature railway and wonderfully landscaped gardens. The park and its properties passed through many royal and gentile hands, and was the location for a mass inspection of troops trained to defend against the potential threat of Napoleon in the 18th century. Between 1793 and 1800 the original house was demolished and replaced by a new mansion.

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There are a number of hauntings in the park, a young girl in white is often seen darting through the trees in the darkness. There is no clear indication of who the girl may be, but the common recurrence of the sighting is interesting enough. During WWII a Canadian soldier is reported to have seen a red eyed phantom Monk making his way through the park, perhaps towards the historic Archbishops Palace?

If you wish to visit Mote Park, you can find out more here: https://www.moteparkfellowship.org.uk/mote-park

Black Dogs of Leeds Castle

Leeds Castle is situated on islands in a lake formed by the River Len. There are traces of Iron Age activity in the area and there has been a castle on the site since the Saxon period. It is one of the best known castles in Kent and was renovated and occupied throughout the medieval period and beyond.

There have been a number of ghostly sightings here. Legend tells of two black ghostly dogs, one of which brings fortune, the other despair. The spectral mutts are believed to be associated with the treasonous necromancy and witchcraft of the Duchess of Gloucester, Eleanor Cobham, who was imprisoned in the castle.

For access and information, visit: https://leeds-castle.com/