Haunted Britain : a Guide to Supernatural Sites Frequented By Ghosts, Witches, Poltergeists and Other Mysterious Beings

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Whatever the scientific evidence, both for and against, the existence of ghosts, spectral activity continues to form an integral part of our oral tradition. It was the middle of the night in April 2020, and everything was “perfectly quiet”, says Mandy Dean. It’s home to the ruined Capel Mair ar y Bryn, where the presence of unwelcoming ancient monks has been felt, a big gothic castle stalked by the spirit of a rageful and unjustly murdered gamekeeper, the ghosts of Victorian children with a penchant for moving objects and disembodied laughter, and a blacksmith who walks the castle grounds, plus the ruins of the twelfth-century Margam Abbey, which are enough on their own to make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. These are not strict historical accounts but rather a blend of fact and fiction, designed to chill the spine and make the reader reconsider every creak in the night. In 2003, they were joined by a new ghoul, the ‘Skeletor’: he was caught on CCTV opening a door but then disappeared without a trace.

Visualize the quiet village of Pluckley, where the line between the living and the dead seems almost non-existent. Because I know that things can happen and, even if we can't explain them away, they can terrifying and confusing in equal measure. With its rich and troubled history it’s unsurprising that the inn is a popular site for paranormal events. As he retraced his steps, a chilling breeze whispered past him, carrying with it faint, mournful whispers, snippets of long-forgotten conversations.

scolded Emily, "you men, you think you can just vanish for almost a month and think we'll still be here for you, well let me tell you something. An astounding 12-16 distinctive ghosts have been reported to reside in the village so it’s easy to see why it’s so popular for ghost-hunters hoping to catch a sighting. This morning myself and the lovely Emily (my trusty sat nav) set out from London and headed in a sort of westerly direction. Sightings of him have happened during full moons in the neighbouring village of Mistley, by the pond where he infamously drowned so many innocent people. This is where someone “wakes” but cannot move, and it can be terrifying – people may experience hallucinations, and some have described seeing ghostlike or demonic figures.

Once voted as the most haunted house in Britain, the grand Blickling Hall that you’ll see today stands on the ruins of a medieval manor house, once home to the Boleyn family. More people’s homes are fitted with video-recording devices – such as baby monitors, or home security – and just about everyone has a cameraphone. So there I was traipsing across the fields as the ominous walls of the old castle (or what remains of them) got closer.Unfortunately, William was badly injured in a fall during the rescue and died from his injuries a few weeks later.