Paranormal stories and tales from across the South East

While Halloween, as we now know it, appears to be a rather new and American concept on these shores, it actually has very old British roots. It dates back to the Celtic festival of Samhain, marking the end of summer and harvest and the beginnings of cold and dark winter.

One thing we love in the CLA South East office, is an excuse to talk about spooky or unusual goings on - just have a read of our Crop Circle blog. So it stands to reason that we had to do a quick round-up of all the best ghost stories from this spooktacular region...

Claydon House, in Middle Claydon, is said to be haunted by one of its former owners -Sir Edmund Verney, who was a standard bearer for Charles I. Sir Edmund was killed at the Battle of Edgehill in 1642 at the age of 52, where it is said he chose not to wear any armour.

The battle of Edgehill was one of the first significant battles of the English Civil War and Sir Edmund's loyalty to the King (and lack of armour) is what ultimately led to his demise. Soon after his death, it was claimed that his spirit could be seen wandering the battlefield, as well as Claydon House.

If Buckinghamshire- based ghost stories are of particular interest then we can recommend seeking out the podcast 'Weird in the Wade', which focuses on curious stories and incidents from in and around Biggleswade.

Now we go to another great house - Blenheim. Given its age, history and colourful inhabitants it is of no surprise that some tales of the paranormal have cropped up over time.

The most famous, perhaps, is the ghost of an old chaplain who people have reportedly seen sitting in the Dean Jones room quietly reading his bible.

A well-known spook in Berkshire is the ghostly vision of a white dog that has been seen on multiple occasions near Donnington Castle, a dog-friendly attraction... which may in itself provide a more logical reason for those sightings. Just a few miles away at Littlecote, there is reportedly another canine spook – a black dog that sits on the Jerusalem staircase.

Windsor Castle and the great park is of course the site of many royal and commoner deaths – with Henry VIII probably the most notable, often seen in the cloisters dragging his ulcerated leg. Unsurprisingly, Anne Boleyn is also said to haunt the castle having been executed for treason, adultery and witchcraft.

Beaulieu Estate is notorious for a number of paranormal visitors. The Abbey, dating back to the 13th century, is said to host singing, chanting ghostly monks while Palace House is frequented by the “blue lady” who passes through walls making strange noises.

The New Forest remains full of myths and legend, and even in living memory rumours of witchcraft prevail on Burley village. Sybil Leek – Britain's most famous witch - ran antique shops in the village and following the decriminalisation of witchcraft in 1951 self declared as a white witch, often seen wearing a cape and accompanied by her pet jackdaw.

Holding the title “Ghost Island”, the island apparently features more ghost stories than any other island in the world, and can claim more ghostly sightings per square mile than anywhere in the UK.

Shanklin Theatre, Ventnor Botanical Gardens, Carisbrooke Castle, Arreton Manor, Golden Hill Fort, Whitecroft Hospital and Appuldurcombe House are among the sites with tales to tell.

Knighton Gorges Manor is probably the most unusual, with the Manor itself (now no longer standing in its original form) said to appear on New Year's Eve in its previous splendour bedecked in candles, with the noise of parties and music long gone.

Betchworth Castle is home to a tragic tale, the remnants of which are reported to still stalk the castle grounds. A prisoner held in the fortified manor escaped and Lord Hope chased after him. After spotting a figure in the shadows he stabbed with his sword, and found that he had mistakenly killed his own son. The spirit that wanders the ground is not the boy but Lord Hope constantly wringing his hands in despair at his actions.

Haroldslea Drive in Horley sees a large scale haunting of an entire troop of soldiers marching through the area towards the castle. This spectacle is said to occur on November 11, starting with the eerie sound of a bell toll at sundown, increasing in volume until midnight, when the army of men pass through Haroldslea Drive and head for nearby Thunderfield Castle.

Visitors to Pippbrook House near Dorking need to avoid the knife-throwing poltergeist and the stares of a phantom butler, all while evading the lady in the grey dress haunting the stairs. And of course we shouldn’t forget Guildford Cathedral – location for “The Omen” filmed in 1976, one of the scariest horror movies of all time.

Sussex hosts it fair share of ghosts and ghouls, and the devil plays a part not only in local folklore but in the landscape too. Devil's Dyke is said to have been dug by the devil to let the sea flood the villages when locals turned to Christianity, with many other references too - Devil’s Bog, Devil’s Book, Devil’s Ditch, Devil’s Hump, Devil's Jump and Devil’s Road.

Chanctonbury Ring in West Sussex has a circular ring of beech trees marking the site of bronze aged burials, Iron Age forts and a Roman temple. Local legend warns that walking counter clockwise seven times around the ring will summon the devil who will offer you an exchange of food for your soul.

Tales of witchcraft and ghostly sightings abound at Leeds Castle in Kent, with the castle sharing the tale of Joan of Navarre on its website. She was the stepmother of Henry V and as relations soured between the stepmother and stepson, she found herself charged with using witchcraft to bring about the downfall of Henry and as such, was imprisoned at Leeds Castle.

She was eventually released and it seems perhaps the suspicions arose predominantly from her being foreign, rather than actually engaged in any dark arts.

Pluckley is often considered the scariest and most haunted place in South East England, holding a former Guinness World Record for being the most haunted village. It is associated with numerous ghostly tales, including a screaming man, a phantom highwayman and a watercress lady, with specific locations like the Screaming Woods and Dicky Buses Lane being particularly noted for paranormal activity.