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Upsall
Upsall is associated with a common tale: A man from the village dreamed for three consecutive nights that he should go to London and stand on London Bridge. Conceding to impulse he went to London and while on the bridge he was approached by a Quaker, to whom he told his dream. Read More »
Ursula Kemp and the St Osyth’s Witches
In Chelmsford, 1582, fourteen women from St Osyth were put on trial. The charge was witchcraft. Ten of those women faced charges of 'bewitching to death'. Seperate skeletons found in St Osyth during 1921 were thought to belong to two of these women, executed as witches. Read More »
Vernham Dean
The old Roman road called Chute Causeway, is said to be haunted by a pastor who abandoned the villagers of Vernham Dean to die during the Black Death in 1665. Read More »
Veryan
Five circular thatched houses, within the village are supposed to have been designed to ensure that the Devil cannot hide in any corners. Each house is topped with a cross, a further deterrent to the Devil. In actuality they were built by the Reverend Jeremiah Trist for his daughters. The houses are now in private ownership. Read More »
Vickers Yard, Elswick
The following article entitled ‘Yard was foreman's favourite haunt’ appeared in the Shields Gazette on Tuesday 19 June 2007 and concerns a ghost that haunted the Elswick facilities of the Vickers Armstrong Ltd a manufacturer of aircraft, artillery, ships and military vehicles.
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Victoria Viaduct, Carlisle
A former bank that was converted into a jeweller's around 1959 was haunted. Footsteps could be heard on the tall flight of steps within the building but nobody could account for them. They finally stopped when the floor was lifted and an old well uncovered. The well had been partially filled and when they were emptying it they discovered a headless skeleton. Read More »
Viking Hotel, York
In the past staff of this hotel claimed to have seen a shadowy shape on the stairs. The site of the hotel used to have a house upon it, which was reputedly haunted and connected to a murder.
Viking Of Canvey Point
The Point (Canvey Point) is reputedly haunted by a phantom Viking. Raymond Lamont Brown in his 'Phantoms Legends, Customs and Superstitions Of The Sea (1972)' described the ghost as being '6 feet tall, fierce looking, with a beard and long moustaches.' He goes on to say that 'Wildfowlers and fishermen who have seen him say that he wears a horned helmet and jerkin of coarse leather. Read More »
Virginia Water
In AD60 or 61AD the final battle between the Romans and the rebel Briton's led by Boudica (or Boudicca or Boadicea) was fought and is known as the Battle of Watling Street (or Battle of Paulerspury). No one actually knows where this battle described as being ‘being approached by a narrow defile with a wood at the back and a plain in the front ‘ by Tacitcus took place. Read More »
Volantine Austin's House, Cambridge (1694)
A strange experience concerning a potential haunting was recounted in the The Diary of Abraham de la Pryme, the Yorkshire Antiquary, published 1870. This haunting seemed to have made an impression on 17th century Cambridge though given the way in which the activity ceased it is very possible that the events were hoaxed. Read More »
Waddington Hall
Waddington Hall near Clitheroe is one of the locations that sheltered King Henry VI following his defeat at the Battle of Hexham in 1464 and it was shortly after leaving here that his was captured and taken to the Tower of London. The following story entitled ‘The Grey Man of the Wood or The Secret Mine’ appeared in John Roby’s ‘Traditions of Lancashire’ (1872) Read More »
Wade and his Wife
Wade and his wife were two giants, said to have lived in the area around Whitby in North Yorkshire. As part of the old race they both had the most tremendous powers, and could lift mountains and throw giant boulders like pebbles. Read More »
Walpole House, Chiswick Mall
Walpole House on Chiswick Mall was the home of the courtesan Barbara Palmer, 1st Duchess of Cleveland, Countess of Castlemaine (Barbara Villiers) (born November 1640 – died 9 October 1709), former mistress of King Charles II (29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685). Read More »
Wanstead Park
Wanstead Park is reputedly haunted by Catherine Tylney-Long (born 2 October 1789 – died 12 September 1825) who was once the richest woman in England (excluding Royalty) and lost everything due to her husband and his excessive lifestyle. Read More »
The Screaming Skull of Wardley Hall
The skull that resides at Wardley Hall is another skull with opposing legends to account for its existence. In tradition the skull - which was kept behind a panel - was supposed to be that of royalist Roger Downs who lived in the 17th century. Read More »
Warminster
Warminster was the centre of a UFO flap during the 1960s and 70s and became a UFO Mecca for many years. UFO groups and interested people held many sky watches in the area. Specifically from Cradle Hill and Starr Hill.
10 August 1965 Read More »
Warton Crag
Warton Crag is a large limestone hill with a few pieces of interesting folklore as described in Lancashire Folk-lore by Harland and Wilkinson 1867: “On the lower declivity of Warton Crag, in the parish of Warton (which abuts on Morecambe Bay and the Westmorland border), commanding a beautiful and extended prospect of the bay, a seat called 'The Bride's Chair’ was resorted to on the day Read More »
Wasdale Corpse Road
As Wasdale had no church early in its history, the deceased had to be carried over the fells to Eskdale for internment, and this route became known as the corpse road. This is haunted by the ghost of a horse carrying the body of woman tied to it. Read More »
Washington Old Hall
Washington Old Hall is a small 17th century manor owned by the National Trust and is reputedly haunted by a woman in a grey dress. Although not the original building, it is the ancestral home of George Washington's (first President of the United States) family though they then moved to Sulgrave Manor around1613. Read More »
Wassailing The Apple Trees - Carhampton
Wassail originates from the Old English "waes hael", meaning "be well". It is a mulled cider or ale seasoned with honey and spices. Wassailing the apple trees is a traditional way of blessing th etrees to ensure a good harvest. Villagers would gather around the apple trees making a racket to awaken the tree spirits and scare away any lingering deamons. The strongest tre Read More »
Wassailing The Apple Trees - Henfield
Wassailing the Apple Trees or Apple Howling as it is known in Sussex is a festival to bless the apple trees to ensure a good crop in the coming year. The event takes place on Twelfth Night after dark. A horn is blown and Morris Men form a torch lit procession to the oldest and strongest apple tree where they form a ring. Read More »
Wavertree's Demon Well
According to James Mackinley in ‘Folklore of Scottish Lochs and Springs’ (1893) ‘At Wavertree, in Lancashire, once stood a monastery and beside it was a well. When pilgrims arrived, the occupants of the monastery received their alms. If nothing was given, a demon, chained to the bottom of the well, was said to laugh. Read More »
Wayland's Smithy
Wayland's Smithy is one of the most impressive and atmospheric Neolithic burial chambers in Britain. Read More »
Weeton Cairn Boggart
In the 1876 book entitled ‘History of the Fylde of Lancashire’ by John Porter, reference is made to an extensive barrow or cairn near Weeton Lane Heads which was accidentally opened. This burial chamber had the reputation of being haunted by a boggart or hairy ghost. Read More »
Welling Big Cat (2003)
Alison White in a Newshopper article entitled ‘Sightings of big cats rocket in past month’ (30 December 2006) metions that ‘In April 2003, teenager Daniel Brown disturbed a giant black cat in the back garden of his home in Preston Drive, Welling. Read More »
