The Most Haunted Village In Britain
The Most Haunted Village In Britain
Welcome To Pluckley, Kent
We know that alleged hauntings take place all over the country. Usually, though, they are few and far between and confined to one location, like a house, or a pub, or a hotel.
Then along comes Pluckley in Kent, which demands you hold its beer whilst it tells you about the spooky tales of its recently departed inhabitants.
Pluckley tends to attract many tourists year-round for this very reason. The locals, however, are a little more divided on the matter. Half of them are skeptical and the other half are believers.
I guess this depends on whether the tourism figures are down for that year or not!
Nevertheless, turn the lights off, grab yourself a torch and hide under a blanket, ‘cause we’re about to delve into the spooky twelve of Pluckley.
The Highwayman
Late one night in the eighteenth century, a highwayman was traveling the lonely roads of Pluckley, when his enemies ambushed him. They attacked him with spears and swords, and ended up driving the weapons right through him, pinning him to the old oak tree that was once positioned on the corner.
It’s said that every night you can hear screams of the highwayman echoing through the night, as his ghost reenacts the violent encounter that claimed his life.
The Gypsy Woman
Not a lot remains of the old Pinnock Bridge, just a small hidden mound of bricks, still protruding from the roadside. Some might drive past this spot unknowing of its sinister past.
The gypsy woman, also known as the Watercress Lady, used to sell watercress at this spot, until one day she accidentally set herself on fire from the pipe she was smoking. We all know smoking kills.
It’s rumored that from time to time, a mysterious figure can be seen lingering on the bridge, seemingly trapped in the same spot where she met her sudden and tragic demise.
The Miller
Thunderstorms can be scary enough. However, it can mean something else entirely when you're in Pluckley.
It’s said that a figure with a black outline can be seen at the old mill, around the back of a house, called The Pinnock just before a thunderstorm is about to break.
Legend has it that the mill that once stood there many years ago caught fire after a lightning storm and burned to the ground, unfortunately taking some of its employees with it.
Now the shape of a miller’s ghost is said to wander around by itself, probably looking for the HR department.
The Phantom Stagecoach
A spectral stagecoach and four horses is said to haunt the road on Maltman’s Hill. People say that, at night, the sound of hooves clopping along the road can be heard.
Others have said they’ve seen a full stagecoach with a rider and lanterns, trundling along this lonely road under the moonlight.
The Hanging Schoolmaster
Close to the centre of Pluckley is a lane called Dicky Buss’ Lane. It’s said that after World War 1, the retired Headmaster of Smarden school, Henry Turff, took his own life by hanging himself from one of the laurel trees that once stood in the middle of the road.
His ghost can sometimes be seen swinging from the branches above, if you wander down here in the dim light of the evening.
The Red Lady
During the 12th century, the Dering family owned large plots of land in the local area. Lady Dering, thought to have died during childbirth, was buried in a red gown and placed inside a lead coffin with a red rose.
Her coffin was laid to rest in the vault underneath the church, but a spectre resembling her figure still walks the graveyard to this day.
The White Lady
Inside Surrenden Dering, which was the manor house of the Dering family, it is said that the ‘white lady’ haunts the library at night.
The White Lady was supposedly another member of the Dering family, who passed away at a young age.
The manor also burnt down in 1952, and much of these locations were lost in the flames.
The Phantom Monk
This apparition, in the form of its previous owner nicknamed ‘the monk’, often appears on the grounds of one of the large houses in Pluckley, called Greystones. Built in 1863, its original purpose was to house the Curate of the St Nicholas Church, but ended up being too far away from it, and there was no Uber back then.
Apparently, there is a strong connection between the monk and the Ghost Lady of Rose Court a few yards away which we’ll cover below.
The Ghost Lady of Rose Court
Rose Court is located one road further down from Greystones. Back in the Tudor period, the former owner is said to have killed herself by eating poisonous berries in the afternoon around four to five o’clock. This is when her ghost appears.
You should never pick stuff from a forest without washing it first!
Strangely enough, drawing from the connection of the monk, her body was found by the window that faced out toward Greystones.
The Screaming Man
Near the railway station, there used to be a factory and an old clay pit. One poor worker met a tragic end when a wall of clay fell on him, crushing him to death.
His ghost haunts the site where he died, and apparently, his bloodcurdling screams can still be heard. Good job he didn’t shout ‘bollocks’, as it wouldn’t have the same eerie effect.
Well, there you have it folks. The most haunted village in Britain. Now I know there’s a lot of scepticism around these things, but sometimes allowing your imagination to take over for just a little bit can be exciting.
If you’re interested in more of this, there are tonnes of articles, videos, and eyewitness accounts all over the internet about Pluckley for you to read and make up your mind on.
My best advice; go and visit! It’s a beautiful place nonetheless, just don’t die there or you might be there forever…
It’s strange how many ghosts and sightings there have been in one location. It makes it all the more fascinating, but as time moves on, and developments of infrastructure grow, I think it’s all the more important to investigate and learn about the misfortunes of those now passed away.
Apparitions don’t usually just appear for shits and giggles; it’s because there’s trauma or malevolence there. It’s good to understand why these occurrences happen, before they’re turned into brand-new soft play centres, housing estates, or football stadiums.
For more on ghosts, please check out the article “Where Ghosts Love To Haunt”.
