The Paranormal Database

Woman

Location: Hutton - Hanging Hill Lane
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: With no known real history, one could speculate that this female ghost and the name of the Lane have something in common...

Lady in Grey

Location: Hutton - Hutton Hall (on the outskirts of Brentwood)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: This grey female form is said to frequent the bedroom on the first floor.

The Devil Dog

Location: Ingatestone - Area around the Star Inn
Type: Shuck
Date / Time: 1970s onwards
Further Comments: Although initially sounding like a shuck, the Devil Dog in this area is said to be the spirit of a canine that died around 1914. Small and black, the hound was reputedly seen several times in the twentieth century, trying to block pedestrians walking along the lane.

The footbridge at Ingatestone station.

Heavy Footsteps

Location: Ingatestone - Footbridge at Ingatestone station
Type: Unknown Ghost Type
Date / Time: 1980s
Further Comments: These disembodied footsteps were heard by a couple from London; the witnesses listened as the footfalls climbed the stairs of the bridge and down the other side before trailing off further down the platform.

Lady Katherine Grey with Edward, her son.

Lady Katherine Grey and Sir William Petre

Location: Ingatestone - Ingatestone Hall
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Grey's ghost is reported to haunt the lime walk, while the building's caretakers have reported seeing Sir Petre inside.

Big Black Dog Saves Bishop Petre

Location: Ingatestone - Ingatestone Hall, Lime Walk
Type: Shuck
Date / Time: Eighteenth century
Further Comments: A mugging was foiled when Bishop Petre's attackers were scared off by a large black hound which came from nowhere. As he brushed himself down, Petre realised the dog had disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.

The rail line between Shenfield and Ingatestone.

Flailing Hand

Location: Ingatestone - Rail line between Shenfield and Ingatestone
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: March 2006
Further Comments: A commuter travelling from London Liverpool Street to Clacton reported seeing a hand which appeared from behind him as the train travelled between Shenfield and Ingatestone. The hand, appearing to be Asian, threw itself around violently, banging his seat and coming close to hitting the witness's head. The commuter turned to see who the hand belonged to, only to find a white middle aged man asleep in the seat behind him, with hands not resembling those he saw moments before.

Doors Open and Close

Location: Ingatestone - The Star public house
Type: Poltergeist
Date / Time: 1956
Further Comments: Two sisters reportedly left the public house after paying to spend the night, because the lights in their room turned themselves on and off, and the door constantly opened and closed.

Flying Books

Location: Ingrave - Private flat
Type: Poltergeist
Date / Time: Circa 1969
Further Comments: Following the death of his wife, the occupant of this flat reported books which flew open and a rose which became 'fossilised' after a few hours (although other flowers in the same vase remained fresh.

Former Landlady

Location: Jaywick - Never Say Die public house
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Promoting a ghost hunt, this pub appeared in the local press claiming to be haunted by a former owner who took the form of a grey lady.

Disembodied Footsteps

Location: Kelvedon - Kelvedon Rail Station
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 04:45h (Reoccurring)
Further Comments: Since the station was rebuilt, there have been no more reports of the footsteps, always heard at the same time.

Children Playing

Location: Kirby-le-Soken - Red Lion Inn
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Two ghostly children have been seen playing in a front bedroom, though it is said you are more likely to hear them having fun or either the sound of heavy footfalls.

No Night Shift

Location: Laindon - Former printers (was previously Fortune of War public house), High Road
Type: Poltergeist
Date / Time: Mid 1980s
Further Comments: A local story says that poltergeist activity at this building was so bad that staff refused to work at night. Footsteps were heard walking around and boxes in the storeroom would be thrown around.

Crying Lollipop Lady

Location: Laindon - Riverview Estate
Type: Unknown Ghost Type
Date / Time: 04 July 1997
Further Comments: A pair of young girls watched a woman in a school crossing uniform holding a 'stop' sign as she cried by their home. A few minutes later she turned into a mist and disappeared.

Bride

Location: Laindon - St Nicholas Church
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The phantom woman who haunts the site is reputedly a bride who, in the dim and distant past, fell down the stairs leaving the church and broke her neck.

Glowing Horseman

Location: Lamarsh - Road between Lamarsh Hills and Bures St Mary
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1800s
Further Comments: Terrorising all who travelled the road between dusk and dawn, it took the combined efforts of all the local priests and their staff to exorcise this ghost.

Young Woman & Man in Tweed

Location: Langenhoe - Langenhoe Church (no longer standing - area is denoted by the overgrown graveyard)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1940s, 1950s
Further Comments: The woman was first seen in the 1940's, appearing quite normal before she disappeared into a corner of the church. A rector also felt the phantom's naked form push hard against him. She is believed to have been murdered by a former rector. A phantom man dressed in a tweed suit was seen once in 1950, walking along the nave.

French Cavalryman

Location: Langenhoe - Rectory
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Likely circa 1930s
Further Comments: While checking on the property as it stood empty, Mr Merryweather claimed to have spotted a French cavalryman standing on the lawn. A policeman who had accompanied Merryweather performed a search but was unable to find anyone.

Domed Craft with Flashing Lights

Location: Langenhoe - Skies over town
Type: UFO
Date / Time: 14 September 1965
Further Comments: During this sighting, the witness claims that the flashing lights became painful to look at, and he felt his body tingle, as if hit by a bolt of electricity.

Headless Calf

Location: Latchingdon - Road between Latchingdon & Southminster
Type: Unknown Ghost Type
Date / Time: Early twentieth century
Further Comments: There are no recent reports of this decapitated young cow, though it has been said the sightings only stopped prior to the Second World War.

Sheldrake

Location: Latchingdon - Sheldrakes Farm
Type: Post-Mortem Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: After his death, Sheldrake's ghost was seen in one of his rooms. When the room was examined closer, Sheldrake's hidden savings were found hidden away. The ghost was never seen again.

Lawford Church, Essex.

Bride on Other's Photographs

Location: Lawford - Church on the hill
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Mid twentieth century
Further Comments: Appearing on three wedding photographs (though none have been published to the author's knowledge), this ghostly bride is said to have died of a broken heart after discovering her husband had been killed when his horse bolted on route to their wedding. In addition, chanting has sometimes been heard coming from the church as it stands empty.

Voice of Lord Marney

Location: Layer Marney - Layer Marney Church
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Easter (or May) (reoccurring)
Further Comments: Legend says that the voice of Lord Marney can be heard echoing around the church.

Headless Chicken Runs Blindly

Location: Layer Marney - Layer Marney Churchyard
Type: Unknown Ghost Type
Date / Time: Christmas (reoccurring)
Further Comments: With an unknown origin, a headless chicken appears and runs blindly around the gravestones.

Lord Marney, Riding Down Staircase

Location: Layer Marney - Layer Marney Hall - tower staircase
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1523 onwards
Further Comments: Lord Marney started to build the house in the early sixteenth century but died before completion. Out of spite, he now haunts the tower, scaring anyone who interrupts his descent down the staircase banister.