The Paranormal Database

Little Girl wanting Ball

Location: Hornchurch - Private house, Parkstone Avenue, Emerson Park
Type: Unknown Ghost Type
Date / Time: 1984
Further Comments: Appearing only once, a phantom Edwardian-dressed girl asked the owner of the house for her ball back.

Shadow

Location: Hornchurch - Queen's Theatre
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Twenty-first century
Further Comments: One manager claimed to have witnessed the shadow of someone move past a light when alone in the staff room, while another heard a piano coming from the empty stage.

Children Playing

Location: Hornchurch - Site of RAF Hornchurch (no longer operational)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1970s
Further Comments: One witness reported hearing schoolchildren playing on the site, although it was late at night, and seeing pilots walking around the area.

Man in Grey Coat

Location: Hullbridge - Outside Smugglers Den Public House
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: February 2019
Further Comments: A visitor to the pub encountered the figure of a man in a grey coat. The man was clearly visible, but suddenly vanished, leaving the witness shaken.

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.

Picture Puller

Location: Ilford - Perryman's Farm
Type: Poltergeist
Date / Time: Early twentieth century
Further Comments: This spirit received his kicks by pulling any hanging pictures from the wall. The elderly woman who resided at the site would leave food and drink out in the evening to try to pacify the entity.

1920s Women

Location: Ilford - Valentines park - Perth Road Entrance gates
Type: Unknown Ghost Type
Date / Time: July 1986, evening
Further Comments: A couple of witnesses watched a pair of ladies dressed in 1920s garb moving through the park.

Fred

Location: Ilford - Aldborough Hall Farm Shop (no longer operational)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Last seen 2002
Further Comments: Seen wearing a dark fleece, and about 1.65 metres in height, this phantom was mistaken for the shop worker's mother, until he realised there was no one else in the shop. The ghost was seen several times and is thought to be a totally benevolent entity of a previous customer.

White Light

Location: Ilford - Barkingside police station
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Twenty-first century
Further Comments: A white light was seen hovering over the custody desk by one officer, while the same area was known to create a feeling of unwelcomeness.

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 and Sir William Petre

Location: Ingatestone - Ingatestone Hall
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Grey's ghost is reported 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 and holding a 'stop' sign as she cried by their home. A few minutes later she turned into a mist and disappeared.

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.