The Paranormal Database

Hobbling Old Man with Stick

Location: White Roding - The Black Horse
Type: Poltergeist
Date / Time: Mid 1980s
Further Comments: The ghost of an old man is said to be responsible for poltergeist activity and the strange sounds of piano playing in the pub (though there is not a piano in the building).

Scratching Shadows

Location: Wickford - Moat Field, near Barn Hall
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1980
Further Comments: Many witnesses have reported seeing moving shadows, but always out the corner of their eye. A tractor driver was said to be terrified after a shadow encounter on evening which left his vehicle covered in scratches. The legend says that the Devil waits for the soul of a knight here, after the mortal promised it 'whether he was buried inside a church or out'. The Devil agreed, only to lose face when the knight was buried in the wall of a church.

Young Girl Thumbing Lift

Location: Wickford - Roundabout on Southend Bypass
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Twentieth century
Further Comments: Probably local urban mythology, the ghost of a girl who died in a motorcycle accident is reported to thumb a lift here, wanting to go to Southend - her destination before dying.

Coach and Horses

Location: Wickford - Runwell Hall (no longer standing)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 31 December (Reoccurring)
Further Comments: After a spectral horse and carriage stops at the top of the driveway, a woman climbs out and walks to the hall's door to be met by a long dead butler. A similar story says that Anne Boleyn travels in a coach along the roads surrounding the Hall around the same time of year.

Disappearing Keys

Location: Wivenhoe - Greyhound public house
Type: Poltergeist
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A polt manifestation here resulted in the disappearance of an important set of keys.

Large Black Cat

Location: Wivenhoe - Outside police station, High Street
Type: ABC
Date / Time: 27 January 2009, early hours of the morning
Further Comments: The so-called Beast of Essex was spotted by a police officer along the High Street - the large black cat fled down the side of the police station. A search for the creature was launched, but nothing could be found.

Long Legged Dog

Location: Wix - Crossroads in the village
Type: Shuck
Date / Time: August 2007, around 20:00h
Further Comments: A dark dog with long legs and drop ears suddenly appeared in front of a car. As the driver passed, the dog vanished as quickly as it had arrived.

Young Airman

Location: Woodford - M11 Southbound
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Twentieth century
Further Comments: This ghostly German airman has not been seen since the road layout changed and the M11 now joins the A406. Prior to this, a witness reported seeing the figure a half dozen times standing on the hard shoulder.

Girl who Drowned in Moat

Location: Woodham Ferrers - Edwin's Hall
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: There are still occasional reports of a young girl seen on the grounds of the hall, believed by some to have drowned in the moat. A ghostly cavalier reportedly patrols the grounds of the hall, though his history is unknown.

Dragon Slaying

Location: Wormingford - Bloody Meadow
Type: Dragon
Date / Time: Fifteenth century
Further Comments: The local church gives the account of how a local dragon that was immune to arrows was put to death in a nearby field by Sir George de la Haye. A virtually identical tale exists from nearby Bures.