The Paranormal Database

Footsteps

Location: Copford - Copford Church
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Twentieth century
Further Comments: A cleaner reported hearing footsteps and the movement of books in the empty church.

Ghost of Worker

Location: Coryton - Mobil Oil Corp, near Southend
Type: Unknown Ghost Type
Date / Time: December 1969
Further Comments: Seen on more than one occasion, this ghost is said to be that of a worker who fell to death in the plant. He wears a safety helmet and boiler suit.

Music and Chanting

Location: Cressing - Church
Type: Unknown Ghost Type
Date / Time: Winter 1949 / 1950
Further Comments: Several locals reported hearing the church organ playing during the winter months, while the church was locked and dark.

Lost Bell

Location: Danbury - Bell Common
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Having stolen the church bell, the Devil dropped it on the common, where it sunk into the earth. The bell is said to still be buried there today.

Devil in Disguise

Location: Danbury - Church
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: 1492
Further Comments: During a violent storm, a ghostly monk appeared during Mass in the church. At the same time, the roof shook with such force that it was feared it would collapse. Some say the monk was the devil in disguise, and he returned a short time later, left scorch marks on the north door, and stole the bell.

Roman Soldier

Location: Danbury - Various places on the common
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The area is said to have once been a garrison, the Roman has never left.

Brook Street, Dedham village.

Young Chimney Sweep

Location: Dedham - Brook Street
Type: Unknown Ghost Type
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A phantom lad who once cleaned the chimneys along Brook Street is said to still lurk in the area.

Elsa, Weeping with Hands to her Face

Location: Dedham - The Sun Hotel, High Street
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 2002
Further Comments: Elsa once worked at the Sun Hotel and was killed after being accused of witchcraft (one of the last such executions in Essex). Her form has been seen crying in various parts of the building and has also been heard walking the corridors. Two witnesses reported watching Elsa just outside the pub in 2002, carrying a bundle and dressed in a black cape.

Silent Late Night Party

Location: Dengie Peninsula - An old farmhouse at Courts End
Type: Post-Mortem Manifestation
Date / Time: Winter, mid twentieth century
Further Comments: While waiting for some friends, a man noticed a party occurring in a nearby farmhouse, the guests apparently dressed as Victorians. A fiddler stood in one corner, playing, but no sound could be heard. When the man knocked on the door, the scene vanished.

Everything in the Playground that Could Move Moved

Location: Dovercourt - Adventure playground
Type: Post-Mortem Manifestation
Date / Time: 1960s, Night
Further Comments: While taking a shortcut home, two witnesses passed an adventure playground which became fully animated. The Dovercourt area is said to be haunted by a French POW, from around the time of Napoleon, who drowned while building a jetty.

Whistling

Location: Dovercourt - Beach
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Several dates, circa 2015
Further Comments: A resident living close to the beach reported hearing a particular tune being whistled on the beach in the early hours of the morning, although nobody would ever be seen.

Talking Cross

Location: Dovercourt - Dovercourt church
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: This church once contained a cross that spoke - it is reported that often it was impossible to enter the building as so many people flocked to the cross to listen.

Monk?

Location: Dovercourt - Private residence, Manor Road
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 2009
Further Comments: A local news outlet reported that the Hampton family's home was haunted, possibly by a monk which was seen in the back garden. Footsteps and other sounds were also heard on the property.

Panther?

Location: Dunmow - Duton Hill
Type: ABC
Date / Time: 2007
Further Comments: A husband and his daughter spotted a panther-like cat while out walking.

Poltergeist

Location: Dunmow - High Street, one of the seventeenth century houses
Type: Poltergeist
Date / Time: Twentieth century
Further Comments: One of the owners of the house was subjected to poltergeist activity as soon as she moved in - a brush that she was looking for was passed to her by an unknown force. Footsteps have also been heard in empty rooms in the house.

Great Worm

Location: East Horndon - East Horndon churchyard
Type: Dragon
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: This dragon was discovered hiding amongst the tombs of the churchyard; it was finally slain by Sir James Tyrell. Some reports say the dragon lived in the nearby woods.

Photograph of Sarah Wrench's grave, taken by Garry Christmas, published with permission.

Caged Witch?

Location: East Mersea - Churchyard, grave of Sarah Wrench, covered by cage, on the north side
Type: Legend
Date / Time: 1848 onwards
Further Comments: Folklore says that the grave of Sarah Wrench, an alleged witch, was covered with a metal cage by the locals to keep her from returning from the dead. The truth is that the cage was put in place to protect Sarah's body from grave robbers. The grave and cage remain at the rear of the church. (Photograph by Garry Christmas)

ABC Footprints

Location: East Mersea - Sea wall near Cooper's beach holiday park
Type: ABC
Date / Time: 1996
Further Comments: More than seventeen ABC footprints were found here, each 6 inches across with extended claws. Bearing in mind that cats do not walk with their claws extended, this could well be either a mistake or a fake.

Beth

Location: East Tilbury - Coalhouse Fort
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 2004
Further Comments: Haunted by a woman only known as Beth, this shade has also been heard giggling by one investigative team.

Three Monks

Location: East Tilbury - World's End Fen, along busy road
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The trio of monks have been seen crossing the road, only to disappear into fog that hangs across nearby fields. A monastery is believed to have once stood somewhere in this area.

Murdered Girl

Location: Elsenham - Churchill's Funeral Train
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The train which carried the body of Winston Churchill is haunted not by the man himself, but by a girl murdered in the vehicle.

Woman in Brown Mac

Location: Epping - Epping Cemetery
Type: Unknown Ghost Type
Date / Time: November 2006, around 14:30h
Further Comments: While at their family grave, one witness spotted a woman wearing a 1930s style brown macintosh and scarf standing nearby. As the witness started to walk away, the woman followed, moving at a quicker pace. The witness realised that the woman was hovering and appeared to have no feet, although kept walking anticipating the figure would catch up. Looking back again, the witness realised the figure had vanished.

Murdered Girl

Location: Epping - Forest Pond/Willow Tree
Type: Post-Mortem Manifestation
Date / Time: 1600s onwards
Further Comments: A story dating back to at least the 1600's, a young couple secretly met at the sight, their love hidden from the girl's father. When the father found out, he killed his daughter, but her ghost still turned up at the meeting point the following day.

Monk

Location: Epping - Great Monk Wood, near Main Road
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Twentieth century
Further Comments: Once the monks of Waltham Abbey were commonplace in the woods; now only the odd hooded ghost is seen, walking between the trees.

Reversed Gravity

Location: Epping - Hangman's Hill (sideroad between Avey Lane and Pynest Green Lane)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Still present
Further Comments: It is said that releasing your car handbrake at the bottom of the hill will result in the vehicle rolling to the top, stopping at the site of an old gallows. Although an optical illusion, folklore says that the activity is caused by either anti-gravity or the ghost of a hangman.