The Paranormal Database

Figure with Child

Location: Bristol (Somerset) - Private residence, Portland Square
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: November 2017
Further Comments: A national tabloid carried some highly suspect video created by a builder who claimed he had filmed a headless phantom carrying a child.

Headless Horseman

Location: Bristol (Somerset) - University of Bristol and Tyndall, Avenue area
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Students have reported seeing a headless horseman patrolling this area late at night.

Swerving Coach

Location: Brockley (Somerset) - Road leading to Brockley Combe
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Reoccurring: 24 December (coach)
Further Comments: One dramatic version of the story has this phantom coach and four charging at oncoming traffic, causing accidents and chaos. Another says it appears at midnight on Christmas Eve and is silently driven by an eighteenth century coachman who cracks a whip that makes no sound. Some have also reported a headless huntsman in the same area. A phantom horseman is also said to appear on moonless nights, and finally the area is home to a 'bounding' ghost, a figure that runs ahead of people, only to vanish without trace.

Marion Gorman

Location: Brooke End (West Midlands) - Railway passing through Brooke End, near signal box
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1950s
Further Comments: Marion was decapitated by a train on the tracks, slipping over in front of it as she headed to the signal box to meet her lover in the early 1900's. She has been seen several times since, always stepping in front of an incoming train before fading from view. One driver reported seeing her ghostly form wearing a bloody dress without a head.

Dullahan

Location: Bryansford (County Down) - Hill between Bryansford and Moneyscalp
Type: Crisis Manifestation
Date / Time: Twentieth century
Further Comments: Riding headless on a black horse, the Dullahan are said to be bearers of ill-omen. The entity carries his severed, decaying head in his right hand. Wherever the Dullahan stops, it is said that a mortal will shortly die on that spot.

Cwn Annwn

Location: Buckholt (Gwent) - Road through the area
Type: Shuck
Date / Time: 1961 onwards (hound), face sighting possibly mid twentieth century
Further Comments: A driver passing through Buckholt in 1961 reported seeing a large black hound, believed to be Cwn Annwn, a spectral hound of Annwn, although some people believe it to be a ghostly donkey. More recently, although no date has been mentioned, the hound has been seen in a nearby cottage which is also haunted by two phantom people (one short, one headless). Finally, a witness encountered the face of a beautiful woman along the road. The witness apologised and stepped to one side before realising that there was no one else present.

Sir Thomas

Location: Burgh (Norfolk) - Bridge
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 19 May (reoccurring)
Further Comments: A ghostly coach and four passes over this bridge once a year. It is said to be driven by a headless Sir Thomas Boleyn and is one of eleven (or twelve, or forty) bridges that he passes over on the night of his daughter Anne's execution.

Headless Horse

Location: Burnham Green (Hertfordshire) - Roads in the area
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The result of a Danish skirmish over a thousand years ago, this decapitated horse runs along the lanes surrounding the area.

Headless Airman

Location: Burtonwood (Cheshire) - Old airfield
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Twentieth century
Further Comments: An airman has been observed standing around with no head - it is thought that he was decapitated as he tried to bail prior to crash landing.

Headless Horses

Location: Bury St Edmunds (Suffolk) - The old Bridewell (now Moyse's Hall)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: After departing Thetford and passing through Great Barton, a phantom coach pulled by headless horses was said to 'often' arrive at the Bridewell to collect the souls of any deceased prisoners.

Headless Shadow

Location: Buxton (Derbyshire) - Newhaven Inn, between Buxton and Ashbourne
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: One witness described this entity as a black and grey shadow without a head. Thankfully, the ghost is more likely to manifest phantom footsteps along the corridors.

Phantom Coach

Location: Buxton (Norfolk) - Bridge
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 19 May (reoccurring)
Further Comments: A ghostly coach and four passes over this bridge once a year. It is said to be driven by a headless Sir Thomas Boleyn and is one of eleven bridges that he passes over on the night of his daughter Anne's execution.

Coach Circling the Courtyard

Location: Caister-On-Sea (Norfolk) - Caister Castle, one mile west of Caister-On-Sea
Type: Crisis Manifestation
Date / Time: Warning of a death in the family
Further Comments: Warning about the encroaching death of a family member, a horse drawn hearse driven by a headless horseman passes through the gates of the castle and circles the courtyard seven times.

Walter Calverley

Location: Calverley (West Yorkshire) - Calverley House (currently called Old Hall?), surrounding countryside
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A temporary fit of madness resulted in this Elizabethan gentleman killing two of his children and stabbing his wife (who escaped by feigning death). His regretful spirit rides the countryside on a headless horse, although one source says that it had been laid. Poltergeist-like activities have also been reported at the house.

Witches dancing, from a chapbook.

Headless Horseman

Location: Cannington (Somerset) - Cannington Park
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Galloping across the parkland under the light of the moon, this rider could be searching for his missing appendage. Some also say that the area is haunted by a coven of witches.

Headless Horseman

Location: Cantley (Norfolk) - Road into village
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Emerging from a deep pit near to Cantley, this headless spirit on horseback rides off towards the nearby village.

Headless Man

Location: Carlisle (Cumbria) - Carlisle Railway Station
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Several entities were reported in the Cumberland News to haunt this station, including a headless man on platform eight, another man who points towards the Undercroft, and a woman in a veil who travels along corridors.

Headless Woman

Location: Carlton (North Yorkshire) - Vicarage
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Late Nineteenth century?
Further Comments: This site was said to be haunted by a murdered woman whose headless ghost walked the area, although any witness accounts appear to be scarce.

Headless Figure

Location: Castel (Guernsey) - Fauxquets Valley
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: December (reoccurring), between 22:00h - 00:00h
Further Comments: A tall headless figure is said to haunt the valley during the winter months.

Headless Figure

Location: Catterick (North Yorkshire) - Officers' Mess, Marne Barracks
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1997
Further Comments: A headless figure wearing an old RAF uniform was reputedly seen holding their helmet under their arm.

Headless Monk

Location: Chertsey (Surrey) - Thorpe Park
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: February 2011
Further Comments: A water ride at the park was moved after staff reported encountering a headless monk, amongst other paranormal phenomena. The foundations of the ride were said to have intruded on an ancient burial site. The park has been accused of holding a publicity stunt, having used another ghost story previously to promote its 'Saw' ride.

Royalist

Location: Chester (Cheshire) - Tudor House
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A headless Royalist soldier is said to haunt the building where he lost his head after a cannon ball hit him during his stay. The site is also reputed to be haunted by a grey lady.

Lord Shaftesbury

Location: Chettle (Dorset) - Thickthorn Down
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The first Lord Shaftesbury is driven in his coach by a headless horseman around this area. The horseman has his head under one arm, which still wears his hat!

Headless Horse

Location: Chorleywood (Hertfordshire) - Near J29 on M25
Type: Unknown Ghost Type
Date / Time: 28 March 2010
Further Comments: A woman and her daughter reported seeing a headless horse in a field close to Junction 29.

Trotting

Location: Churchstanton (Somerset) - Merlan Corner
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The clip-clop of phantom hooves has been reported in this area, normally accompanied by a strange pale mist which (it is said) sometimes transforms into a horse with a headless rider.