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.
Source:
Historical Record
First added: 2002-11-10
Last updated: 2002-11-10
ID: #3094
Carantoc's Dragon
Location: Carhampton (Somerset) - General area
Type: Dragon
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Saint Carantoc, while searching for his altar, met with King Arthur who voiced concerns about a dragon terrorizing the county. Carantoc agreed to help the King (in return for the location of the altar), and tamed the dragon using his stole. Locals wanted to kill the creature, but the saint set it free after making the dragon promise never to hurt anyone again.
Source:
Published Media, User Submission
First added: 2005-09-15
Last updated: 2005-09-15
ID: #6568
Violinist
Location: Castle Green (Somerset) - Castle Hotel
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Twentieth century?
Further Comments: Wearing an evening dress, sightings of this female violinist have slowly petered out as time has gone by, and the only recent reports of her say she can only be heard playing the instrument she carried.
Source:
Needs Review
First added: 2005-10-09
Last updated: 2005-10-09
ID: #6627
Knight
Location: Chard (Somerset) - Chough Hotel (aka The Choughs)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A knight in full armour reported in the hotel could be connected to the tomb stone that stands behind the fireplace, said to be impossible to photograph. If not, maybe another hotel ghost, an old woman, can claim it as her headstone. Judge Jeffries reputedly stayed at the hotel while busy executing locals involved in the Monmouth Rebellion, and as such is said to haunt a bedroom.
Source:
Historical Record, Published Media
First added: 2003-04-13
Last updated: 2022-04-14
ID: #4119
Gliding Monk
Location: Chard (Somerset) - Forde Abbey
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Last sighting unknown, dog reaction in summer 2009
Further Comments: Possibly dating from the thirteenth century, this ghostly monk has been witnessed along monks' walk. He may be the man after whom the town of Chard was named. One witness has reported their dog reacted very badly in the area, while under an archway it turned so cold that those present could see their breath.
Source:
Historical Record, User Submission
First added: 2002-06-02
Last updated: 2002-06-02
ID: #1044
Large Bird
Location: Chard (Somerset) - High Street
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: February 1975
Further Comments: A witness watched a huge bird, with a fourteen foot wingspan, pass overhead. Moving with great haste, it quickly disappeared over nearby shops.
Source:
Published Media
First added: 2002-07-18
Last updated: 2002-07-18
ID: #1821
Multiple Suns
Location: Chard (Somerset) - Skies over the town
Type: Other
Date / Time: July 1662
Further Comments: At two points during this month, two suns were seen in the sky, appearing at dusk. One night revealed three moons.
Source:
Historical Record
First added: 2003-02-13
Last updated: 2003-02-13
ID: #3843
Red Monk
Location: Charterhouse-on-Mendip (Somerset) - Ruins of a former monastery
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Weather Dependent: Strong winds and black cloud
Further Comments: This phantom figure, covered in blood and wearing monk's garb, is a disguised French Courtier who entered the monastery and murdered a priest (and everyone else present) during a storm. The Courtier's fiancee had left him on the eve of their wedding to become a nun after talking to the persuasive priest, resulting in the jilted man travelling across Europe seeking revenge.
Source:
Historical Record
First added: 2026-09-10
Last updated: 2026-09-10
ID: #16795
Car Stopper
Location: Cheddar (Somerset) - B3135 between Green Ore & Cheddar
Type: Other
Date / Time: 23 October 2003, 19.45
Further Comments: A witness reported driving by a figure standing on the side of the road; just after passing, the vehicle cut out. While the car lights remained on, they were quite dim, and the vehicle would not turn over. After several minutes trying the engine, the figure appeared again, and moved into nearby woodland. The vehicle suddenly started, and the witness quickly drove away.
Source:
User Submission
First added: 2003-12-21
Last updated: 2003-12-21
ID: #4779
Young People
Location: Cheddar (Somerset) - Car park near Tesco
Type: Unknown Ghost Type
Date / Time: 14 June 2018, 17:30h
Further Comments: Just after parking and walking towards the grocery store, this witness found himself around ten steps behind two young people. The couple turned and walked through what the witness thought was a side door to the shop, but as he approached, realised that the section of wall was solid with no doorway.
Source:
User Submission
First added: 2018-06-23
Last updated: 2018-06-23
ID: #12897
Bar Woman
Location: Cheddar (Somerset) - Cox's Mill hotel, The Cliffs
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 2008
Further Comments: As well as the phantom woman who sits by the bar, small items have been known to move themselves to new locations.
Source:
Published Media
First added: 2008-05-11
Last updated: 2008-05-11
ID: #8594
Parson Hubertson
Location: Chelvey (Somerset) - Road to Brockley
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 23 May (recurring), last seen 1870, around 00:00h
Further Comments: A doctor and his friend driving their horse-drawn vehicle home spotted a tall, cloaked, ghostly figure floating on the road ahead. The figure's presence disturbed the horse, which became unmanageable and it refused to pass the spot where the ghost slowly faded away (a triangular patch of grass at a crossing). The ghost was identified as Parson Hubertson, who had doctored a will belonging to a parishioner in 1776 which resulted in a widow and her children becoming destitute. For the crime, Hubertson was damned to walk between the villages once a year.
Source:
Historical Record
First added: 2026-07-26
Last updated: 2026-07-26
ID: #16756
Shadow
Location: Chelwood (Somerset) - Glebe House
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Between 1939 and 1945
Further Comments: A woman who encountered a solid shadow in the building reluctantly mentioned the encounter to her husband, fearing he would be dismissive. The husband confessed that, a few nights previous, he had felt a hand on his shoulder while walking downstairs.
Source:
User Submission
First added: 2026-01-25
Last updated: 2026-01-25
ID: #16300
Coffin
Location: Chesterblade (Somerset) - Small Down Knoll
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Nine barrows can be found here, but only one is said to contain a golden coffin.
Source:
Needs Review
First added: 2008-10-19
Last updated: 2008-10-19
ID: #9082
Misty Woman
Location: Chilcombe (Somerset) - Bicknoller Hill
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: This phantom female is said to herd deer around the area.
Source:
Published Media
First added: 2008-10-19
Last updated: 2008-10-19
ID: #9079
The Hanging Judge
Location: Chilcompton (Somerset) - Court Hotel
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Twentieth century
Further Comments: Eternally busy, Judge Jeffreys' has been seen at this establishment, where he once pronounced judgement on criminals and rebels.
Source:
Historical Record
First added: 2003-02-15
Last updated: 2003-02-15
ID: #3868
Theophilus Brome
Location: Chilton Cantelo (Somerset) - Higher Farm
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Still present
Further Comments: Local legend says that when the skull of Theophilus Brome (or Broome) has been removed in the past, the house has been besieged by howls and wails. When the tomb of Theophilus Brome was opened in the local church, the skull was found to be missing.
Source:
Historical Record, User Submission
First added: 2002-07-02
Last updated: 2002-07-02
ID: #1519
Kitchen Hand
Location: Chilton Polden (Somerset) - Rumbling Tum restaurant (still present?), off the A39
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1970s
Further Comments: A tall, lean female form was reported in the kitchen of this roadside restaurant. A little old man has also been reported by guests.
Source:
Historical Record
First added: 2003-04-13
Last updated: 2003-04-13
ID: #4126
Old Lady
Location: Chipping Sodbury (Somerset) - Horton Court
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1930s
Further Comments: This old lady would appear at night and stand over the bed of a child in the house. The household was unaware of the ghost until the boy queried who the strange woman was.
Source:
Published Media
First added: 2002-09-23
Last updated: 2002-09-23
ID: #2463
Dragon being slain by a knight.
Wormstall
Location: Churchstanton (Somerset) - Area where Stapley Farm now stands
Type: Dragon
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The dragon which took up residence in this area was killed by a knight; the lashing of the dying dragon's tail is said to have carved out a hollow in a field known as Wormstall.
Source:
User Submission
First added: 2005-09-15
Last updated: 2005-09-15
ID: #6569
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.
Source:
Historical Record
First added: 2003-02-14
Last updated: 2003-02-14
ID: #3846
Cobbler
Location: Clevedon (Somerset) - Clevedon Court
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Pre-1900
Further Comments: A ghostly cobbler haunted the Oak Room and was thought to be connected to a sealed chamber above it.
Source:
Historical Record
First added: 2026-10-20
Last updated: 2026-10-20
ID: #16839
Flapping Serpent
Location: Clevedon (Somerset) - Off coast
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: 28 April 1907
Further Comments: A man rowing towards Portishead claimed to have been attacked and pushed overboard by a long snake-like creature which jumped out of the water at him. He managed to climb back on board his boat and row onwards.
Source:
Published Media
First added: 2004-09-16
Last updated: 2004-09-16
ID: #5443
Figure in Mist
Location: Clevedon (Somerset) - Pier
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 2012
Further Comments: Fishermen on the pier have reported seeing a figure in dark clothing which appears and disappears in the mist. A long exposure photograph was taken by a student which may show either the phantom or a flesh and blood fisherman (most likely the latter).
Source:
Published Media
First added: 2012-02-19
Last updated: 2012-02-19
ID: #10711
An old postcard showing Clifton Down.
Jenkins Protheroe?
Location: Clifton (Somerset) - Clifton Down, Lady's Mile
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1977, around 23:00h
Further Comments: A driver and passenger witnessed a dark figure standing in the middle of the road with long arms stretched out in a 'stand and deliver' stance. Several days later the driver found out about the ghost of Jenkins (or Jenkin) Protheroe, a former highwayman hanged in the area.
Source:
User Submission
First added: 2014-01-06
Last updated: 2014-01-06
ID: #11484
Return to South West England