The Headless Horseman - Your Online Ghost Guide!



	Index of Haunting's The hangman of Brigham, at Brigham Church - Cumbria Phantom witch of Canewden Church - Essex Royal Navy Ghoul at Faringdon Churchyard - Oxfordshaire Despairing cries at the chapel at Roche Rock - Cornwall Michelham Priory St Bartholomew Church - London Farnham Church - Surrey St Neot's Church, Poundstock Blue Lady of St Werburgh's Church, Derby Headless Ghost at Holy Trinity Church, York .............................................................................. The hangman of Brigham, at Brigham Church - Cumbria Between Workington and Cockermouth lies the village of Brigham. Joseph Wilson, who depressed by his job of Hangman, killed himself in 1757. It is said that his ghost haunts the church. Wilson jumped to his death from Cocker Bridge, and is buried in the church yard. A local stonemason carved a hangman’s noose on his gravestone, which has since vanished. One evening a farmer was riding on his pony and trap when next to him appeared the terrifying sight of a phantom with a rope round its neck, head lolling and tongue protruding. In 1860, the local sexton took a spade and dug up the hangman’s skull, and took it to Wilson’s former House (a nearby cottage) and after this and the hangman’s ghost was never seen again. Phantom witch of Canewden Church - Essex Canewden village has long been associated with witchcraft. According to a prophecy by the famous 19th century James Murell, the Essex village of Canewdon would be populated with Witches "forever". The spirit of a faceless witch (who was executed 300 years ago), is said to rise from her grave and float among the headstones. The ghost then floats through the west gate and disappears at the river. Local myths and legends, surrounding the church these are: "Anyone who walks round the tower will be forced to dance with the witches. If you run around the tower backwards 3 times you'll see a ghost at the top of the tower. That if you run three times anti clockwise round the church it is possible to go back in time." "When the last witch dies the the tower will fall. That the last witch in England was executed there." "As long as the church tower stands there will be six witches in Canewdon. Every time a stone falls from the tower, one witch will die, & another will take her place" A headless female figure has been seen in the church, Anyone who encounters her is lifted into the air and let down in the nearest ditch.

	Royal Navy Ghoul at Faringdon Churchyard - Oxfordshaire Haunted by the headless ghost of Sir Robert's son Officer Hampden Pye of the Royal Navy. Who in the 17th century was tragically decapitated by a canon in the heat of sea battle. His death was rumored to have been murder, and at the hands of his wicked Step-Mother. She was thought to have bribed the ship's Captain, into causing the death. Pye is buried in the churchyard and his ghost walks amongst the stones. In the church, you can still see one of the parliamentary cannon balls. Despairing cries at the chapel at Roche Rock - Cornwall. Bodmin Moor surrounds the chapel at Roche Rock in Cornwall. It is haunted by the despairing cries from the ghost of Jan Tregeagle. In life he was a seventeenth century corrupt local magistrate. Tregeagle earned a reputation as a crook and swindler, and bribed clergy to bury him in consecrated ground when he died. The bizarre story has it that after Tregeagle's death he emerged from the grave to appear as a witness in court. The case involved land ownership, and the prosecution claimed Tregeagle had wrongfully claimed this land (while he was alive). Upon summing up, the court room suddenly developed a chill and Tregeagle's ghost appeared in the witness box. Despite the ghost's presence Tregeagle's was found guilty of fraud. Legend has it that local clergy then took charge of the ghost and set him tasks that would keep him occupied for all eternity. The impossible tasks set for the ghost included, emptying the Dozmary Pool with only a cracked limpet shell. When the ghost failed in one of the tasks he was and banished forever to the moors. Michelham Priory The thirteenth century Augustinian priory is located near Eastbourne in Sussex. The Priory is haunted by a Gray Lady who has been seen in the gatehouse, and a ghostly lady in Elizabethan costume has been seen in the Tudor room. A black phantom has also been witnessed descending what was once a staircase.

	St Bartholomew Church - London Heralded as the most haunted church in London. The Norman church is situated in Smithfield, near to a site where hundreds of people had been executed. Tortured cry's have been heard in the church and are thought to be the ghostly cry's of a priest who was burnt alive in an iron cage during the reign of Henry VIII. A twelfth century monk called Rahere also haunts the area around his tomb.

	Farnham Church - Surrey The largest parish church in Surrey , is haunted by and old lady dressed in white.The ghost is seen standing at the top of the church tower. She reinacts her death by jumping from the tower into the churchyard. A former curate has witness a ghostly high mass complete with a congregation of ghostly worshippers, and Latin chanting.

	St Neot's Church, Poundstock Haunted by the ghost of William Penfound, who was murdered in December 1356. "Certain satellites of Satan, names unknown, on the Feast of St John the Apostle - which makes the crime worse - broke into the Parish Church of Poundstock within our Diocese with a host of armed men, during Mass, and before Mass was scarcely completed they furiously entered the Chancel and with swords and staves cut down William Penfound, clerk. Vestments and other Church Ornaments were desecrated with human blood in contempt of the Creator, in contempt of the Church, to the subversion of ecclesiastical liberty and the disturbance of the peace of the realm. Where will we be safe from crime if the Holy Church, our Mother, the House of God and the Gateway to Heaven is thus deprived of its sanctity?" Bishop of Exeter. Penfound's ghosts has been seen in the graveyard,and standing church altar. He has also been seen floating to Penfound Manor, where the Penfound family continued to live for another 400 years.

	Blue Lady of St Werburgh's Church, Derby The 14th Century church is haunted by the a spirit known as the 'blue lady'. In 1976 Jenny Nichols photographed the church but was shocked to find that on developing the film, a blue shadowy figure was clearly in view. Locals believed the blue lady to be the ghost of Elizabeth Gilbert, wife of Henry Gilbert who was the Squire of Locko Park.

	Headless Ghost at Holy Trinity Church, York The 13th century church is near York Minster. It is in the care of the 'Churches' Conservation Trust, and the interior has not changed in 200 years. A local woman was visiting the churchyard and sat alone on a bench eating her lunch. She found herself joined by a man in Elizabethan dress. The figures head was bowed and the woman could not see his face, he then disappeared behind the church, so the woman returned to eating her sandwiches. Moments later the figure appeared again and started to walk rapidly towards her. To her horror she realised that the mans head was missing (and not bowed as she had presumed). This ghost is thought to be Thomas Percy, the 7th Earl of Northumberland. Percy was beheaded in 1572, and his head placed upon a spike in London. Two years later catholic sympathisers took the head and buried it in Holy Trinity Churchyard, however the location is unknown. The ghost of the Earl returns to the churchyard a tirelessly searches for his buried head. Further info on this church can be found here >
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