This sleepy little village hides a gruesome past
Tucked away in the countryside, just an hour’s journey from London, sits the small village of Pluckley. At first glance, it appears to be a typical sleepy hamlet – but delve into its past and you’ll uncover bone-chilling stories of murder, apparitions, and even the legend of a forest echoing with the cries of those left behind.
Pluckley holds the eerie title of being one of Britain’s most haunted locations, as declared by the Guinness Book of World Records in 1989. The history of Pluckley stretches back centuries – the settlement and its surrounding woodland are even mentioned in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of England from 1066 commissioned by King William the Conqueror.
Given such a long and storied past, it’s not difficult to envisage the brutal fates many must have suffered over the years. Several of the spirits said to roam the town are believed to be linked to the Dering family, who were the Lords of the Manor from the 15th century until the First World War.
The Church of Saint Nicholas is the first location reported to be haunted by the ghosts of the Dering family, with visitors claiming to have seen peculiar lights and heard knocking sounds emanating from beneath the chapel floor where several family members are buried. Another ghost associated with this family is the woman who supposedly haunts Rose Court.
The tale is told that Rose Court was constructed by a family member to house his mistress – the unfortunate woman. However, she fell for a local monk and would spend her days longingly looking over the fields towards his residence, Greystones.
Overwhelmed by the love triangle she found herself in, she tragically took her own life with poison. When discovered, she was still gazing towards Greystones.
Today, it’s claimed that an unsettling aura surrounds Rose Court, with sighs and moans frequently heard echoing through the night. But it’s not just her spirit that haunts the village – the ghost of the monk she loved is also said to wander through Greystones, having died of a broken heart.
His spectral figure, clad in brown, is reportedly seen around the building before vanishing into thin air. Another haunting linked to the Dering family is at the Dering Arms – an old pub on the estate.
It’s rumoured to be haunted by a 19th-century woman who sits at a table inside the pub with a drink. She has been spotted by numerous patrons, and her apparition is so vivid, she’s even been mistaken for a living customer.
Pluckley is home to some truly gruesome ghost stories, including the tale of the Watercress Lady. This eccentric character used to sell watercress by the roadside and was known for her fondness for gin.
One fateful day, she fell asleep with a lit clay pipe, setting her alcohol-soaked clothes on fire. It’s said that her agonised screams can still be heard today, accompanied by a faint pink glow where she met her fiery end.
Another unfortunate soul met his demise at the Brickworks, crushed by a falling wall of clay. Visitors claim they can still hear his chilling screams of agony.
Fright Corner lives up to its name with the spectre of a highwayman who was run through with swords after a chase across the fields. Legend has it that this final battle is replayed over and over, while others report seeing the body of the highwayman slumped against the phantom tree he died beneath.
Lastly, the village boasts the terrifying Screaming Wood, officially named Dering Woods. These ancient woods, mentioned in the Domesday Book, have likely been the site of countless deaths within their shadowy depths.
Visitors to the woods have reportedly been terrified by a sudden, piercing scream emanating from deep within the forest. The shriek is said to be so loud that it sends birds scattering from the trees.
