Ghostly goings on in the heart of Kent
If you enjoy a chill down the spine, are sensitive to unseen spirits, or just love a good old ghost story, you’ll find plenty to intrigue you in the Heart of Kent.
The Heart of Kent tourism group encourages short stays in the Heart of Kent which include towns and villages in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Sevenoaks, Ashford, Tonbridge and Maidstone. The website has a list of accredited accommodation to suit all budgets as well as itinerary suggestion and a list of events taking place in the region.
The ghost itinerary available on the website (and below) highlights some of the legendary encounters which Kent is famous for.
On your next visit to one of Kent’s pubs, hotels or stately homes you may see some of the more common sightings seen around the county which include monks, mistresses, servants, young mothers, headless horsemen, queens and dogs…
The village of Pluckley, not far from Ashford, still holds a claim to fame as England’s most haunted village – at least 12 confirmed ghosts have been recorded in various locations around Pluckley and they include a monk, a teacher, a coach and horses, a small girl, a white lady, a red lady and a gypsy watercress seller
Around Maidstone, Leeds Castle’s phantom is a black dog, while the Larkfield Priory Hotel is haunted by Charlotte, a 19th-century servant girl. On a small island in the Medway at Nettlestead, a bridge appears once every November and a monk can be seen throwing a bound and gagged woman from it.
The ghost of a WW2 airman thumbs a lift to Biggin Hill occasionally and sometimes the engines of his plane may be heard although the sky is clear. Also in the Sevenoaks area are the ghosts of two noblewomen: the Duchess of Cumberland who walks in the grounds of Knole (the Duchess Walk was so named after her spirit was seen there several times); and Lady Frederick Campbell, who was cursed by her husband as he was executed, and died in a fire at Combe Bank.
At Old Soar Manor in Plaxtol near Tonbridge, a servant girl who was made pregnant by the family priest of the great house haunts the manor to this day. Penshurst Place too has its ghosts, while The Bottle House inn nearby, normally noted for its excellent food, has a lady ghost who is ‘felt’ rather than seen.
The town of Tunbridge Wells is rich in ghostly sightings – at least 20 haunt The Pantiles and local trader Geoff Butler leads occasional ghost walks describing them. The villages around are rich in spirit wanderings too – a headless horseman, probably a cavalier, has been seen thundering down a road in Rusthall, while a young mother haunts the site of her former home in Pembury.
And Anne Boleyn crosses the bridge over the River Eden at Hever Castle every Christmas Eve.
Most ghosts are friendly and mean no harm, their spirits usually manifesting sadness in their lives or deaths. Some are even mischievous and play pranks on the living such as moving items or bending keys double. Whether you choose to believe or not, there are many tales of sure to intrigue and captivate all visitors to Kent.
If you really want the full immersion, there are even a couple of suggestions for accommodation where ghosts may be seen – or felt – in either guest bedrooms or other rooms.
The Heart of Kent website - visitheartofkent.com - has details of all itineraries and events happening in the county and accommodation.
