New
Forest - most haunted
This Halloween why not visit the New Forest?
The New Forest can offer visitors ghostly tales, ghostly New Forest
Accommodation and magnificent scenery.
The
New Forest is reputed to be one of the most haunted places in the country with
stories abounding of headless horses, weeping children and ponds filling with
blood.
Gypsies,
smugglers, snake catchers, highwaymen and witches all play a part in the
colourful folklore history of the New Forest. The area was also famous for its
links with spiritualism and this drew Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of
Sherlock Holmes, to both settle and be buried here.
Witches
in Burley, New Forest
Witchcraft
is allegedly still thriving in the New Forest. Pagan worshippers have been seen
in full costume offering sheaves of wheat as a sacrifice to the Naked Man. The
Naked Man is a tree in Wilverley Plain where a highwayman was hanged until the
weather and the birds purportedly picked his bones clean.
During
the late 1950's a famous 'White' witch named Sybil Leek lived in Burley. She was
often seen walking around the village in a long, black cloak with her pet
jackdaw resting on her shoulder.
Hanged
Highwaymen in Sway, New Forest
A
ghostly procession has been seen passing across the car park of the Hare and
Hounds Inn Sway on its way to the gibbet at Marlpit Oak - the spot where three
highwaymen were once hanged. People from miles around were able to view this
ghoulish spectacle high on the heath land crossroads. Folklore tells us that
the highwaymen were also buried at the crossroads; the purpose of this was to
confuse their departing souls so that they did not know which way to travel and
could therefore find no peace.
Weeping
Child - Burley, New Forest
A
small weeping boy running along the track haunts the footpath at Picket Post
near Burley. The child was alleged to have been drowned by a Burley couple
because they could not afford to feed him.
Headless
Horses - Moyles Court
A
17th century house now a school was once the home of Dame Alice Lisle who was
sentenced to death by decapitation in 1685 for sheltering fugitives from
Monmouth's rebellion. Dame Alice has been seen with her head under her arm
walking around the house and also in a coach drawn by headless horses and
without a coachman. People have also been aware of the sudden smell of violets
at Moyles Court.
Rufus
Stone - New Forest
The
Rufus Stone marks the spot where William Rufus died. Tradition tells us that
the king shot a stag, missed it and then Sir Walter Tyrell released an arrow
which glanced off a tree striking the king in the heart. Sir Walter fled across
the Forest pausing at Ocknell Pond some two miles way. The local legend
maintains that on the anniversary the pond runs red with blood.
Visit our
Forest
Folklore page
|
