The Paranormal Database is one of the largest independently compiled archives of paranormal reports, folklore, Forteana and unexplained phenomena, covering the UK and Ireland. Established in 2002, the database serves as a long-running reference source, cataloguing thousands of places relating to accounts of hauntings, strange encounters, and other anomalous events.
As of April 2026, the Paranormal Database contains 15,003 records and is a continuously updated archive. Each entry is recorded, categorised, and preserved as part of an ongoing effort to document places associated with paranormal, fortean, cryptozoological, and folkloric activity.
Purpose and Scope
The aim of the Paranormal Database is to document and preserve reports of unexplained phenomena, providing a structured resource for researchers, writers, and the curious alike. The database focuses primarily on the UK and Ireland, with entries organised geographically by county. Other recurring motifs that are featured include building types, liminal spaces (for example bridges and rivers), and calendar-based phenomena.
Rather than presenting a single interpretation, the database records accounts as they have been reported, acknowledging that folklore and eyewitness testimony often blend fact, belief, and storytelling.
Methodology and Sources
Entries within the Paranormal Database are compiled from a wide range of sources, including:
- First-hand witness submissions (approximately 25% of records)
- Newspaper archives and historical reports
- Folklore collections and regional studies
- Local interest/history publications
All entries are catalogued and maintained using a consistent structure, allowing for comparison and cross-referencing across locations, time periods, and types of phenomena.
Classification System
To support consistency and analysis, each record is categorised using a classification system developed specifically for the database. These categories include:
ABC: Alien Big Cats are large felines such as lions and panthers which are not native to the UK but are still encountered
Crisis Manifestation: Apparitions that manifest to denote impending tragedy or death
Cryptozoology: Encounters with animals not recognised by conventional science
Curse: Locations or objects believed to be cursed
Dragon: Mythical reptilian or serpentine creatures
Environmental Manifestation: A phantasmal event which covers a large area
Experimental Manifestation: Non-traditional entities brought into being by experimentation
Fairy: A mythical, often diminutive, entity found in folklore and are still reported today
Haunting Manifestation: Reoccurring hauntings over extended periods
Legend: Traditional stories combining fact and fiction
Legend (Old Nick): Traditional stories specifically relating to the Devil
Manifestation of the Living: Apparitions of living individuals
Poltergeist: Typically short-lived, often physical disturbances
Post-Mortem Manifestation: Apparitions appearing shortly after death
SHC (Spontaneous Human Combustion): Places where a fire has occurred from within a person
Shuck: Categorised under the name of the large demonic hound found in East Anglia (Black Shuck), the traits of these supernatural dogs may vary from location to location
UFO: Unidentified flying objects, now rebranded unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP)
Unknown Ghost Type: Reports of phantoms that cannot fit any of the other categories
Vampire: Folklore or encounters relating to vampires or the reanimated corpse of a revenant
Werewolf: Folklore relating to shape-shifting human-animal entities
Other: Records that do not fall into existing classifications
This system allows the database to function not only as a collection of stories, but as a structured archive of phenomena and folkloric motifs.
History of the Project
The Paranormal Database began as a personal project by Darren Mann, evolving from an interest in photographing allegedly haunted locations. What started as a small GeoCities website developed into a much larger archive after members of the public began submitting their own experiences of ghosts, UFOs, and other unexplained encounters.
The site in its current form was established on 27 April 2002 and has since grown into a long-term project dedicated to recording and preserving these accounts.
Background
Coming from what Bob Fischer christened the Haunted Generation, Darren’s interest in the paranormal was shaped in his formative years by Scooby Doo, Rentaghost, and the Usborne World of the Unknown series of books. After finishing his degree in 1996, the last year of which was spent both researching ufology’s impact on contemporary culture and faking photographic images of alien craft, Darren needed a new hobby and decided on photographing sites of paranormal interest. After strangers on the internet started to email Darren their personal accounts of ghosts, fairy encounters and UFO sightings, what started as a short-term diversion became a life-long passion.
Recognition and Contributions
The Paranormal Database has been described as:
“a veritable Encyclopaedia Britannica of supernatural hokum” — Apollo Magazine
“the Domesday Book of the supernatural” — Dr Mike Benbough-Jackson (ASSAP)
Darren has written for NBCUniversal and The History Press Ireland, occasionally pops up on podcasts, and has a weekly radio show with his partner on Ipswich's ICR-FM.
Ongoing Archive
The Paranormal Database remains an active and evolving project. New entries are added regularly, and existing records are updated when additional information becomes available. The database continues to function as a long-term archival resource, preserving accounts of the strange and unexplained for future reference.
Contact
Darren can be contacted via the contact form available on this site.
