The Paranormal Database

Woman in Black

Location: Olney - Castle Inn
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Late twentieth century
Further Comments: The landlord's wife and a customer spotted a woman in black eighteenth century clothing and another witness watched a man walk through a sealed door. An exorcism was performed, but a few years later the ghostly woman was seen again. A legend says that a phantom horse and coach pass through the pub once a year, though no-one knows the exact date.

Albino Wallaby

Location: Olney - Countryside surrounding the village
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: May 2007
Further Comments: After spotting a white creature with red eyes, IT trainer Stacey Purdy pulled out her phone and used it to photograph and video an albino wallaby. Even though wallabies live in several places over the UK, it is estimated by experts that the chances of a white one being born is 100,00-1.

The Passenger

Location: Olney - Whirley Pit (pond)
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The pond is said to be bottomless; occasionally a phantom coach pulled by headless horses led by a decapitated driver passes through the village and dives into the pool, their passenger none other than the Devil on his way home.

Woman in White

Location: Penn - Church
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1980s
Further Comments: A female phantom is said to have left the church via the east gate and walk down the hill. Author Eddie Brazil speculated that the phantom was Ruth Ellis, the last woman to have been executed in England.

White Lady

Location: Penn - Crown Inn
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A local legend says that this area is haunted by a white lady and a small child. Minor polt activity is also reported, such as rattling doors, flickering lights and glasses being smashed. The presence is described as playful.

Beat of Hooves

Location: Penn - General area
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A phantom steed can be heard galloping around the area, though rarely seen. Sometimes laughter accompanies the hoof beets.

Clark

Location: Penn - Roads in the area, and area near Penn Church
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1880
Further Comments: Four farmers on horseback are said to have pursued the phantoms of a man named Clark and his mare. They managed to keep up with Clark until he reached the church - both ghosts evaporated into grey mist, and the farmers' mounts bolted with fear.

Man on Fire

Location: Pitstone - Railway bridge between village and Bulbourne
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A phantom burning man was reported to haunt the bridge here, the ghost of a suicide victim. The figure is said to be an ill-omen, although by averting your glance, you can avoid the misfortune.

St Osyth

Location: Quarrendon - Holy waters
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Still present
Further Comments: Osyth was executed by Vikings; a spring burst forth from where her decapitated head landed, and she stood, picked up her head and walked off to a nearby convent where she died.

King Arthur in the Epitome of Chronicles.

Arthur's Court

Location: Seer Green - General area
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The village is reputed to have taken its name from when the court of King Arthur visited the area.

Lady in the Hood

Location: Sherington - Old Rectory
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Twenty-first century
Further Comments: The story of the hooded woman featured in Country Life after the property was placed on the market. The phantom, once mistaken as a real person by one occupant, would move keys but remained regarded as a nice entity.

Monk?

Location: Slapton - Carpenter's Arms
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Two phantoms reputedly haunt this pub. One is a monk-like figure who is said to have died while breaking up a fight, while a female phantom haunts the kitchen area who can be spotted from outside the building.

Glint

Location: Slapton - Churchyard
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The buckles on a pair of shoes belonging to a former rector are said to glint in in the night as his ghost runs to attend a long forgotten incident.

Jesse?

Location: Slapton - Old cottage
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1980s-1993
Further Comments: Believed haunted by a former owner named Jesse, paranormal activity in this old cottage is reported to have involved possession and physical attacks on the occupant. An exorcism in 1993 resulted in no further occurrences.

Young Girl on Horseback

Location: Slapton - Road from Slaptonbury Mill (no longer standing) to farm on other side of the village
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Circa 1980
Further Comments: Legend says that the girl and her horse were both drowned when the mill stream flooded; the sound of the horse's hooves can still be heard. One driver reported seeing a well-dressed person upon a white horse as they travelled between Ivinghoe Aston and Slapton. They feared that they had hit the horse, so stopped, only to find no one there.

Disappearing Dog

Location: Soulbury - Road between Soulbury & Stewkley
Type: Shuck
Date / Time: 1880
Further Comments: A large black dog here often escorted a local farmer as he drove his cart to market. When a girl tried to pat its head, it vanished.

An old woodcut of a boar.

Snorting Boars

Location: St Leonards - Uphill and general area
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The sound of running boars is reported here, snorting loudly as they go.

Driverless Coach

Location: Stone - Road towards Thame
Type: Other
Date / Time: 1994, late summer
Further Comments: A stagecoach with horses but no driver was seen by a witness in a car driving in the opposite direction along this road.

An old postcard of Swanbourne.

Elizabeth Adams

Location: Swanbourne - Area around St Swithin
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: This green tinted lady died of the traditional broken heart after her husband was murdered - locals say her ghost continues to look for those responsible.

Headless Dog

Location: Tingewick - General area?
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1916 (photographed)
Further Comments: A ghost of a little headless dog wagging its tail was taken at a tea party in the village early in the twentieth century. The photographer, an ex-Scotland Yard Inspector, claimed he saw nothing when taking the image.

Landlord's Wife

Location: Turville - Bull and Butcher public house
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1980s
Further Comments: The sound of barrels being moved has been reported coming from the cellar, though on investigation everything is always in the correct place. A ghostly woman has been spotted a couple of times and is thought to be the shade of a publican's wife murdered in the 1940s.

Airman with Silk Scarf

Location: Turweston - RAF Turweston
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1950s
Further Comments: Thought to be another casualty of the Second World War, this spectral airman was last seen by the base's cook.

Victoria

Location: Wendover - Antiques At . . Wendover (shop)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Two phantoms reputedly haunt this site. The first, a young girl named Victoria, walks around in bare feet and wears a white gown. The second, a grumpy older man, may be a farmer.

An old postcard of Wendover Church.

Moved by Fairies

Location: Wendover - Church
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The church was planned to be built elsewhere, however the local fairy population had other plans, and moved the building materials to the place the structure now stands.

Large Black Cat

Location: Wendover - Main Exit to Woods
Type: ABC
Date / Time: September 2006
Further Comments: A driver reported passing along this road and slowing down for what they assumed was a large black dog. As they approached, they realised the creature was in fact a very large black cat.