Swindon Ghosts, Folklore and Forteana
Returning Items
Location: Swindon - Boundary House public house
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 2013
Further Comments: Manager Dave Howells called in a paranormal investigation team after he noticed items which had vanished turn up again years later. The team claimed to have found five ghosts in total; Catherine and James in the bar, Amy and Tilly in the upper part of the building, and Alf in the basement.
Flying Glasses
Location: Swindon - Clifton Hotel
Type: Poltergeist
Date / Time: 25 December 1972
Further Comments: For two concurrent nights, a sherry glass was seen to rise from the shelf and fall to the floor without breaking.
Puller
Location: Swindon - Council house, Melksham Close
Type: Poltergeist
Date / Time: August 1985
Further Comments: Tenant Beverley Walsh claimed she felt unseen hands pull at clothing and that her bed was moved across the room by this entity. It was said that a few years previous, a couple were driven out of the property by the same presence.
Thatched Cottage
Location: Swindon - Ermine Street
Type: Environmental Manifestation
Date / Time: 1930s
Further Comments: A female cyclist caught in a storm took cover in a thatched cottage along this road, warming herself by an open fire with an old grey haired man for company. She later discovered that the cottage had been overgrown and dilapidated since the previous century.
Woman
Location: Swindon - Fire Station
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1960s, 1970s
Further Comments: Footsteps were heard in the upper parts of the building when no one should have been there, and strange footprints appeared on freshly polished floors, stopping abruptly halfway across. One firefighter awoke in the dorm to see a grey shadowy figure standing over him, while another followed a figure into the toilets, only to find them empty. One fire officer suggested it was the ghost of a woman who drowned in the canal, over which the fire station was built.
Black Dog
Location: Swindon - Hill in Toothill area (was known as The Toot)
Type: Shuck
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: This hound was once believed to haunt the area before the estate became a suburb of Swindon.
Cross Shape
Location: Swindon - Ladder Lane
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The place where a rider was thrown from a horse and killed is said to be marked by a cross-shaped spot where grass cannot grow.
Mount Badon
Location: Swindon - Liddington Castle
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: This defensive hillfort may be the mythical Mount Baton, where King Arthur defeated the Saxons.
John St John
Location: Swindon - Lydiard House
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1980s?
Further Comments: Baronet John St John resided in this property during the seventeenth century; his presence is now thought to be marked by a drop in temperature and a sickly sweet fragrance.
Arthur
Location: Swindon - Milton Road Health Hydro & Swimming Baths
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Formerly a public bath house and medical centre for the railway workers of Swindon, this Victorian building was used as a hospital for soldiers returning from the First World War. Several ghosts reportedly wander the tiled corridors, the most notable called 'Arthur' who moves papers around and is heard walking around at night.
Young Girl
Location: Swindon - Nine Elms Park
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 03 August 2013, 15:30h
Further Comments: During a thunderstorm, a young lad and his friends took cover amongst the trees. He spotted a dark haired girl aged around eleven, wearing a blue old fashioned dress. When he called out to his friends, the girl vanished. The witness later saw the same girl from a window at a friend's house. He described her as pale and floating.
Large Dog
Location: Swindon - Old canal bridge between Shrivenham Road and Drakes Way
Type: Shuck
Date / Time: 1988
Further Comments: It was reported that a large dog with red eyes was seen by three people over a two day period. The hound appeared unable to cross an old metal bridge.
Pellymounter Polt
Location: Swindon - Private house along Westbury Road
Type: Poltergeist
Date / Time: 1973
Further Comments: The Pellymounter family who lived here reported several poltergeist-like events, including personal items being moved around, doors which opened and closed by themselves, a radio which turned itself on and off, and whisperings. An exorcism was finally performed on the site which was broadcast by the BBC.
Edna Cabbe
Location: Swindon - Private house, Freshbrook
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 2004-2006
Further Comments: The name Edna was given to the spirit which visited this house; the ghost appeared to enjoy throwing toys around and manifesting over a fireplace.
Roman
Location: Swindon - Private residence, Covingham
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1976
Further Comments: While sleeping in the lounge, a guest in this house was awoken by whimpering from the family dog. They watched as a Roman soldier walked from one end of the room to the other. The witness screamed and ran upstairs to their friend's room, where they were told it was a ghost and it would not cause any harm.
Dragging
Location: Swindon - Private residence, Greenmeadow area
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Between 1988-2004
Further Comments: Banging and the sounds of dragging would be heard coming from empty parts of this property. On one occasion, a figure was spotted running up the stairs, although no one was found when the area was searched.
Black Cat
Location: Swindon - Private residence, Liden
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1986-1989
Further Comments: A ghostly black cat was spotted by the occupants of this property.
Electrical Issues
Location: Swindon - Private residence, Middleleaze area
Type: Poltergeist
Date / Time: February-July 2001
Further Comments: Although only renting the property for six months, a family reported a high number of events which would only occur in the living room, including a TV which would stitch itself off, a telephone answering machine which played itself, dimming lights, a smoke alarm which would sound even when the power was disconnected, and the smell of a man's aftershave.
Writhing Shape
Location: Swindon - Private residence, Old Town
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1960s/1970s
Further Comments: While living in this property, one witness watched a black, opaque shape writhing in the corner of their room. The shape remained for several minutes, the witness too scared to move, until it vanished. After another member of the household felt something trying to strangle them, they decided to move. Even on the day of leaving, a dark cloud followed one occupant around, and a visitor helping with the move fled the site terrified.
Young Lad
Location: Swindon - Private residence, Old Town
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1991
Further Comments: A child aged around ten years old dressed in an Edwardian school uniform was spotted by several people walking around this property.
Black Dog
Location: Swindon - Road between Moredon and Haydon Wick
Type: Shuck
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The road between these two locations was once believed to be the haunt of a shuck.
Car
Location: Swindon - Road between Swindon and Huntingford
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Twentieth century
Further Comments: There are several reports of a car crossing the road somewhere between these two towns, though at the point at which it crosses there is barbed wire fencing on each side.
Footsteps
Location: Swindon - Stratton Scout hall
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Twenty-first century
Further Comments: Two scout leaders were said to have heard footsteps walking through the empty hall.
Sounds of Violence
Location: Swindon - The Planks, Old Town (former auction rooms)
Type: Unknown Ghost Type
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The sounds of crashing and smashing were heard on the return of a driver late at night - when the doors were opened, there was no visible damage. As the doors were closed, the violent noises resumed, so the police were called. Although a face was seen in an upper window, on searching the building no one could be found.
Gardener
Location: Swindon - Toot Hill Farm House
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The garden of this farmhouse, close to the site of an old healing well, is said to be haunted by gardener who continues to look after the grounds.
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