The Paranormal Database

Mrs Drayton

Location: Grimsby - Corporation Arms, Freeman Street
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 2000s
Further Comments: A landlady at the pub who died in 1918, Mrs Drayton presence is often felt, though falls shy of being seen.

Airman with Hand Grenade

Location: Grimsby - Former RAF Waltham (aka RAF Grimsby)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1969 (airman), 2020s (white light)
Further Comments: Several former pilots walk this old RAF base, both along the aging airstrips and the perimeter road. One of the ghosts that has chosen the perimeter to haunt is said to have blown himself up with a grenade after being declared unfit to fly (and may have been seen in a bungalow in 1969). Another spirit has appeared by the memorial laid for the Number 100 squadron. More recently, a dull warm white has been spotted drifting along the old runways, and a man walking his dog was later asked about the person dressed in dark clothing who had earlier walked by his side; the man had not encountered any other person during his walk.

Old Man in Habit

Location: Grimsby - Newton Grove
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Summer 1966 - August 1967
Further Comments: A family fled their council home after the resident ghost, described as an ugly old man dressed in a monk's habit, was blamed for turning gas taps on at night. Lights would also be turned on overnight, although when the occupants tried to turn the bulbs on, the fuses would blow, even after the house was rewired.

Tall Nun

Location: Grimsby - Old house at Nun's Corner
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Early 1970s
Further Comments: The ghostly nun spotted wearing old fashioned attire did not have a face, only a glowing ball of light shining from her headdress.

Thimble Thrower

Location: Grimsby - Sail loft along Fish Dock Road
Type: Poltergeist
Date / Time: March 1882
Further Comments: Workers were threatened with dismissal after thimbles were thrown about and a rubber object struck a man across the face leaving a bruise. Something unseen hit another worker in the face, knocking him off his feet. The activities soon ceased, although it is not clear whether visiting spiritualists calmed the entity, or the fear of redundancy played a role.

Rupert Trousers

Location: Grimsby - Shoe Factory Shop, Wellowgate
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1980s
Further Comments: Mary Frost, the manager of the shoe shop, watched a white haired old man wearing yellow tweed 'Rupert the Bear' trousers walk through a wall. Other staff reported doors that opened and closed on their own accord and rows of shoes that fell with no explanation.

Loud Bang

Location: Grimsby - Sky over the town
Type: Other
Date / Time: 18 January 2012, around 19:00h
Further Comments: The RAF denied that any of their aircraft were responsible for a mysterious loud bang heard over the town. The sound was said to have shaken some homes.

Abduction

Location: Grimsby - Tetney Lock
Type: UFO
Date / Time: March 2000
Further Comments: This female abductee reported watching a male human vivisected while she was on board the alien craft. Later the same day, several witnesses reported lights and strange shapes in the sky.

Black Hatted Figure

Location: Grimsby - Weelsby Street
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1924
Further Comments: Between 1500 and 2000 people were said to have come to the area to 'ghost hunt' after a rumour started that a ghostly figure in white wearing a black hat was spotted by school children.

Gladys

Location: Grimsthrope - Black Horse public house
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The ghost known as Gladys is thought to be that of an old woman who hanged herself. Two more spooks are reputed to haunt here - the phantom sounds of a horse and coach arrives outside the building, while in the same area, a hooded figure wearing a brown cloak haunts.

Lady Winter

Location: Haddington - Lady Winter's Walk
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: This headless figure walks under the trees, awaiting her husband's return.

Old Locomotive

Location: Hallington - Area where the station once stood
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1956 onwards
Further Comments: In 1956 the last train travelled along the Louth to Bardney line before it was declared uneconomically viable and closed. Even though the track was removed, people still claimed to hear an old train passing by at night for many years afterwards.

Old Man

Location: Halton Holegate - Unnamed Farmhouse in the area
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Circa 1897
Further Comments: Mrs and Mr Wilson and their servant at this property experienced strange rapping on the walls of their home. A few weeks later, Mrs Wilson spotted a phantom old man in the house, rapping at the walls, vanishing and reappearing in different areas. Some six weeks after their initial encounter, the Wilsons' discovered some human bones, silk and a ring buried beneath flagstones in the living room.

Rider

Location: Haugham - Orgarth Hill
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Circa 1850
Further Comments: A phantom man upon a shaggy horse was once said to haunt this hill, manifesting to other riders and causing their mounts to bolt.

Neighbours

Location: Haxey - Church
Type: Manifestation of the Living
Date / Time: 24 April (St Mark's Eve) (reoccurring), but year of event unknown
Further Comments: Two men camped out by the porch to see if the legend were true; whether the phantoms of people due to die over the following twelve months would appear upon this night. After one man fell asleep, the other watched as ghostly manifestations of neighbours he recognised, including the man sleeping next to him, walked through the porch. Sure enough, over the following year, everyone he spotted died.

Headless Woman

Location: Haxey - Unknown road in the area (leading to an inn)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown (but said to occur on very dark nights)
Further Comments: A ghostly woman sans head reputedly walks towards an unnamed inn.

Black Dogs

Location: Hemswell - Area between village and Grayingham
Type: Shuck
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: These calf-sized dogs patrol the roads connecting the two villages. A woman who encountered one of the hounds is said to have lashed out at it with her umbrella, only for the object to pass straight through the creature.

Devil Speaking

Location: Hemswell - Devil's Pulpit
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Children would once poke pins into a boundary stone before running around it several times. After this they thought they could hear the Devil speaking from deep underground.

Animated skeleton (public domain).

Skeleton

Location: Hemswell - General area
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A tall, black skeleton is said to put in an occasional appearance around the village.

Pilot on Fire

Location: Hemswell - RAF Hemswell
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Two ghosts have been reported at this former Second World War airbase. A pilot who crashed on landing runs down the runway with his clothes on fire, while an engineer who lost his arm in machinery staggers around screaming. A ghostly rendition of the Missouri Waltz is also reported.

Pill-Shaped Craft

Location: Hemswell - Skies above the village
Type: UFO
Date / Time: 2018
Further Comments: One witness recalled hearing a strange noise from the sky and, looking up, spotted three metallic, pill-shaped containers flying through the air attached by a strong chord.

Dancing Devil

Location: Hemswell - Spring in wooded area north of village
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Local folklore says that drinking from the spring will result in the devil appearing and break into dance on a rock. One village resident has commented after sipping the water, Old Nick did not appear.

Man in Leather Jacket

Location: Hemswell Cliff - Site of former RAF Hemswell
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 2011, 23:55h
Further Comments: A dog walker reported encountering a man in a leather jacket twice in one night - the second encounter ended when the figure disappeared without trace. Previously, the witness and his wife had walked their dog through the area and felt someone walking alongside them, the dog periodically stopping to look around for no apparent reason.

Headless Jenny

Location: Hibaldstow - Jenny Stanny Well (current condition not known)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Jenny Stannywell drowned in the waters of this well and now wanders the area holding her head under her arm.

Card Players

Location: Holbeach - All Saint's Church
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A small gambling party of men were caught by Satan playing cards in the churchyard. The four shades now glimpsed in the porch of the church remain a warning to any who dare do the same. The ghost of Sir Humphrey Littlebury also haunts the building.