Oxfordshire Ghosts, Folklore and Forteana
Former Vicar
Location: Chipping Norton - Church and surrounding area
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Hanged from the church tower for his part in a rebellion, the holy man is still seen walking about his parish.
White Woman
Location: Churchill - Crossroads close to Lyneham Longbarrow
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A white female phantom is said to walk this area. It is unclear whether the ghost is that of an old woman who once lived in a nearby cave and watched over a hoard of treasure.
Sarah Fletcher
Location: Clifton Hampden - Courtiers House
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1854 onwards
Further Comments: This housewife hanged herself during a state of depression - most blame her two-timing husband for her emotional state. She now drifts around her former home, dressed in black, with a purple ribbon in her hair.
Opening Doors
Location: Clifton Hampden - Plough public house
Type: Poltergeist
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: This entity reportedly creates unearthly sound effects and makes a pest of itself by opening locked doors and prodding people standing at the bar on their bottoms.
Amy Robsart
Location: Cornbury - Cornbury Park
Type: Crisis Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The ghostly figure of Amy Robsart is considered to bring death within days to any who see her. Her husband who saw the spirit died ten days later.
Madam Dudley
Location: Cumnor - Cumnor Park
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: It took nine parsons to lay the spirit of Madam Dudley, who was once quite content to walk this parkland.
Amy Robsart
Location: Cumnor - Cumnor Place, demolished in 1810
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Pre-1810
Further Comments: Possibly murdered on her husband's orders, the shade of Amy Robsart was seen on the staircase where she was pushed (or did she jump?) and broke her neck.
Dark Clothed Man
Location: Deddington - Private House 'The Paddocks'
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Twentieth century
Further Comments: Seen in the house, the figure may be a former groom who was kicked to death by a bolting horse. He has also been heard walking around.
Maurice Frost
Location: Deddington - Vicarage
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1960s
Further Comments: Bed springs sounded with no one present, clocks would wind themselves, and one man claimed a phantom hand materialised in the drawing room.
Runaway Horse
Location: Denchworth - Road leading into Denchworth
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 14 January 2006, around 21.00h
Further Comments: While driving into Denchworth, two people spotted a panicked horse, which galloped from a side road in front of their car. The driver immediately slammed on the brakes and turned the headlights down so as not to startle the creature further. Not quite believing what they had both seen, they turned the headlights back up only to see the horse galloping in front of the car for a few more seconds before vanishing.
Princess
Location: Didcot - Old Relay Room
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Circa 2000s
Further Comments: Crew on the nightshift were said to have heard footsteps and seen what appeared to be the imprints of high heeled shoes appear and disappear on the lino floor. The ghost was nicknamed Princess by staff.
Distressed Woman
Location: Dorchester on Thames - George Hotel, the 'Vicar's Room'
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1968
Further Comments: This female form, dressed in white, had been observed crying in the hotel. She last appeared at the end of a four poster bed.
Lady in White Gown
Location: Dorchester-on-Thames - George public house
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1968
Further Comments: This pale entity was described as rather sad looking when last seen. She may have connections to the hospice which once stood on the site.
Man in Overcoat
Location: East Hanney - Road close to bridge
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: This road is thought to be haunted by a man who previously died in an accident. Wearing an overcoat and cap, he is seen to run out in front of cars, only to vanish on impact.
Petrified Man
Location: Enstone - Hoar Stone
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 23 June (or Midsummer Eve) (reoccurring)
Further Comments: The three stones standing here are said to be a man, his dog and his horse. The man, the larger stone, is said to wander down to the village stream on Midsummer Eve. The stones are also said to return to their positions if anyone tries to remove them.
Monk
Location: Fifield - Footpath leading to Shipton Under Wychwood
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A refugee from a vanished local monastery, the monk has yet to find his way home.
Smoky Woman
Location: Forest Hill - Private residence
Type: Unknown Ghost Type
Date / Time: 1993
Further Comments: While sitting on the porch of her house, a girl watched as a vale of smoke emerged from the wall and transform into a woman, although the head and lower arms could not be seen. The figure wore a white top, a flowery skirt, navy blue opaque tights and navy blue shoes. The figure then turned back into smoke and returned into the wall.
Road Crosser
Location: Great Milton - Country road
Type: ABC
Date / Time: 30 April 2008
Further Comments: A woman who stopped her car to answer a mobile phone spotted a large black cat cross the road in front. The cat stood three foot high and possessed a long black tail that drooped downwards. The sighting lasted for around five seconds.
Heavy Breathing
Location: Headington - Carpark of Shotover Park
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: December 2008, early hours of the morning
Further Comments: Stopping at the carpark to have a quick sleep in their car before continuing their journey, a driver was awoken by heavy breathing coming from the backseat. The sound stopped as they turned around to look. Closing their eyes once again, the sound started for a second time. The driver decided it was time to restart the journey and promptly left the site.
Pushing Force
Location: Hempton - Main road through village
Type: Unknown Ghost Type
Date / Time: Twentieth century
Further Comments: Effecting cyclists more than any other person, several have reported being pushed off their bikes while passing through the village.
Hunched Monk
Location: Henley on Thames - Bull Inn
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Twentieth century
Further Comments: This figure, seen standing over a bed, may also be to blame for the strong smell of burning candles that is sometimes detected in the bar.
Footfalls
Location: Henley on Thames - Stonor Park manor house
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Twentieth century
Further Comments: Steadily paced footsteps have been heard in the building, and people sleeping in the guest bedrooms have been woken by an invisible force touching their faces.
May Blande
Location: Henley on Thames - Town Hall & Kenton Theatre
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Upset when a play about her life was in production, this ghost protested by manifesting in the two buildings. May was also blamed for the destruction of mirrors and other breakables and playing with the lights.
A Warning to the Superstitious
Location: Heythrop - Heythrop House (original building rebuilt)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1831
Further Comments: One room in this property was said to be haunted, with staff too afraid to enter it after dark. Unfortunately, this belief resulted in an unattended fire spreading out of control and burning the house down. The house was later rebuilt.
Sitting Woman
Location: Highmoor Cross - Witheridge Hill, west of village
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Perched upon a wall in this area, a phantom woman has worry across her pallid face.
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