The Paranormal Database

Ball Lightning?

Location: Bury - A29, Bury Hill
Type: UFO
Date / Time: 24 August 2012, 20:30h
Further Comments: A van driver reported an extremely bright ball of light the size of a steering wheel hovering above the road. After around three seconds it darted past the van, the driver estimating it moving between 80 and 90 mph.

Nan

Location: Buxted - Nan Tucks Lane, and Hadlow Down Road
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Nan was accused of witchcraft in the village - the road named after her is the one she reportedly used to escape a local mob who tried to lynch her. Nan later took her own life in a nearby forest, and her shade still runs along her escape route.

German Pilot

Location: Chalvington with Ripe - Ripe Lane, heading towards village
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1987
Further Comments: This pilot is said to have died during the Second World War when his aircraft crashed near the village. He now makes the occasional appearance in the field where he died. He was last seen by a woman driving towards the village.

Shadowy Figure

Location: Chichester - A259, between town and Bognor, near a Mercedes showroom
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 2003 onwards, and 02 February 2014
Further Comments: A driver and passenger were left shocked when a shadowy figure stepped in front of their car, although there was no impact. One of the witnesses has reported seeing the figure many times since the initial incident. A different witness reported another sighting in 2014, this time the driver having to swerve to avoid a man in black.

Death of a Bishop

Location: Chichester - Chichester Cathedral
Type: Crisis Manifestation
Date / Time: Reoccurring
Further Comments: The Bishop of Chichester Cathedral is warned about his impending death when a heron perches on the building's spire.

Monk's Footsteps

Location: Chichester - Graylingwell Hospital, the well contained on the grounds
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown (footsteps), figure seen 1980s
Further Comments: The grounds around the well are reportedly haunted by the sounds of a monk walking around in his sandals. During the 1980s a builder was closing the area where he was working, ensuring no one was on site and locking all doors and windows. As he walked out of the area, he spotted a figure walking within.

Crying

Location: Chichester - Herald Newspaper Offices, Unicorn House
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 31 October 2008
Further Comments: During a vigil carried out by staff at this location, a MP3 recorder picked up someone crying (though none of the staff did so). The building is said to have a history of poltergeist-like activity and apparitions.

Knocking

Location: Chichester - Private residence, Vicars Close
Type: Poltergeist
Date / Time: 1928
Further Comments: The three occupants of this house reported unexplained knocking, the sound of footsteps on the staircase, and doors closed at night found open the following morning. The press were a little cynical, citing a friend of a former occupier who claimed they had never heard of the site being 'untoward'.

William Shepherd

Location: Chichester - Royal Oak public house, Hooksway
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: William 'Shagger' Shepherd, a local sheep rustler who operated in the area during the seventeenth century, died at the hands of a vengeful mob in this building. His presence is said to remain.

Grey lady

Location: Chichester - Sherburne Hospital, Broyle
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1990s
Further Comments: This spectral aging woman, dressed in grey clothing, was called a good luck charm as twenty percent of the hospital's nurses became pregnant within a few months of the sightings.

Hot Breathing

Location: Chichester - Shop along East Street
Type: Poltergeist
Date / Time: 1997-1998
Further Comments: A former employee of this shop reported feeling hot breath on the back of their neck. Other activity included items flying off shelves and finding other items scattered across floors.

Roman Soldier

Location: Chichester - The Castle public house
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: This displaced warrior is reported to pop into the public house after walking the boundary of the old city wall. It is unclear whether the same ghost is to blame for the disruption in the loft, once caused by unseen hands.

Lofty Woman

Location: Chichester - Willow Cottage
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1990s
Further Comments: One of three that haunt this house, this tall woman has been seen standing in the loft room. A man with blonde hair was seen by a window, while an older woman has been seen holding on to the upstairs banister.

Staggering Smuggler

Location: Chiddingly - Stream Farm - footpath south of building
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Twentieth century
Further Comments: The site where Customs officers ambushed a group of smugglers is haunted by one of the latter group - he was fatally wounded and stumbled to the nearby farm where he died. His last journey is now re-enacted.

Clapham Wood in Sussex.

Disappearances

Location: Clapham - Clapham Wood
Type: Other
Date / Time: 1700s-present
Further Comments: The local woods have gained a reputation for containing evil - there have been strange disappearances here, and unidentified lights seen in and over the tree line. Dogs are reported to stay away from the area, reacting badly if forced too close; one TV news story from 1975 discussed the problem of dogs that became confused or vanished in the woodland. The same story had a brief mention of a giant humanoid footprint which had been found by a ufologist.

Calf

Location: Clayton - Hill
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A golden calf is said to be buried under a hill in the area, possibly under a barrow.

Dark Figure

Location: Cowfold - A272 just off mini roundabout towards Bolney
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 05 May 2021, around 01:20h
Further Comments: While returning from a callout, a driver spotted a dark figure run into the road. The driver swerved and the figure vanished.

Spook Scaring Soldiers

Location: Cowfold - Monastery
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Second World War
Further Comments: Used to base soldiers during the Second World War, certain areas were said to upset guard dogs, while the military men themselves were not too happy to investigate the scenes of the haunting.

Woman and Child

Location: Crawley - Brewery Shades public house
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Ghosts at this pub include a woman and a young boy who have taken a liking to a particular room, and a male that haunts the women's toilet.

Tall Nun

Location: Crawley - Church Road, Lowfield Heath
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1989, 23:00h
Further Comments: A British Island Airways driver working the night shift spotted a tall nun standing opposite the church. The figure had a bewildered look on her face and disappeared a few moments later.

Little Girl

Location: Crawley - Embassy Cinema (no longer standing)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Pre-2012
Further Comments: A little girl was said to haunt the lower part of this building, while a projection room experienced poltergeist like behaviour.

Lost Boys

Location: Crawley - Friends Meeting House, Ifield
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: This Quaker meeting house is said to be haunted by two little children that were caught on camera (though the picture has since been lost). Objects have been reported to move around the attic rooms. The ghost of a former local sailor is also reported.

Mark the Night Porter

Location: Crawley - George Hotel
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: In the early days of the hotel's history, the night porter was found dead - he had drunk a glass of poisoned wine left out to trap a thief. His shade is blamed for electrical problems in the building, and a shadowy outline of a man is believed to belong to him.

Woman with Child

Location: Crawley - Hog's Head, High Street
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The ghost of a woman accompanied with a small child has been reported in the upper areas of this building. The pungent smell of pipe tobacco is also often reported in the public house.

Spookey Bill

Location: Crawley - St Julien (bungalow), Woolborough Road
Type: Poltergeist
Date / Time: 1944 - 1945
Further Comments: Named Spookey Bill by residents, this poltergeist would place coal and wood in the fireplace, and once left a note by the gramophone that read 'Play the Gram or Truble, Love, George'.