The Paranormal Database

Black Cat

Location: Marlborough - Marlborough section of the Wansdyke, near to Wernham Farm
Type: ABC
Date / Time: July 2003
Further Comments: While out walking her dog, this witness came across a large black cat close by; the feline looked at her before slowly walking off.

Merlin's Grave

Location: Marlborough - Merlin's Mound, Marlborough College
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Still present
Further Comments: Merlin the Wizard is said to be buried under the hill which bears his name.

The phantom white deer of Savernake.

Headless Girl

Location: Marlborough - Savernake Forest
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Riding through the forest on a horse galloping way too fast, this lass lost her head on a low branch. Her spectral, headless form is still said to haunt the area. A large black dog is also reputed to haunt the area, as is a white deer.

Headless Man

Location: Melksham - Snarlton Lane (once called Chalk's Lane?). Exact location may be in dispute.
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Late nineteenth or early twentieth century, around midnight
Further Comments: A man walking along the lane encountered a figure holding an umbrella walking ahead of him. As the witness approached the figure, the umbrella was lowered, revealing a stump where a head should have been. The witness later spotted the figure twice more, and eventually refused to travel along the lane.

White Woman

Location: Mere - Tudor Tea Rooms
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1965
Further Comments: Two members of staff, on different occasions, witnessed a woman in a long flowing dress pass through a room in this building. There have also been reports of poltergeist activity, which included a large table being overturned.

Black Dog

Location: Mildenhall - Earthworks around Folly Farm (a former Roman camp), and surrounding villages
Type: Shuck
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: This dark hound is believed to be connected to the Roman fort.

Buried Giant

Location: Milton Lilbourne - Giant's Grave barrow
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Barrow still present
Further Comments: Running around this barrow seven times will result in the sleeping giant awaking.

Echoing Footfalls

Location: Monkton Farleigh - King's Arms public house
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: These footsteps, associated with long dead feet, have been reported moving around the building. One group of people in the bar heard the swooping of wings close above them, though no birds could be seen. The pub is also haunted by the sounds of a wailing woman, said to cry on the anniversary of her death, caused when her runaway coach smashed into a wall of the building.

Scottie of Tidworth

Location: North Tidworth - Road opposite to the military barracks
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Weather Dependent: Misty, rainy conditions
Further Comments: This figure, thought to be either a Scotsman in a kilt or a Roman legionnaire, stands over six foot tall and only appears in low visibility.

A ghostly pub landlord.

Landlord

Location: North Wraxall - Old Shoe Inn (was located next to the current building, but demolished in 1938)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Pre-1938
Further Comments: It was believed that the old inn was haunted by a former landlord. The legend said that he had hidden his savings within the inn, but someone had stolen the money without the landlord realising. His ghost remained, searching for the missing loot. Since the old inn was demolished, the ghost has not been seen.

Scratchbury Hill

In Name Only?

Location: Norton Bavant - Scratchbury Camp/hill
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Still present
Further Comments: One theory is the camp and hill have taken their name from an old West Country word for the Devil (Scratch), although there do not appear to be any associated folkloric stories.

Vanishing Hitchhiker

Location: Nunney - Gibbet Hill, lane between village and Frome
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1977
Further Comments: Reports in the national press stated a motorist had stopped in the lane to pick up a hitchhiker, who vanished once in the car. The same hitcher is also reported around the area of Nunney castle.

Headless Driver

Location: Oare - A345 heading towards Marlborough
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A coach and four driven by a headless figure is said to travel along this road.

Returning Giant

Location: Oare - Giant's Grave barrow
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Barrow still present
Further Comments: A local legend states that if you run around the barrow seven times, the giant buried within shall return.

Woman in White

Location: Oare - Road through the village
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Twentieth century
Further Comments: A bus driver passing through the village was left unnerved after watching a woman dressed in white cross the road ahead of him. She disappeared suddenly.

Cursed Lock

Location: Odstock - Church
Type: Curse
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A young gypsy lad buried in the churchyard was hanged for stealing a horse - a crime his relatives claimed he did not commit. To stop their protests, the church door was locked to prevent them from visiting, but their leader cursed anyone who ever locked the door again. After several deaths occurring to people who performed this action, the key was thrown into the nearby river.

Horse

Location: Odstock - Lane adjoining St Marys Church
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 24 June 2017
Further Comments: A woman in the sitting in the passenger side of a car opened her window as the vehicle left the church. Suddenly both the woman and driver heard a horse trotting alongside the vehicle, even though no animal could be seen. As the vehicle reached the main road, the trotting ceased.

Golden Coffin

Location: Ogbourne St George - Barrow
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Early twentieth century?
Further Comments: A barrow in this area was thought to contain a golden coffin. When treasure hunters tried to dig into the barrow, their tools broke and were prevented from completing their task. The barrow was also said to contain a nest of vipers.

Ruins of Old Sarum.

Start of Salisbury

Location: Old Sarum - General area
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Circa 1258
Further Comments: A local legend says that a monk fired an arrow in the air to determine the building location of Salisbury Cathedral (the arrow landed two miles distant).

The path to the ruined hillfort.

Young Lad

Location: Old Sarum - Yew trees (since removed) on Iron Age hillfort
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1967
Further Comments: One witness observed a young lad, wearing Saxon peasant garb, swinging on a yew tree.

Roman Legion

Location: Oldbury Camp - Roman road near the area
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Early twentieth century
Further Comments: This band of Roman troops is reported to march along roads heading towards the old Iron Age camp, a standard bearer leading the way.

Floating Light

Location: Orcheston - Witches Triangle (clump of trees)
Type: Unknown Ghost Type
Date / Time: Early 1990s
Further Comments: This area is believed locally to be a site where witches were once hanged. Two friends out in the area witnessed a floating white light amongst the trees that would turn red before turning back to white. This happened several times before glowing a brilliant white and vanishing.

Horse & Dog

Location: Penselwood - Sloane Track - between Penselwood and Stourton
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 31 December (reoccurring)
Further Comments: A man who wagered that he could cross the track in record time fell from his horse and snapped his neck. The man on horseback, now minus a head, with a hound in tow, tries again and again to make the journey once a year.

Woman with Dog

Location: Pewsey - Cuckoo Bridge
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Sometime between 1939-1945
Further Comments: A farmer and an aid chasing down stray cattle encountered a phantom woman dressed in black crossing the bridge. She was accompanied by a large dog, being led by a diamond chain.

Wife

Location: Pewsey - French Horn public house
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Pre-1970s
Further Comments: The ghost of a former landlord's wife is said to pop her head around the front door to check everything is okay. The sound of a baby crying would also occasionally be heard.