Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Country and County: Essex

Apparitions / Hauntings / Witchcraft

The Cage, St Osyth

The following article by Sam Balls was published in the Essex Chronicle, 1 February 2016. It is entitled ‘Britain’s most haunted house and former medieval prison is up for sale in Essex for £180,000’

Ghost hunters can snap up Britain’s most haunted house after the Essex-based creepy cottage was put on the market for £180,000.

Haunted Hotels / Haunted Pubs / Hauntings / Matthew Hopkins / Occult / Occult Traditions / Usual Suspects / Witchcraft

The Mistley Thorn Hotel

The Mistley Thorn Hotel dates from 1723 and was originally a coaching house. In an article by Emily Talbut entitled ‘The 14 most haunted places in Essex to visit this Hallowe’en’, (13 October 2014, Essex Chronicle) the Mistley Thorn Hotel is referred to as being haunted by the Witch Finder General, Matthew Hopkins, who was buried in Mistley on 12th August 1647.

Haunted Pubs / Hauntings / Matthew Hopkins / Occult / Occult Traditions / Usual Suspects / Witchcraft

The Red Lion, Manningtree

The Red Lion is a Grade II listed building and the oldest pub in Manningtree, dating back to 1605 and the time of Matthew Hopkins and his witch trials. According to the Red Lion’s website ‘The inn is also mentioned in a book of 1647 written by Matthew Hopkins on the scourge of witchcraft. Hopkins, a native of Manningtree, was a lawyer known as the Witch Hunter General.

Haunted Pubs / Hauntings

The Bell Inn, Thorpe-le-Soken

Dating from the 16th century and originally thought to have been a Guild Hall confiscated by King Henry VIII, the Bell Inn is a Grade I listed building with a reputation of being haunted. The following description was published on 13 October 2014 in the Essex Chronicle within an article by Emily Talbut entitled ‘The 14 most haunted places in Essex to visit this Hallowe’en’.

Apparitions / Devil / Folklore / Hauntings / Legends / Witchcraft

Parish Church of St Nicholas, Canewdon

The Parish Church of St Nicholas in Canewdon dates from the 14th century and according to tradition and local legend, has associations with ghosts, witchcraft and the Devil. The following description of Canewdon was published on 13 October 2014 in the Essex Chronicle within an article by Emily Talbut entitled ‘The 14 most haunted places in Essex to visit this Hallowe’en’

Apparitions / Hauntings

Chelmsford’s Civic Theatre

The Civic Theatre in Chelmsford which hosted its first production on 3 September 1962 is reputedly haunted. The following description was published on 13 October 2014 in the Essex Chronicle within an article by Emily Talbut entitled ‘The 14 most haunted places in Essex to visit this Hallowe’en’.

Apparitions / Hauntings / Matthew Hopkins / Usual Suspects

Mistley Village Pond

The following extract is from an article by Emily Talbut entitled ‘The 14 most haunted places in Essex to visit this Hallowe’en’ which was published on 13 October 2014 in the Essex Chronicle.

English Folktales / Folklore / Folktales

The Princess of Colchester

The following tale entitled ‘The Princess of Colchester’ was published in ‘English Fairy and Other Folk Tales’ (1890) by Edwin Sidney Hartland. ‘LONG before Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, there reigned in the eastern part of England a king who kept his Court at Colchester.

English Folktales / Folklore / Folktales

Southend-on-Sea Ratman

I thought I’d tell you of a local legend in Southend-on-Sea that I heard growing up and thought you’d enjoy. In our town, there is a pretty grim underpass that’s been there for years, and has developed a reputation for being crime-ridden and basically a no-go-area after dark. However, more interesting is the ghost said to haunt it.