Reoccuring Christmas Eve Ghosts!

Scrooge isn’t the only Englishman who’s plagued by ghosts on Christmas eve.  The UK is teeming with ghosts who choose this day to haunt the British Isles.

Kempston Manor

In Kempston Manor, Bedfordshire, a tragic event seems to replay each year on Christmas eve.  Legend has it that a child was trampled to death by a horse drawn carriage when he rushed out of the manor to greet his parents who were returning from a Christmas Eve Ball.  Now each Christmas Eve the sounds of neighing horses and a screaming child are often heard.

Main Street, Egremont, Cumbria

In Egremont, Cumbria a farmer on a pony is often seen on Christmas Eve.  It is said that it is the ghost of a man who disappeared after making merry at an inn on a long forgotten Christmas Eve.

In Brough, Derbyshire, at the Traveller’s Rest Pub, a phantom woman in black is said to haunt the halls on Christmas eve.  She’s reportedly the ghost of a farm girl who fell down the cellar steps many Christmas Eves ago.

Stubley Old Hall

Stubley Old Hall, Stubley, Derbyshire, has several ghosts who are said to appear on Christmas Eve.  A girl playing a harp, a young girl skipping across the fields, and with less frequency the ghost of one of Cromwell’s soldiers.

High Street, High Laver, Essex

On the High Street, in High Laver, Essex, it is said that the ghost of Abigail Masham takes a carriage journey through the streets of this village to take a wistful look at the place where her home once stood.

Abigail Masham, the Baroness Masham

The Baroness Masham was a close confident of Queen Anne, and the cousin of Sarah Churchill, the Duchess of Marlborough.  She was noted for attempting to exert influence on the Queen to appoint more Whig Ministers.  There is also some suggestion that her relationship with the Queen was a romantic one.

Anne Boleyn

On the bridge over the Eden River, in Haver, Kent, it is said the ghost of Anne Boleyn makes a yearly appearance on Christmas Eve.  She appears as a solitary figure walking across the bridge.

Bridge Over the Eden

This Bridge is on the grounds of Haver Castle, the Boleyn family seat.  Near the Bridge there have also been reports of the ghost of a murdered farmer.

Sir Geoffrey de Mandeville

In armor, red cloak and spurs, the ghost of Sir Geoffrey de Mandeville, the first Earl of Essex and a prominent figure during the reign of King Stephen, is said to appear on horseback in Oak Hill Park, East Barnet, Hertfordshire, and pass through the wall of a church.  He is said to appear only every sixth year on Christmas Eve.  His next appearance should be a year from today.

Dewsbury Parish Church

“Black Tom” the bell in the Dewsbury Parish Church, Dewsbury, Yorkshire, tolls the number of the year (this year it must toll 2,008 times) in order to protect the village from the appearance of “Old Nick” during the next twelve months.  The last peal of the bell must sound exactly at midnight.

Roos Hall Driveway

A coach pulled by headless horses is said to arrive at the front of door of Roos Hall, Beccles, Suffolk, every Christmas eve.

Madingley Hall

The ghost of “the ugly young man” appears as part of a ghostly party at Madingley Hall, Madingley, Cambridgeshire.  Some claim he has a skull like face, while others report his face is tinged green with decay.

And all of these stories just scratch the surface of the ghostly occurances that fill the United Kingdom on this  night.

Special thanks to the Paranormal Database for much of the information contained in this post.