Sussex ghosts and myths
With a history as rich as ours in 1066 Country, its not surprising that a few of our most memorable characters have stayed with us, long after their demise.
Centuries old stories of ghosts and ghouls in hidden lanes and ethereal regulars in country pubs may inspire a daring walk through 1066 Country.
This section gives you a list of some of our regular visitors from another world, and you never know if you stay long enough you might just come face to face with one or two of our famous ancestors.
The Black Monk is said to haunt the archways and corridors at Battle Abbey, a lady also wanders the abbey, wearing a red dress. More poignantly, a knight on horseback has been reported on or around the anniversary of the Battle of Hastings every October, moving across the battlefield.
A mysterious lady in red lurks in the tower at Bodiam Castle, and is said to return most Easter Sundays, standing tall illuminated by the moonlight.
Hastings Castle plays host to a number of guests from its 1000-year history. Hungry prisoners have been seen in the castle grounds and on certain days a reflection of the castle, as it would’ve been in its heyday, can be seen on the sea.
The Stag Inn in Hastings is a notorious stop-off for guests from the other side. A highwayman has been the most frequent visitor to the Old Town pub, along with other ghostly visions. The Royal Victoria Hotel in St Leonards is visited by a man in a grey suit, who is thought to be a previous manager who died in a fire. Haunted Hastings contains a chilling range of ghostly phenomena, from the haunted staircase at Hastings library in Claremont and the singing spectre of Hastings College, to the mysterious witches footsteps in the Stag Inn and the phantom coach and horses that gallops up the High Street on a dark windy night.
15th century Herstmonceux Castle, one of the first to be built from brick, is a former home of the Royal Observatory (from 1946) and now part of The International Study Centre of Queen's University (Ontario). The castle is reputedly haunted by several ghosts including a white lady, a grey lady, a lady on a donkey and a nine foot tall drummer, who walks the battlements beating his drum.
The drummer may be associated with the story of Lord Dacre who would constantly beat his drum to drive would be suitors from his much younger wife. Eventually, she decided to lock him a small room and left him there to starve andvisit the ghostly beating of his drum may still be heard.
The grounds are reported to be haunted by a distressed white lady who, allegedly had fallen foul of Sir Roger Fiennes (veteran of Agincourt) who abused her then murdered her. Sir Roger Fiennes built the castle in 1441.
Pevensey is reputedly haunted by several apparitions and other strange phenomena. A white lady is said to haunt Pevensey Castle and surrounding fields. She has been witnessed to glide over the fields through a fence toward the castle itself.
There are also reports of several witnesses to a grey lady within the castle walls. There are two popular candidates for who this ghost may be, the first is Joan of Navarre, the second wife of King Henry IV. It's assumed that the relationship between King Henry V and Joan broke down and in 1419 Friar Randolph accused her of using witchcraft to poison the King. Joan was arrested, stripped of her assets and imprisoned under the custody of Sir John Pelham at Pevensey Castle where she stayed for until King Henry V pardoned her on his deathbed.
The second candidate is Lady Joan Pelham, wife of Sir John Pelham. John Pelham was a supported of Henry Bolingbroke in his successful bid to lead a rebellion against King Richard II and crown himself King Henry IV in 1399. Whilst away campaigning with the future King, Pevensey Castle and Lady Joan Pelham were besieged by the opposing forces. She is said to written a letter to husband asking that he return to relieve the castle and it is said she would walk around the battlements looking for him returning. Hence the grey lady wandering the castle grounds.
There are also stories of a spectral army being heard outside the castle walls, but there is no indication as to which era this relates to. Other accounts mention the apparition of a man in black that was encountered on three successive mornings by a man walking his dog. There are also stories concerning the castle being haunted by a Roman soldier, a drummer boy and a monk in black robes.
In Rye, the site of an Augustinian Friary in Turkey Lane is said to be haunted by the ghost of a monk killed as punishment for planning to elope with a local girl. The monk was said to have been bricked-up alive in a wall and before finally dying went insane and was heard "gobbling like a turkey" giving rise to the name of the street. During World War II the gardens of the Friary were converted to air-raid shelters and during their construction several skeletons were discovered, all said to be in a kneeling posture and adding weight to the story. Tales of monks seen walking towards walls where the Friary once stood and of strange gobbling noises are well known although there have not been any sightings for many years.
The Union Inn features many tales of ghostly apparitions and strange noises. Sounds of someone walking along empty corridors are thought to be those of an unmarried mother who died after falling down the cellar steps and the ghost of a young girl and man in uniform have also been reported.
One of the most charming pubs in the country, dating back to the 12th Century, and reputedly the most haunted (appearing on the first ever series of the TV paranormal show 'Most Haunted') is the Mermaid Inn with too many ghost tales to recount! Amongst the more well known stories are of ghosts regularly seen to appear and walk through walls, guests waking at night to find a man sitting on the end of their bed, a grey lady drifting through corridors and a vicious dual ending with one protagonist stabbing his opponent with a rapier before dragging the body to a trapdoor and dropping it into the space below.
A ghost thought to be that of a former landlord or a tenant farmer haunts the Queen's Head Hotel which was once a farmhouse.
The ghost of Seaborn Sarah is said to haunt New Gate in Winchelsea, appearing when the town is in danger. Sarah was apparently a smuggler who owned her own boat and was killed in a melée with customs men.
Wherever you wander, you'll find a spooky trail or ghostly lane to explore and there';s no better time than autumn to discover the dark side of 1066 Country!
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