Haunted Isle of Sheppey

by Neil Arnold

  Former site of the Prince of Waterloo pub.

  Another pub, situated not too far from the Prince of Waterloo is the King’s Arms. This pub is also said to be haunted by a ghostly nun. Although sightings seem scarce, the phantom makes itself known due to the tip-toe of its steps descending the stairs of the cellar. Whether such pubs are really haunted is open to debate, but a majority of inns do seem to harbour spooks – and maybe this is simply to attract the customers who, with ale in hand, can sit around a flickering log fire at Christmas and discuss such alleged ghouls. However, in most cases concerning reputedly haunted pubs, it is often said that the resident ghost is responsible for the flickering lights, the cold spot in the corner of the room, the creak on the stair and the swaying tankards that hang off the beams. After all, you’ve got to blame someone! The Elm Tree pub on the Lower Road, Minster, has been closed for a short while but it hasn’t stopped the rumours of a ghostly presence. The entities present could well be some of the soldiers who stopped by this inn during the First World War – the premises might have been one of the last places the troops felt happiest before going into battle. It’s no surprise that the occasional ghost hunt has taken place within the inn. One such event took place in the summer of 2013 and the usual creaks and bangs, often associated with old derelict buildings, were reported. The investigators on hand attempted to contact any resident spirits and claimed to have reached a young boy named Timmy who was accompanied by fluctuations in temperature and the often-debated EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomena), where investigators often ask questions into the atmosphere and record their questions in the hope of capturing any spectral answers on tape. As expected in such an investigation, the psychic mediums claimed to have picked up and observed a number of spirits but could not verify this to others present. Sceptics in such an atmosphere would no doubt dismiss such ‘experiences’ as the power of the mind and in a number of cases in regards to reputedly haunted buildings, evidence is often lacking. Whilst some people present at such venues claim to see spirits there are others who cannot, whilst in other cases seemingly odd noises or atmospherics may be witnessed by some and not others. Does this suggest that certain people are more sensitive to certain ‘entities’ or that such alleged spirits are merely a product of the human psyche connected to a certain individual?

  In 2013 I was contacted by a lady named Teresa who told me of a brief, albeit strange ghostly encounter which involved her sister-in-law who, as a child, whilst walking in fields with friends at the back of Harps Avenue had observed a pair of boots which were walking through the mist. The boots – which were black and sported a large buckle – were certainly strange, as they appeared to not be connected to any body!

  One Sheppey legend which has always fascinated me concerns some of the alleged tunnels said to wind their way beneath some of the old buildings and churches of the island. Such passageways have had many uses over the years with some of the opinion that they were the hiding place for smugglers eager to conceal their contraband, whilst there are those who claim that nuns would use such tunnels as an escape should they sense danger. Tunnels, just like dusty attics and damp basements, tend to be the ideal setting for a ghost story or two – maybe it’s the claustrophobic atmosphere, the overwhelming darkness or the whole clandestine nature of such passageways but either way, not many people have been brave enough to explore these dark realms. However, a few years ago it was said that a tunnel at Minster was explored by a local man. One afternoon he set off into the gloom, armed with an old sword, only to return as white as a ghost and unable to mutter a single word about what horrors he had seen. Strangely though, despite the intrigue of this story, this is very similar to the tale of the brave fiddler who descended into one of the tunnels rumoured to exist below the ancient priory at Aylesford, near Maidstone. However, on this occasion the fiddler, who told those in attendance that he would set off into the darkness all the while playing his fiddle – never returned, but this is in fact a popular urban legend, and one which has surfaced through Britain. For instance, there is a similar tale attached to the Devil’s Hole in Hertfordshire, once frequented by a local man named Blind George, who told locals that as he had no fear of darkness he would, armed with a fiddle, venture into the blackness, the sound of his playing being the only sign of his whereabouts. He too perished, only this time emerging from the tunnel consumed by fire. They make for great stories, but are they true? You decide.

  Another ghostly tale from the island concerns an area known as the Lower Wards in Minster. An old farm that used to sit in the Lower Ward had various stables and one of these was believed to have been haunted by a spectral horse, although the family that resided had no clue as to why. No one ever saw the phantom animal but some laid claim to having actually heard the beast snorting and rattling its headgear. Sadly the area in question has since been replaced by houses. The story of the phantom horse is covered in the 8 September 1977 issue of the Sheppey Gazette under the headline, ‘The ghostly horse down on the farm’ with Sheila M. Judge being quoted as saying that the spectral creature is probably a remnant of a collection of animals once kept at the farm. The paper, in reference to Sheila’s experiences on the farm adds, ‘She [Sheila] tells of the time a visitor to the farm, who was warned about the ghost horse, and said he did not believe in ghosts,’ could be seen ‘at the dead of night wandering about the farmyard looking for a non-existent horse that kept making strange noises and interrupting his sleep.’

  The Girl Who Came Back to Life …

  One story that most certainly deserves attention, even though it sounds like something out of a film, is mentioned in Minster folklore and dates back several centuries to the late 1400s. It is stated that a 1-year-old girl called Ann, the child of a Thomas Plott who lived in a cottage in the town, was run over by a dung cart as she played along a main road. A farmhand who worked for the nuns was too slow to react upon seeing the girl and the heavy wheel of his cart crushed the poor child. According to reports from the time the cart had wheels reinforced with iron plates and so the child was pinned to the ground by the monstrosity, her body left as ‘flat as a pancake’. Many locals flocked to the scene of the accident only to find the child dead and the commotion roused Ann’s mother, who emerged from her house and ran to the aid of her child, but it was too late. As she embraced Ann’s crumpled, lifeless body, she could only scream in anger before returning her daughter to the ground and chasing after the driver of the cart, blaring at him in fury. However, the incident had come to the attention of another local woman who, according to reports ‘was firmly established in the Grace of Christ’. The woman took a purse from her garment, approached the dead girl and according to historian Sheila M. Judge, ‘bent a penny over the lifeless corpse, as if to implore the pity of our Lord and the prayers of his most devout servant King Henry by this promise of an offering’. Those who stood by prayed and prayed hard when suddenly the little girl cried out, and pleaded for her mother – even stranger was the fact that the girl had never previously spoken before. Weirder still, within a few hours the girl was back to her normal self, somehow restored by this marvellous miracle bestowed upon her.

  As the story is rather old we’ll never really know its truth, but there is every suggestion that little Ann came back from the dead as part of a seemingly supernatural act.

  Phantom Smells …

  Ghosts really do seem to make themselves known in all manner of ways. Under the heading of ‘What! Another ghost story?’ the Sheerness Times Guardian of 8 December 1961 reports that ‘The succulent aroma of fried steak and onions fills the bar at Minster Working Men’s Club three times a week, completely baffling members by its regularity.’ According to the article the club sits on a site ‘once occupied by a convent, a stone’s throw from Minster Abbey church’.

  Minster Working Men’s Club, haunted by a phantom smell!

  Club secretary Mr Sid Corthorne reported that, ‘We can only suggest that the nuns choose to do their cooking just before our closing
time. Who else could it be?’

  The delightful aroma was first noted by Mr Corthorne’s wife and at first he scoffed at such an idea until he experienced the spectral waft. He added, ‘Our members don’t mind. They regard the smell as a pleasant warning that they have only about five minutes in which to buy their last drink and go home!’

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  QUIRKY QUEENBOROUGH

  Queenborough was, according to historian John Maruis Wilson, ‘a village and parish’ in Sheppey that ‘superseded a Saxon place Cyningburg or King’s-Castle where annual courts were held; was founded, along with a castle, by Edward III, and called Queenborough in compliment to his queen Philippa …’

  In 1382 the castle suffered damage to two of its towers when an earthquake struck. In 1648, according to the Queenborough Harbour’s website, the castle was ‘surveyed and condemned – it was sold for demolition two years later and Queenborough lost its most notable landmark’. A well which once belonged to the castle was said to harbour curative powers – the water was said to be medicinal, unlike the ‘unwholesome and brackish water elsewhere in the town’. Smuggling was once said to be rife within the parish with the criminals operating in some of the cellars beneath houses. In January 1981 human remains, believed to be victims of cholera, were discovered at a local creek.

  Queerness at a Queenborough House …

  In 2013 I was contacted by a lady named Alice Bodiam who relayed to me an intriguing history of personal experiences concerning her house in Queenborough High Street. She commented:

  In the 1900s a man called Edward Kemp brought our house and built an undertakers on the land behind it. A man called Jess Bentley worked at the undertakers and also rented out our house from Edward with his wife Bess Bentley. My uncle also used to work at the under takers when he was a teenager. Since the age of twelve I started hearing things and seeing shadows out of the corner of my eye. I saw orbs bouncing down the hallways, heard people calling my name, the feeling of people watching me; the simple little things. It gradually got more and more; I would hear footsteps running up and down the stairs and then I started to see spirits. Spirits don’t scare me, but there’s one experience I’ll never forget and it’s the last day I ever saw a spirit. But I’ll keep that one for last.

  The very first thing I heard was someone whispering ‘kishan’ over and over again. I’ve always been curious as to what that means, to me it sounded like a name. The very first spirit I saw was quite strange and to be fair I still don’t know if it was real or whether I was day-dreaming. I was sleeping and I don’t know why I did but I woke up, I turned over to my side and just saw a head above my wardrobe. Strange I know, and I’m still unsure about that one because it looked a bit like my dad. On another occasion I was sitting on my bunk-bed at the time – on the top bunk reading a book. I remember feeling a tug on my hair and general poking. A few minutes after, out of the corner of my eye I saw a white lady figure running towards the ladders on the bed. I remember she wore a white flowing gown or nighty and short curly hair. With every spirit I’ve experienced I’ve never seen their face – only ever the indents of their eyes and their nose whilst their whole face is shaded in one colour. I’ve seen the woman a couple more times roaming around the house.

  I’ve seen a lot of ghostly animals. Like cats running under chairs or running past you but there’s nothing there. The most vivid animal I ever saw was an old dog of ours called Jessica; she was a cocker spaniel. I was in our dining room and I saw what I thought to be our dog at the time, Charlie, sitting at our backdoor, but as I called her to come closer I saw to my left my sister was standing there with our dog. Looking back at the back door she was gone. The image was so clear it was unreal. However, now we come to Jess Bentley. My family smell his cigarette smoke from time to time but no one has seen him, except me. Like I said, I’ll never forget this day. It was late and me, my mum and my sister were in our kitchen talking, my mum handed me a couple of black bin bags and asked me to take the bins out, it was quite dark outside but not pitch black. I opened our back door and walked out but was forced to stop by a man which I believed to be Jess Bentley. As I looked up I saw this very tall, skinny man. He was all in black, even his face, and he was wearing a top hat, a t-shirt tucked into smart trousers, pointed black shoes and a cloak with red lining. He had a very big pointed nose. He was clear as day and I saw everything. It was such a surprise to the point I chucked the bags and went to run inside but tripped and fell in the door. He is the closest I’ve ever come to a spirit, and unfortunately this was the last time I ever saw anything. His gravestone is at the top of my road at Queenborough High Street. I’ve never seen what he looks like in pictures; it would be nice to see if the man I saw was in fact Jess.

  All of this happened in the space of three years between the ages of twelve and fifteen. After seeing Jess the only thing that happened was hearing voices and seeing the odd animal spirit here and there. I was awoken from my sleep by a very deep man’s voice calling my name, it was very close, I responded to him while I was half asleep, half-awake but didn’t hear nothing back. I’ve only ever seen spirits or had things happen to me while at my house, nothing has ever happened outside of my house.

  I was fascinated by Alice’s experiences and enquired as to whether other family members had seen or felt anything unusual. Alice replied:

  It’s not only me that’s experienced things in our house. When my twin sister Emily was about twelve she was awoken in the night by the appearance of a short man; quite big (round) and dressed in a suit and wearing a hat. He had a moustache and was standing at our bedroom door accompanied by a Jack Russell dog. My dad has also had a few encounters. He’s had items such as plants pulled down next to him as well as being poked hard in the arms, and having his name called. One night while he was sleeping he had the feeling of a cat walking over him, the covers moved down just like it would when a cat walks.

  Alice concluded that, ‘Our house is very old and has so much character and I’m sure I’ve still got a lot to experience and see. I hope my stories are helpful.’

  Spooky Snippets

  Strangely, ghost stories from Queenborough seem rather few and far between but I guess it’s all a matter of who you speak to. One such brief tale which springs to mind concerns a pet shop which sat in the vicinity of what is known as Nellie’s Alley in the town. A woman who used to live above the pet shop mentioned that her residence had been the haunt of three ghosts – a man and two children – but no one seems sure as to who these spirits are.

  In 2007 a ghost investigation was conducted at an undisclosed property in Queenborough after the owner claimed experiencing supernatural activity in certain rooms. Five people were in attendance at the twentieth-century property, including the owner, but the investigative team of four made their way to different rooms of the house to see if they could pick up anything unusual. The first spirit to be picked up was that of an elderly female who told one team member that she had passed in the house, but most of the activity seemed to take place in the children’s bedroom. The main spirit said to have been detected was that of an old man who may have possibly died in battle. Sadly, such ‘contact’ is rarely verified and it has often been argued that certain spirit presences are more likely connected to the medium in general rather than the building. Lack of evidence in such investigations obviously leaves such research open to debate.

  In October 2013 I spoke to a Sheerness lady who stated that as a child she was often warned away from a certain spot near Queenborough because it was meant to be haunted. The spot, not far from Whiteway Road in the town, was rumoured to be the haunt of a young woman. Children were often spooked by an alleyway in the area and believe the ghost to be that of Eliza Coppins who, in 1857, was murdered by a man named Prentis. Some records state that the woman was killed in a ‘crime of passion’ in the vicinity of Pier Cottages, since demolished, but those who recall the eerie legend maintain that the area in question slightly differs to details in print. In 2013 island res
ident Paul Deadman told me of a haunted building at Queenborough. He stated that in the past ‘footsteps were regularly heard at the building off of Whiteway Road. I think it used to be called Wasso’s or something similar; it’s now Swale Building Supplies but I’m not sure whether it’s the same building.’

  In 1975 a Reg Witts occupied the Town House in Queenborough High Street. The building adjoined what became known as the Guildhall Museum – a late eighteenth-century property which was erected on the site of the original Market House and had been captured during the Dutch invasion of 1667. The building boasts a small prison, but when I spoke to a member of staff in 2013 I was rather surprised to hear that no ghostly tales had been reported. However, when Mr Witts and his wife Sylvia resided in the Town House, there was enough weird and wonderful activity to almost scare the couple out of their – excuse the pun – wits! Reg was not prone to flights of fancy and had been a hardened seaman, so when he moved into the Town House in 1972 along with his wife and two daughters he didn’t expect to encounter any ghostly shenanigans. Reg had only lived in the house permanently since 1975 due to work commitments, and despite being an islander, commented, ‘When I settled in Queenborough, ghosts were the last thing I considered.’

  The Guildhall Museum at Queenborough, situated next to a pair of reputedly haunted houses.