Over in Kent, you’ll find the charming village of Pluckley. If you visit without looking up the area beforehand, you might think to yourself that you’ve happened upon an absolutely stunning little slice of village life. But underneath its charming exterior, you’ll find a dark secret. That’s because this picture-book village is actually the most haunted village in the whole of the UK.
This is no throwaway moniker, either. This title was bestowed upon the village by the Guinness Book of World Records. Now, they didn’t necessarily receive a proper record for this title, but their reputation lives on.
The village is home to 12 ‘official’ ghosts (I guess they registered in the last census?), but the number of hauntings could far exceed that number. It’s no wonder, either, given how long the village has been there. Pluckley has official records that go as far back as the Domesday Book of 1086.
Hauntings and ghosts
So what – or who, rather – is responsible for Pluckley’s haunting reputation? The village’s official ghosts stretch themselves across Pluckley’s past and throughout the town. They include everything from a phantom coach and horses to a schoolmaster, young women, and pub guests.
Among the most well-known of Pluckley’s ghosts – according to the parish’s own website – are the following:
- The spectre of the highwayman hid in a tree at the Pinnock
- The hanging body of a schoolmaster in Dicky Buss’s Lane
- The Lady of Rose Court, who is said to have poisoned herself in despair over a love triangle
- The White Lady, a young woman apparently buried inside 7 coffins and an oak sarcophagus, who haunts St Nicholas’s Church
- The Red Lady, reputedly a member of the Dering family who haunts the churchyard of St Nicholas’s Church.
Visitors will also find that Pluckley’s venues are hosts to hauntings. The Black Horse Inn dates back over 300 years, and punters have reported glasses moving on their own and unseen hands throwing cutlery. Meanwhile, the Blacksmiths Arms is purportedly haunted by a Cavalier King Charles dog.
But perhaps the spookiest haunting of all is found in The Dering Arms. Visitors might notice an elderly lady who is often sitting by the window of the pub. By all accounts, she looks as solid and real as the other punters, barring her outdated clothing. But if you try to approach and talk to her, she’ll disappear in front of your eyes.
In Pluckley
Life is simple in Pluckley. There are a handful of shops and pubs, as well as a pair of hotels, a number of B&Bs and some camping and caravanning sites. After all, there aren’t many people around. The 2011 Census gives a population of 1,069 people for Pluckley, while the Hobbs Parker real estate company notes the population as 1,050.
Head west of the village and you’ll find the Dering Woods, named for the village’s most important residents – the Dering family. These woods have received a blood-curdling nickname, though. They’re often referred to as “The Screaming Woods” due to the screams heard coming from them at night.
But it’s not all hauntings and eerie goings-on in Pluckley’s past. The village is also home to some impressive literary history. Take Surrenden Manor, for example, which is the former residence of the Dering family. It was here that the Dering Manuscript was discovered. This is the oldest surviving text of any Shakespearean play, containing an abridged text of Henry IV, Part 1 and Henry IV, Part 2.
If you visit, be sure to keep an eye out for the village’s distinctive windows. Some of the older buildings, and the village hall, have arched ‘Dering’ windows. These are wholly unique to Pluckley, and you won’t find them outside of the village.
Pluckley on screen
Pluckley’s scenic settings and hair-raising history have made it a mainstay across TV and radio. Most famously it was the filming location in the early 90s for the ITV drama series, ‘The Darling Buds of May’. Outside of the village’s haunting history, this is Pluckley’s largest claim to fame, and fans of the show can even do a walking tour inspired by the show.
Pluckley has also (obviously) appeared in a number of ghostly and paranormal-themed programs, ranging from ‘Most Haunted: Midsummer Murders’ to ‘Ghost Hunters International’.
This is in addition to appearances on radio shows and even an episode of ‘Top Gear’.
📍 You’ll find Pluckley in the Ashford district of Kent, England. The postcode is TN27. The nearest station is Pluckley, from there it’s a short bus ride into the village.