Chatham is a town steeped in history and strange folklore, but much of its ghostly past, and present, remains unwritten. For the first time ever the spectral secrets of this place are uncovered as we delve into ghost stories obscure and well known. The book features an array of haunted houses and shops, and sheds new light on classic local legends at locations like Chatham Dockyard and Fort Amherst. Many stories appear for the first time in print, with information gained first-hand from witnesses who’ve experienced the phenomena. Richly illustrated, Haunted Chatham is your guide to one of Kent’s most supernatural places.

The first expert exploration of the haunted houses and authentic ghosts of Kent, this volume is filled with fascinating true ghost stories from times past. Read about the curious case of Anne West of Old Bayhall Manor, who ‘was always worried that she might be buried while yet alive’, or the ‘ghostly old gentleman’ of Cleve Court in Minster, who, when he turns up, is treated ‘more as a guest than a ghost’ - because ‘the dear old thing means no harm’. And there is Lympne Castle, where Underwood once took a party of Ghost Club members: ‘I had just obtained a description of the room, when one of the Club members rushed into the kitchen begging me to accompany her to one of the towers where “something horrible had once taken place”…’.

Discover spine-chilling tales of hauntings, paranormal activity and supernatural phenomena from throughout Kent.

A case-centred study of Phantom Hitch-Hikers & Phantom Jaywalkers in Folklore and Fact. Tales of Phantom Hitch-Hikers are found the world over. But is there anything more to them than the staple of contemporary folklore they appear to be? Cases like Blue Bell Hill suggest there is. Here, and in numerous other modern cases, witnesses report vivid and terrifying encounters with solid-looking figures that step into the paths of their vehicles. These events show an affinity with the legendary Phantom Hitch-Hiker, suggesting that far from being mere vestiges of a superstitious folk tradition, they may reflect a genuine but complex phenomenon that continues to manifest in modern times and settings, and challenges our very notions of reality. This book traces Blue Bell Hill's ghost from its roots in folklore to compelling fact, with nearly 50 witness accounts attesting to it as an important modern example of haunting on record, and arguably the foremost case of its kind in the world today.

Twenty years ago, in a series of mysterious, incandescent writings, David Seabrook told of the places he knew best: the declining resort towns of the Kent coast. The pieces were no advert for the local tourist board. Here, the ghosts of murderers and mad artists crawl the streets. Septuagenarian rent boys recall the good old days and Carry On stars go to seed. Clandestine fascist networks emerge. And all the time, there is Seabrook himself - desperate perhaps, and in danger. Dark, strange and immediate, this is a classic work of sui generis British literature. There are devils here, and the reader will remember them.