Isle of Wight Ghost Stories

THE GHOST TRAIN AT HOLYROOD STREET
The ghost train is an unexplained occurence, as trains ceased to run the Newport line in the 1960s, with very little remaining of its lengthy track today. But a recent report from a particular lady states seeing a train with three carriages run along a non-existent track over a viaduct towards Cowes. The deathly silence of the steam locomotive made this lady come to the comclusion that she had witnessed a ghost train, which seemed to be running in mid-air. Another encounter with the ghostly image of a train comes from a resident, who lived close to the once busy railway track. The lady gave her account of the noise of a steam train puffing through a tunnel, whistling as it travelled. Train wheels clacking along the track, the hissing of its engine coming to a halt, and the unloading of cargo, made this particular lady wonder whether the tales of an unseen ghost train could actually be a figment of her imagination. It is up to you to decide on these fascinating stories.

BILLINGHAM MANOR
This was once a residence to Sir Shane Leslie, who in 1928, rented this spectacular Manor, and did not expect to have lodgers of the unexplained kind when he made it his home. He saw the apparition of a fair lady, whose lover had stabbed her older companion with a sword. She roams the building with remorse, as her happiness was short-lived when her lover drowned soon after, and she died a lonely spinster. Is she wandering looking for her true love, or is she looking for peace after such tragedies in her life? You decide!

NEWBRIDGE
Newbridge is the location of phenomenal tales of a leaning lampost, which can be found at Dodpits Cross on the Southern end of the Isle of Wight. In October 1928, a little girl was walking along what is now called Dark Lane, when she noticed the figure of a man hanging from gallows in the place of the usual leaning signpost. He had a noose around his neck, had long-ish dark curly hair, and was wearing a dark cloak. Terrified, she turned to escape his evil, yet sightless eyes, but was prevented from moving by an unseen energy. Now totally petrified, she turned her head towards the hanging man, only to discover that he had disappeared. Is the once Pit of Death, now called Dodpits, the scene of such a horrendous illusion, or could it be real? You decide!

NORTHWOOD HOUSE
This magnificent house can be located near Cowes. It harbours many ghosts, who seem to enjoy returning to the spacious grounds at dusk. The joyful screams of playful children swinging from the branches of the old trees have been heard, with the movement of branches a mystery for some unsuspecting visitors. One person actually experienced what he thought was a child brushing past him at speed. Could these children be reluctant to leave this fantastic location? Another visitor of the ghostly kind is a cheerful pirate called Henry, who walks the stone tunnels which lead to Castle Hill. Henry is wearing a stripey sweater and black boots, with a knotted scarf around his neck. He also supports an earring. The tunnels were also a store place for smugglers to hide their stolen treasures such as wine, brandy and tobacco. Could Henry have a beaming smile because he has been helping himself to the stolen brandy?

NEWPORT OLD GRAMMAR SCHOOL
This historic building was constructed by means of public donations in 1614, although the idea was created in 1612. In 1648, the building was a meeting place for Charles I and his Parliamentary Commissioners. The building was then used as a chamber for the monarch until his arrest and transportation to Hurst Castle. He was later taken to London for trial, where he was executed. King James I also had connections with the building, which later adopted the name King James I Grammar School for boys. Today, the building is used as a Youth Centre. The old grammar school is a haven for paranormal activity, which is possibly inevitable with its history. The figure of a Cavalier has been seen at a window, and particular occurrences have been described from the bedroom where Charles I slept. The shadow of a man has been seen in this room, and footsteps heard pacing the floor. The ghostly figure is assumed to be the King himself, as the room appears to be dimly lit with flickering candles. Could this be the apparition of the anxious monarch who faced death, reliving his last days of freedom?

THE HARE AND HOUNDS
This building is haunted by the ghost of a man, which seems to be a magnet for ghostly activity from the nearby Gallows Hill. In 1737, a woodcutter called Michael Morey was tried and hanged in Winchester for killing his grandson. His body was then brought back to Arreton, where it was left unburied at the crossroads on Gallows Hill, which was situated near the Hare and Hounds pub. The original beam can be seen in the pub, which may explain why he returns to haunt this historic place. This restless soul may also intend never to be forgotten for his heinous crime. The apparition of a man has been reported roaming Gallows Hill, with his head hanging loosely to the side. This figure is also said to be yielding an axe. It is thought that this is the troubled soul of Michael Morey, wandering this lonely stretch of the hillside vying to be remembered. It may also explain that this tormentted soul will never be granted peace from this atmosphere.

PRIORY BAY HOTEL
Reports of ghost sightings date back to Mrs St. George's time, when she gave accounts of ghostly experiences being the reason for her not being able to retain staff. Before her death, she told distant relatives of the Grose-Smith family who had previously owned the property, about these encounters. Since before 1927, the frantic cries of a child and her apparent voice calling for her dog during the night have been distinct. A child's soft running footsteps have also been heard. It is thought that she was a girl aged 13 or 14, from a portrait which was once hanging in the dining room with her dog at her feet, from the era when the Grose-Smith family were in residence. One story states that when the portrait was sold, the girl began searching for her beloved King Charles spaniel, and did not rest until it was put back in its original place by Mrs St. George.

An apparition of the Blue Lady of Nettlestone has been seen in the dining room, and it has been suggested that she may be the girl from the portrait. Since her death, the ghost of Mrs St. George has been reported. She has been seen on a number of occasions in the Priory, the surrounding grounds, and in nearby fields. Could she be returning to the place that she once owned and loved?

CARRISBROOKE CASTLE
Not suprisingly Carisbrooke Castle has a number of ghosts within its stone walls, one of these is the repeated sightings of man stood behind the iron gates wearing a black cloak. When you look again he is gone! The thin face of a girl looking up at you out of the well has also been seen. She is believed to be Elizabeth Ruffin, who drowned in the 160ft well, possibly be accident. There is also the sighting of a Victorian lady dressed in grey walking her dogs near the gatehouse, and a young man in a brown sleeveless jacket speaking the words "reet Grayley". It is not known what these words means, but it is thought the language would have been an old form of English. There is a feeling of being watched around the castle after dark. There are many stories of people seeing faces and ghosts walking around the castle at night. But perhaps the strangest is that of a group of friends standing outside the castle one night, when a figure appeared on the ram-parts dressed in a full-length black cloak. The figure ordered the friends to leave, and produced a small illuminated object (possibly a candle) from under his cloak. When the friends taunted the figure, it produced a scythe, and waved the illuminated object across it! Could this have been a ghost or the Grim Reaper? The friends did not stay to find out, and ran from the castle. To this day, they cannot explain what it is they saw!

VENTNOR BOTANIC GARDENS
Ventnor Botanic Gardens was once the Royal National Hospital. It was demolished in 1969, making way for the gardens. But in the mind of a ghost, the hospital still exists, so hauntings of past patients have been reported. Harbouring ghosts of past patients, ghostly weeping and groaning have been heard on numerous occasions. There have also been accounts of the smell of ether and hot Christmas punch. Phantom nurses walk the gardens, dressed in old-fashioned uniforms. One particular recent account from an elderly lady describes a very tall lady, dressed in a long white skirt, a pale grey blouse and full-length apron. She was wearing a hat with a hood over it, giving the impression of square shoulders and head. She was standing in the car park completely motionless and expressionless. Mysterious and ghostly tennis matches have been heard and witnessed, and the hospital itself has also reappeared on a few occasions. The mystery surrounding the old hospital deepened when a site worker reported having a conversation with a little girl and an older man. As these figures disappeared suddenly, the worker could only come to the conclusion that he had actually been talking to ghosts of the past.

Ghost Ship Sighted and Filmed
Edward, son of Britain's monarch, believes he has seen a ghost ship. The 34-year-old told use on Oct 16th how he spotted the phantom galleon while filming the second of his Crown and Country TV series on the Isle of Wight. Edward was telling the story of HMS Eurydice, a 26-gun frigate which capsized and sank in Sandown Bay during a blizzard in 1878. He said: "We were talking about a ghost ship around the island and how we could illustrate this three-masted schooner that just disappears. then Suddenly someone said 'Look, there's one now,' and sure enough out at sea there was a three-masted schooner.

It was not arranged by us. It simply appeared. "Someone said 'We'll wait until it gets closer to the shoreline' and then come the moment, someone else said 'Where's it gone? ' We looked and it had disappeared." The prince added: "I am quite convinced as far as ghosts are concerned that there are too many stories, coincidences, occurrences and strange happenings. There is something definitely out there, but what it is I don't really know. "I cannot believe it is just some people's imagination. There is more in it than that. I have never met a ghost, but I have always wanted to meet a ghost. There is only one way to find out whether they really do exist." Edward's film crew captured the ghost ship on video after the sighting last May. And in another strange twist, the tape jammed in the machine when they went to view it. The programme's director, Robin Bextor, said last night: "Edward was doing a piece to camera near Chine, on the Isle of Wight, when someone spotted this ship. "We filmed it for a while, then decided to wait so we would catch it sailing off into the horizon. We assumed it was a training vessel. Like the rest of us, Edward was pleased at our stroke of luck at seeing it because it saved us time and money getting footage of something similar. We were packing up the cameras and took our eyes off it for a few minutes, but when we went to film it again, it had gone." Edward spoke of the sighting during a briefing in Portsmouth yesterday about the new ITV series. The ghost ship will be seen in the October 27 programme. The sinking of the Eurydice, with the loss of more than 300 lives, was seen by the young Winston Churchill, who was visiting the Isle of Wight with his nurse. They watched from a clifftop as the ship capsized. There have been several other sightings of a three-masted vessel off the Isle of Wight where many ships have gone down. Retired teacher Robin Ford, 57, from Ventnor, spotted the eerie form of a galleon during a beach barbecue with friends. He said: "It moved slowly towards the shore, then it just seemed to up-end and slipped silently out of view." Last night, sailing ship enthusiasts added to the mystery by saying they knew of no vessel in the area at the time Edward saw the ghost ship. Hilary Painter, of the Sail Training Association at Portsmouth, said: "We have two training ships that sound like that, but on that particular week they were both away." Becky Lacey, of the Jubilee Sailing Trust at Southampton said: "We have a three-masted square rigger called the Lord Nelson, but she was in Newcastle that week." Barbara Hoyle, of the Sea Cadet Corps at Gosport, added: "We have the Royalist, which is a two-masted square rig brig, but she was not at sea that week."

The Ghosts of Knighton Gorges
With its history of smugglers, murder, suicide, malice and insanity, Knighton Gorges is described as being the most haunted place on the Isle of Wight. The area of Knighton is also an environmental magnet for ghostly manifestation. The reappearance of the house itself every New Year's Eve at midnight is of particular interest, and warrants investigations and gatherings of Islanders at that time of year. Although the Manor was demolished in 1821, the story of it and its ghosts dates back to 1920. A young traveller wanted to take shelter on the night of 31st December, and walked up the drive to the Manor, which appeared to have a party in full swing. On his walk up the driveway, he heard the thundering of horses hooves and the wheels of a carriage. He dived out of the way to avoid being hit, only to discover that there was nothing there. He could hear music and laughter, and peered through the window to see people dressed in Georgian costume. Assuming it was a fancy dress party, he banged on the door, only to receive no reply. Believing that the music was too loud for him to be heard, he decided to walk to the next Manor for shelter. Whilst having his meal, he enquired about the other Manor with the party, only to discover that it had been demolished 100 years previously, and that no party was taking place.

Accounts of other ghostly sightings are plentiful, with a coach and horses, strange lights, phantom revels, and stone gargoyle style creatures appearing on the gate pillars. Dark shadowy figures have also been seen around the grounds, with reports of a black knight on horseback. The apparition of a woman with no face has been seen in the lane, and phantom voices have been heard by the gateposts screaming "Get Out". Accounts of car trouble, as well as feeling unwell or extremely cold are also connected with the site. With these accounts of ghostly experiences and spooky phenomena, Knighton Gorges is full of intrigue and curiosity.

The ghost of brading wax works
The Cursed Waxworks Museum was once an Inn where travellers stayed. Frenchman Louis de Rochefort was murdered in his bed there, and the sounds of his screams can be heard. He swore to haunt the place whilst he lay dying. A human skeleton was found by workmen back in 1960s, and it is believed that they are the remains of Louis de Rochefort, who seems to have kept his promise to haunt the old Inn. A mysterious coach can be heard in the nearby lane, and sightings of a tall thin man have been seen in the gardens and courtyard. Could this be the ghost of the Frenchman?