Pluckley is a small village on the edge of the North Downs in Kent.  The remains of what was the ancient Jutish forest, the 'Andredsweald.' lies to the south.

   Pluckley has been made more famous by the successful television series ‘The Darling Buds of May’, which was first screened in 1991.  It is also listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the most haunted village in England, having a reported 12 - 14 ghosts within its boundaries.  Including one of a phantom coach and horses, and a gypsy woman who was sadly burnt to death in her sleep.  Pluckleys ghosts are both cherished by the residents, as well as causing frustration and annoyance with the amount of visitors they now encounter.

   The earliest records found of Pluckley are found in the Domesday records of 1086.  It was then known as Pluccan lëah from the old English 'Plucca's clearing’, where it was listed as a significant settlement.  It is recorded as the village of Pluchelei and was owned by the Archbishop of Canterbury who gave the village to a Saxon knight by the name of John Folet for him to manage.  There is no record of a church in the Domesday Book, but there was a priest in the village.  During the 1100's it was spelt Plucelea and Plukele.

Early records show a Roman road leading through the village, under what is now the Thorne Estate, towards the Pinnock and on through Frith Wood.  The site of a Roman Villa has also been found just down the road from Pluckley at Little Chart.

 

Weather - Dry and mild turning foggy in parts towards the end of the evening.

Investigators - Jackie, Donna, Henry, Steve, Kevin, Kate, Claire, Nathan, Robert, Dee and Karl.

   We met in the Black Lion Public House, which is located in the village square on the main street in Pluckley.  The Black Horse was built in 1450 and opened as a public house in 1474, although at one time it was situated in another building adjacent to the church. The Black Lion was also featured in The Darling Buds of May.

   We started our investigation by walking around St. Nicholas Church graveyard.  About half way walking around the church.  Dee saw a figure standing in front of the Summer House.  Jackie, Henry and Donna also saw a figure standing between two large trees near to this.  The rest of the group continued to walk around the church leaving just Donna and Jackie alone, so they tried using the voice recorder.  Unfortunately they didn’t manage to capture any E.P.V’s.

   Henry saw a flash of light at the church window which seemed to come from inside the church.

   We later carried out a séance close to the spot where the figures had been seen. Quite a few of the group felt the energy build, while Henry said he felt like someone had blown on his right hand and Kate felt a presence behind her right side.  They were standing on opposite sides of the circle.  There were a few people coming along the church path towards us so we decided to stop the séance and continue it later.

   We left the churchyard and walked down ‘The Street’ and along Station Road until we reached a large house called ‘Greystones’.  At the side of the house was a large lake which was not accessible as it was on private land and surrounded by a small wall with tall bamboo reeds growing on the other side.  We stood still to try and see if anyone could sense anything.  Kate said she felt as if someone was standing by the wall watching her, and started to feel sick.  At the same time Jackie saw a cheerful, elderly, thin lady wearing tatty clothing, a grey knitted hat and fingerless gloves next to Kate who then move back to sit on the wall behind her.  Kate then jumped forward shaking her head at the same time.  Jackie was saying that the old lady had put her hand on Kate’s hair and said ‘Ello lovies’.  The old lady then vanished leaving Kate frightened to have felt the women’s hand on her head.  Jackie, Kate and a couple of others felt very sick and had pains in their stomach.  When Kate calmed down she apologised to the old lady who reappeared faintly, moving up the wall towards Kevin then disappearing again. At this point Kevin ‘saw’ the old lady’s hat, describing it as being light grey with  the bits that cover the ears, like a deerstalker hat except made from wool.  Clare said she had ‘felt’ to presence of a female and also heard the words “ello lovies”.  Steve’s camera wouldn’t focus in this area, yet worked fine before and after this point.

   We then proceeded towards Pinnock Bridge, which is a little stone bridge over a tiny brook.  We stopped and took some photos but unfortunately no-one within the group could sense the presents of any sprits.

   We continued to walk towards ‘Fright Corner’ and the Dering Woods which are nicknamed the ‘Screaming Woods’.  It is said that screams of those who have lost their way within the forest can be heard coming from these woods at night.  We stopped and stood in silence at the boundary of the woods (as no point of access to the woods could be found) but no sounds of screaming could be heard.  A number of the group felt it could have been due to the noise of passing cars from a nearby road.

   We then returned to the Black Horse pub and church, where we were hoping to have another séance in the churchyard, but as we approached 3-4 cars pulled into the car park with load music.  The occupiers got out of their cars clearly affected by Alcohol, and shouting they were on a ghost hunt so we decided to leave Pluckley rather than be involved in any trouble, they might have caused and to respect the villagers as it was getting late.

   Conclusion - Although several members picked up on spirit energy, we were unable to find proof of any paranormal activity on voice recorder or film, which was very disappointing as there are so many reports of 'ghosts' and 'hauntings' in Pluckley together with it being the most 'haunted' village in England.