The body of local dragon slayer PIERS SHONKS was reputedly laid to rest here. His resting place is marked by a black marble tomb slab, believed to be 13 C in date, although this was laid in memorium of Shonks, who is believed to have died sometime earlier, in 1086. Interestingly, a huge skeleton was removed from the tomb at some time, but were they  the remains of the fabled dragon slayer?

 

 

 For a house of such great age, and for one occupied by (amongst others Henry VIII, Elizabeth I and Oliver Cromwell – who bought 200 of his army!) Chenies Manor House has very little evidence of hauntings.  The sound of ‘heavy footsteps and creaking floorboards’ have been heard. While renovations were carried out in the 1960s a small ‘prayer room’ was found behind a wall. Inscribed in the wall of the prayer room was the inscription ‘9 September 166? (the last digit unknown)…..The owner of the house decided to make this small room into a cupboard, and fitted a large, heavy door onto it, with a large catch to keep it secure. After staying in the room one night, the owner awoke to find one of the bedroom windows wide open, and the door to the ‘prayer-room cupboard’ unlocked and wide open…. Unable to explain how a very secure window and door had come open without him noticing, the owner remembered the date….it was September the 9……

  

 The sound of footsteps, and a ‘rustling silk dress’ haunt this house. Creslow has always had (it seems from accounts) a ‘Haunted Room’ that guests did not want to stay in, but the reasons for this reluctance are, it seems, unrecorded….

 

 

 In Fulmer, there is a Ford which runs across the road, it is here that ‘unexplained noises’ have been heard by locals and visitors. The sounds include those of a horse and trap, horses hooves and others, refered to as simply ‘ghostly and unexplainable’….unfortunately, there seems to be nothing else!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 This house has reportedly ‘several ghosts’ – one of whom has been identified. It is supposedly the ghost of Edmund Verney , the Kings standard bearer at the battle of Edgehill in 1642. This unfortunate ghost wanders Claydon, looking for his hand which was said to be buried in the family vault. An unnamed ghost described as ‘a tall and slender man, wearing a long black cloak’ was seen on the ‘red stairs’. The sound of Footsteps have been heard leading to a ‘priests hole’ in the house where they suddenly disappear.  While renovations were being made some years ago, a ‘sad looking, strangely dressed man’ was seen, who disappeared in front of a witnesses eyes. In the ‘rose room’ the full apparition of a lady in grey’ was seen by a guest who had been awoken while staying there, and, according to accounts ‘other people have seen ghosts and heard unaccountable noises’

 

The ghost of a woman in a blood-stained nightdress has been seen in Upton court. The story of this apparition is very old, and it’s origins have now been lost in time.  A singular ghostly figure has been seen wandering the grounds, usually on a Friday night, but whether this is the ‘bloodstained lady’ reports do not say.

 

 

 The Famous Hell Fire Caves, have a history of Black Magic orgies, Ritual and bad behaviour. At least one death happened here, that of a local serving wench named ‘Sukie’ who worked at the nearby Inn. (see THE GEORGE & DRAGON HOTEL)