Ghosts of Dorset: How haunted is our county?

Over the years, ghostly sightings have been reported across the county, but how many of them do you believe?

One Dorset ghost hunter claimed “spirits are with us 24/7”.

• Ghost map of Bournemouth shows towns most haunted places

Kevin Allen

56-year-old Kevin Allen got into ghost hunting 25 years ago through an advert in the local paper.

The went on to join a paranormal investigations team in Bournemouth and said his most notable paranormal experience was at Knowlton Church in Wimborne.

He said: “I always start an investigation with an opening prayer asking for our guides to protect us during the investigation, a closing prayer is also said at the end of every investigation asking the Spirits to remain where they are and allow us to go in peace."

On Knowlton church, he said: “I led on this alter stone with the K2 meter resting on my chest whilst calling out to the spirits.

"The electric field from the alter had the lights on the meter flashing away.

“There is also a yew tree that has split in two at the corner of the field that is said to be a portal to the next world.”

His scariest encounter, he said, was at the Cemetery Junction in Bournemouth.

"Some of the females with us had their hair pulled, we heard the growl from a large cat, and whilst walking along the path to leave something scratched my neck and drew blood.”

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Jeff Higgins

Jeff Higgins, 52, is part of the New Forest Paranormal Investigators, and also had a spooky experience at Knowlton Church.

In November last year, Jeff went in with his son Stephen when they say they caught a ghost on camera.

“The readings on the Mel Meter were right up to 50.8, that is unheard of. If you put it next to a microwave it will go up to 15, to get those readings is pretty strange.

“On the way home, my son was recording, and we didn’t think anything else of it.

“We put it on the computer and that is when we saw the spirit. Personally, I think it is an intelligent haunting rather than a residual haunting.

“It materialises on the left-hand side, comes out, goes back then comes in in front of us.

“A residual haunting is when a spirit is always in the same place. There is an arch in the church so maybe it was trying to get there.”

Perhaps it was heading to the split in the yew tree?

Amir Jardan

The recurring theme so far is Knowlton Church, which unsurprisingly is said to be Dorset’s most haunted location.

Back in 2019, a theatre production used the church for a publicity shoot, and said the building’s infamous ghost manifested itself in the photos.

Producer Amir Jardan said: “No one saw anything or felt anything but when we got back and put them on our fan page, someone got in touch to ask if the kneeling girl was meant to be in the picture. When we looked again we couldn't believe it - you can definitely see something there.”

By Emma Sharland

Amir said a paranormal investigator who looked at the blurry image - seen on the left overlaying the feet of the actress, was a little girl who had been 'photographed before' at the church, which is near Wimborne.

“I asked the actor in the image, Mark Lynch, if he'd seen or felt anything during the shoot and he said no," said Amir. "Now I'm thinking we should go up there with a camera again."

By Suzanne Singleton

Mary Bonham Christie

Way back in 2003, Bournemouth couple Mike and Ann Foote were invited to Brownsea Castle, courtesy of the John Lewis Partnership.

The trip would live long in the memory, however, as they spotted the mysterious face of an old woman in the window of the castle.

It’s not clear what they saw, but could it have been the ghost of Mary Bonham Christie, the reclusive grand owner of Brownsea Castle who died the day she left the island?

Ann said: “In one of the frames Mike took from a bedroom window we noticed the outline of a face and when he enhanced the image it turned out to be that of an old woman.

“We don't know whether there are any recorded ghosts in the castle and have to say that we were both completely unaware at the time the photograph was taken of anything cold or sinister in the room.

“We do not think that the image is a likeness of any of the four of us who were in the room at the time.”

Mary Bonham Christie was the eccentric lady who fell in love with Brownsea and bought the island in 1927 for £125,000, promptly giving notice to the 120 or so families who lived there to move out.

From then on only a handful of people were allowed on the island, leaving nature to manage itself.

On the very day she left Brownsea to be looked after on the mainland she died. She did not spend a single night away from her cherished home.

Her son passed the island to the Treasury in lieu of death duties. They handed it over to the National Trust who invited the public back.

How do you feel about the paranormal? Is it something you believe in? Do any of the cases above have merit?