Bugle Calls of Thundersley
Wheel Cottage in Thundersley is home to a haunting that's as poignant as it is perplexing. A former owner of the cottage lost two sons in the Crimean War, and it's said she tried to summon their spirits by blowing a trumpet. What she got instead were a series of unexplained bugle calls that still echo through the cottage to this day. It's unclear whether the bugle calls belong to the grieving mother or her sons replying from beyond the grave.
The Crimean War was a brutal conflict that saw the British Army suffer heavy losses. For a mother to lose two sons in such a war was devastating. The story goes that she attempted to contact their spirits through a s��ance, using a trumpet to try and establish communication. The bugle calls that followed were said to be a response, but from whom, we can't be sure. The haunting at Wheel Cottage remains a mystery, with many questions left unanswered.
The Crimean War took place from 1853 to 1856 and saw the British Army engage in battles in the Crimean Peninsula.
Location
Location Details
Nearby Haunted Places
Drenched Dead Woman of Thundersley
Second stile leading from Dawes Heath Road to London Road, Thundersley
On a quiet evening in 1917, a group of five people walking home along the rural footpath that connects Dawes Heath Road to London Road in Thundersley stumbled upon a ghostly apparition. The spirit, a woman, stood motionless, staring blankly at them with a haunting presence. Locals believe she is the heartbroken daughter of a local farmer who, many years prior, drowned herself in a pond after being denied the right to marry the man she loved. The spot where she appears is a second stile along the footpath, a seemingly innocuous stretch of countryside that has borne witness to this paranormal activity.
Thundersley Ghost in Hobnail Boots
House along Selbourne Road, Thundersley
In a house along Selbourne Road in Thundersley, a most unsettling haunting took place. The story goes that a mother and daughter were forced to flee their home, terrified by the sound of footsteps clad in hobnail boots. It started in the 1940s, not long after the Second World War, and escalated over time. The ghostly presence became louder, banging on walls and eventually screaming, making life unbearable for the occupants.
Betty Potter's Ghostly Apparition
Bend in the road close to Boxted Road, Boxted
In a quiet bend on Boxted Road, a spine-tingling legend has been unfolding for centuries. They call it Betty Potter's Dip, a spot where locals claim to have seen the ghostly apparition of Betty Potter, a woman who met a tragic end. According to the story, Betty was either hanged from a tree for witchcraft or took her own life, depending on who you ask. One thing's for sure - her spirit is said to return every year on October 21st at midnight.
Thundersley Wild Dog Sightings
Wensley Road, Thundersley
Thundersley, a quiet suburb in Essex, has been home to a rather unusual mystery. Residents on Wensley Road have reported sightings of a pair of large, dog-like creatures roaming the nearby woodland. These creatures are thought to be the culprits behind the disappearance of several neighbourhood cats. Descriptions of the creatures are scarce, but witnesses agree they are unusually large and seem to be living in the woodland.
The Green Lady of Thundersley
Bread and Cheese Hill, Thundersley
Bread and Cheese Hill in Thundersley is home to a rather unusual ghostly apparition known as the Green Lady. This phantom figure has been spotted crossing the road while travelling up the hill, seemingly oblivious to the traffic that would normally pose a hazard. Drivers have reported going to great lengths to avoid her, often driving off the road to steer clear of this ghostly woman. The Green Lady's appearances are said to have taken place in the 1970s, leaving many to wonder about the story behind this eerie sighting.
Pregnant Girl Ghost Rayleigh
Rayleigh Lodge and nearby pond Public House, Rayleigh
Rayleigh Lodge and its nearby pond have a haunting reputation that's been around since the 1970s. The story goes that a young woman, who'd had an affair with the Lord of the Manor, found herself pregnant and unable to cope with the shame. Tragically, she took her own life by drowning in the pond opposite the pub. People claim to have seen her ghost, dressed in a dark dress, wandering around the area. It's said that her spirit still roams free, a poignant reminder of the tragic events that took place many years ago.
Stay Nearby
Haunted hotels and accommodation near Wheel Cottage

The Blue Boar Hotel
Maldon, Essex

The Shurland Hotel
Eastchurch, Kent

The Royal Victoria and Bull Hotel
Dartford, Kent