The Great Cry of Ashingdon
In the quaint village of Ashingdon, Essex, a chilling scream echoes through the lanes, sending shivers down the spines of locals and visitors alike. The haunting, known as the Great Cry, is said to emanate from a rural lane that winds its way past the village church. According to local legend, the ghostly wail is the anguished cry of a man who, in a fit of rage, murdered another during a heated argument. Consumed by guilt and remorse, the killer took his own life in an asylum, but his spirit is said to linger, forever trapped in a cycle of despair.
Historical records suggest that the incident occurred during the Victorian era, a time of great social change and upheaval. While the exact date of the argument and subsequent murder is unknown, it's said that the killer's guilt and madness drove him to take his own life in a local asylum. Witnesses claim to have heard the haunting scream on multiple occasions, often at dusk or in the early hours of the morning. The Great Cry of Ashingdon remains a mystery, with many believing that the spirit is doomed to relive the moment of his crime for eternity.
The incident is believed to have occurred during the Victorian era.
Location
Location Details
Nearby Haunted Places
Bocking Black Figure Ghost
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Ghostly Apparition at Horse and Groom
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Stay Nearby
Haunted hotels and accommodation near Lane winding past church

The Blue Boar Hotel
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Brook Red Lion Hotel
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Bull Hotel
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The Rose and Crown
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