The Stomping Boots of Besford
In the rolling fields around Besford, a strange and gruesome legend has been etched into the local folklore. They say that a man who mistreated his hunting hounds met a grisly end at the jaws of his own pets. The story goes that the dogs finally turned on their master and ate him, leaving nothing but his boots behind. And it's these boots that are said to still roam the fields, aimlessly stomping across the land, flattening crops and grass in their wake.
This eerie tale has been passed down through the years, and while its origins are shrouded in mystery, it's clear that the story has become an integral part of the region's paranormal heritage. The haunting manifestation, dubbed 'These Boots are Made for Walking', is a type of ghostly apparition that's said to occur at unspecified times. There's no concrete evidence to pinpoint the exact date or time of the haunting, but the legend has been a topic of discussion among locals for centuries.
The legend of the stomping boots is rooted in local folklore, with tales of a cruel landowner meeting a grisly end at the hands of his own animals.
Location
Location Details
Nearby Haunted Places
Mistress Hicks Witch Haunting
Road and fields surrounding Harvington Hall, Bromsgrove
The rolling hills and countryside roads around Harvington Hall in Bromsgrove are said to be haunted by the restless spirit of Mistress Hicks, a woman accused of witchcraft and executed in the area. Locals claim that she still walks the roads and fields, particularly around the A448/A450, where her malevolent presence is still felt today. They say she was blamed for raising storms and afflicting local women and children with bizarre and terrifying symptoms, including vomiting pins.
The Vanishing Boy of Avoncroft
Avoncroft Museum, Bromsgrove
Avoncroft Museum is home to a plethora of historic buildings, including the Merchant's House, where a rather eerie encounter took place on 31 March 2013. During a re-enactment event, one participant caught sight of a boy standing by the fireplace, dressed in a red tunic and sporting shoulder-length wavy hair. The boy looked no older than thirteen and wore a brown leather belt around his waist. As the participant approached him, the young lad suddenly vanished into thin air.
Poltergeist of Navigation Inn
Navigation Inn Inn, Stoke Prior
The Navigation Inn in Stoke Prior is home to a mischievous poltergeist known as Alice. This troubled spirit is said to haunt the ladies' toilets, which were once the site of the old kitchen where Alice met her untimely demise. Her story is one of tragedy, with reports suggesting she either took her own life or was brutally murdered within these very walls. Guests and staff have reported strange occurrences, including the sound of breaking plates, thuds, and bangs emanating from one of the toilet cubicles. The disturbances are said to cease when Alice is acknowledged, leaving many to wonder about the story behind this restless spirit.
Drowned Girl of Forge Mill
Forge Mill Needle Museum and Bordesley Abbey, Redditch
Imagine walking through the grounds of Forge Mill Needle Museum in Redditch, the sound of water gently lapping against the edges of the old mill pond, when suddenly you catch a glimpse of a phantom woman. This is the reported haunting known as the Drowned Girl, a spirit said to roam the area where Bordesley Abbey once stood. The mill, now a museum showcasing the history of needle making, seems to be connected to the ghostly apparition of a woman who allegedly drowned herself in the pond.
Mary Yates Ghost Harvington Hall
Harvington Hall, Bromsgrove
Harvington Hall has been home to a rather unsettling presence for many years. The ghostly elderly woman seen by several people on the site is believed to be Mary Yates, a former owner of the building in the seventeenth century. According to local legend, Mary was hanged for witchcraft at a crossroads outside the park, and it's said that she still haunts the hall and the spot where she met her untimely demise. Some people have also reported seeing a phantom old man with a pipe and an Edwardian woman wandering the halls.
The Droitwich Cavalier Ghost
Three unnamed houses on Chawsen estate, Droitwich Spa
Chawsen Estate in Droitwich Spa has been home to a rather unexpected resident - a ghostly Cavalier. It was back in 1979 when several residents from different houses on the estate started reporting sightings of this phantom figure. One man even claimed to have watched the entity walk through a wall, leaving him understandably shaken. The Cavalier's appearances seem to have been confined to a few houses on the estate, but the fact that multiple people witnessed it suggests that there's more to this story than just a simple hallucination.
Stay Nearby
Haunted hotels and accommodation near Fields around Besford
