With Halloween almost upon us, there's no better time to delve into the Kent ghost stories which have been passed down through generations.

Here we take a look at the most haunted places dotted around the county - from haunted woods and roads, to scary pubs and wedding venues...

Reculver

Sounds of a baby crying are said to be regularly heard during the night at Reculver Towers in Herne Bay.

The remains of infants were uncovered at the former Roman fort site in the 1960s.

As stated in Haunted Kent, it is believed young babies may have been used as sacrifices and placed in the foundations to protect the fort from evil spirits.

The chilling cries are thought to be calls for freedom from their endless entrapment in the stonework.

No source for the noise has ever been discovered by those claiming to hear it.

Hever Castle

Henry VIII's tragic second wife Anne Boleyn is believed to haunt her childhood home of Hever Castle, near Tunbridge Wells, in a number of forms.

She is said to delicately wander the castle grounds while bearing a sweet smile as she explores her former home in memory of happier and more innocent times.

It is thought her ghostly body was brought back to Hever in a spectral carriage following her execution at the Tower of London.

A more gruesome phantom of the former Queen of England is also said to haunt the grounds. Reports of her being seen walking with her severed head tucked neatly under her arm have been told through generations.

Bridge

A Celtic chariot drawn by two horses is said to charge down the Canterbury village's Watling Street during the night.

It is believed the chariot, which bears a warrior grasping a spear, is on its way to join a fight against the invading Romans.

A battle involving the legendary Julius Caesar against the Celts is said to have taken place in Bridge in the 1st century. The ghostly chariot tale is seemingly associated with the ancient battle.

St Augustine's Priory

Today, the priory in Bislington, near Ashford, is one of the county’s top wedding venues, where couples leave happily, hand in hand.

But phantom monks are thought to haunt the site, while another of the priory’s dark secrets is that of the evil Black Canon, who was bricked up behind a wall as punishment for a hideous crime.

Visitors to the priory have since reported hearing the sound of knocking coming from the walls, which is believed to be the Black Canon attempting to escape.

Royal Victoria and Bull Hotel

An urban myth has built up around this old coaching inn in Dartford town centre.

Ghostly residents are said to include a cavalier – whose presence is smelt from the cigar he smokes – and a dog that helpfully warms the feet of guests.

However, the most repeated stories are those of the ghost of a petulant eight-year-old who is said to still stalk the Grade II-listed building’s corridors.

The girl, Winifred, is said to have died of tuberculosis in the hotel, and her ghost has been reported to have smashed windows and glasses in response to changes at the hotel.

Deal

Folklore tells the tale of the Grey Lady who wonders through the woods in Deal.

Tradition has it that the Grey Lady was a woman killed in an accident by a horse and cart, either on the main road or the road approaching Oxney Court, while fetching water.

There have even been accounts of the mysterious woman boarding a double decker bus and climbing the stairs to the upper deck, but when a member of staff went to collect her fare there was nobody there.

Faversham

A tale as old as time haunts Faversham, which was once recognised as one of the most haunted towns in the country.

Legend has it that there is a headless woman who wanders through Bysing Wood.

Diana was the daughter of the land owner of Syndale Manor, which is now known as Judd's Folly.

One evening she was walking home with her husband when they were attacked. Her lover was only slightly injured but Diana was decapitated.

Now her restless soul is believed to wander the route looking for her partner, her head tucked under her arm.

It's known by some as Diana's Walk.

The Black Horse

Standing in the heart of Pluckley, near Ashford, The Black Horse is thought to be inhabited by an invisible phantom known for moving glasses and belongings which can go missing for days on end.

Coats draped over the backs of chairs also mysteriously make their way to hooks by the pub's front door.

Chislehurst Caves

The dark, eerie caves have supposedly had poltergeist activity as well as numerous sightings dating back years.

These range from a woman who drowned many years ago in a pool deep in the tunnels, to a cavalier, a horse, a woman pushing a pram, a druid, an imp and even a black dog.

The Ringlestone Inn

Footsteps of an unknown individual are often heard making their way up the steps from the cellar at the Ringlestone pub in Harrietsham.

As the noisy ghost nears the ground floor of the pub, it's expected he will become visible. However, when he nears the top, the footsteps cease and the ghost remains illusive.

It is thought the phantom has never made it to the bar and continues to linger in the cellar - occasionally heard moving barrels around the floor.

Blue Bell Hill

One of the most famous ghost tales around, the mysteries of Blue Bell Hill are well known.

In 1972, Bob Vandepeer said he gave a lift to a girl on the hill only to later turn around and discover the hitchhiker had vanished from the back of the car.

And then in 1971, James Skene was driving home from work when he says a girl in her early 20s suddenly appeared in front of his car. He gave her a lift to Chatham, but when she got out she disappeared.

Numerous apparent sightings have followed, with shocked drivers detailing how they have spotted a bride in the road, or even spoken to her about her upcoming wedding before she completely vanishes.

The tale originates from a fatal crash on the road in 1965, when bride-to-be Suzanne Browne tragically died along with two friends.

She was due to marry a RAF technician the following day but her Ford Cortina spun out of control and collided with a Jaguar heading the other way.

Despite a common belief that she died on the road, it was actually her friend, Judith Lingham, who lost her life there. Miss Browne and Patricia Ferguson died a few days later in Maidstone Hospital.

Tunbridge Wells

A ghostly white limousine is said to have been spotted on numerous occasions around the roads of Tunbridge Wells.

The luxury car, which dates from the 1920s, is seen on the B2169 towards Bayham Abbey.

It is believed to park up on the side of the road before shimmering and vanishing without trace as soon as intrigued onlookers approach.

Leeds Castle

The imprisoned Duchess of Gloucester was held at the castle, near Maidstone, for the remainder of her life in the 1400s on charges of practising witchcraft.

Her magic was said to conjure up a huge black dog which began to wander around the castle grounds. As stated in Kent Ghost Stories, the phantom animal is thought to be the suspected sorceress in canine form - or the Duchess' familiar spirit.

Laying eyes on the beast as it roams around the grounds is thought to bring misfortune on the witness.

The Coopers Arms

Formerly a priory, one of Kent's oldest pubs, The Coopers Arms in St Margaret's Street, Rochester, is believed to be haunted by a phantom monk who appears once a year in November.

The monk was said to be buried alive in the walls and left to die for committing an unforgivable sin against the Brethren of Coopers.

Now, he hauntingly reappears, coming out from his walled grave. Some say he has a look of anger on his face before returning from where he came and reappearing the following year.

Richborough

Marching through the fog, a column of Roman soldiers are said to have been seen at the ruins of the Roman fort near Sandwich.

A once mighty fortification, Richborough was a base for a legion of soldiers. Footsteps of phantoms are said to be heard before the noise grows into a steady march.

The Roman warriors can sometimes be seen making their way through the mist - forever marching.

Dartford

Over the years, there have been ghostly goings-ons in Dartford town centre's library.

Appearing on TV show Most Haunted back in 2007, paranormal investigators visited the Market Street site and discovered it was being inhabited by the ghost of Kathleen Woods, the daughter of the first-ever librarian, who died in the 1960s.

In the episode, eerie knocks could be heard, books flew off shelves, and a hand slid up the leg of the show's host, Yvette Fielding.

Other strange poltergeist activity included a ghostly presence on the stairs, and sightings of an old lady accompanied by a lavender smell.

Famous medium David Wells appeared on the show and said he could hear the clunking of machinery, and the distant crying of a woman, as well as the smell of burning metal and sweat.

Wye

Unnerving and unsettling, haunted White Hill in Wye, near Ashford, is thought to be home to the ghost of a beautiful woman in her 30s, dressed in a long coat.

She is believed to appear in the middle of the road just as a car approaches.

Instead of moving out of the way, she turns and hauntingly smiles directly at the driver just before impact.

As stated in Haunted Places of Kent, one motorist in 2000 recalled hearing a sickening thump and slammed on his brakes. There were, however, so signs of blood or impact.

White Hill connects Challock to the A28 near Wye.

Dover Castle

Kent's most impressive castle is said to be home to numerous ghosts, and the most impressive is that of a headless drummer boy from Napoleonic times.

The night-time phantom is thought to be the ghost of a youngster who was on watch duty patrolling the castle's battlements in case of a French invasion.

Believed to be the unfortunate witness of a crime, his decapitated body was found beneath the castle walls.

Now forever keeping watch, the headless boy is said to still patrol the battlements with his drum hanging by his side.

Other spectres to linger at the castle include a soldier in the Second World War tunnels, a lady in red inside the keep, and a cloaked gentleman sporting a large hat from the 1600s.

Patrixbourne

Eccentric millionaire Count Louis Zborowski built his Chitty Chitty Bang Bang racecar in Patrixbourne, outside Canterbury.

Fitted with a huge engine, the car won numerous races in the 1920s, and the Count - who lived at Higham House - was seen testing his machinery on Kent's village roads.

His famous creation inspired Ian Fleming's classic children's book, with a flying car of the same name.

Zborowski, who even raced in the Indy 500, was tragically killed during the Italian Grand Prix in 1924 while driving a different Mercedes.

Following his death, villagers in Patrixbourne began to see visions of a ghostly Chitty Chitty Bang Bang thundering through the lanes.

It is said the phantom car races down the old A2 before returning to Higham House.

The Walnut Tree Inn

The 14th century pub, in Aldington, near Ashford, was once the headquarters of The Aldington Gang, a group of smugglers who brought in goods across the Romney Marsh.

One night while waiting for a signal from colleagues, some of the gang began playing cards, violence erupted and one member slit the throat of another.

Nowadays the murderer can be heard at night taking the body to the well to be disposed of. Sometimes the sounds of scuffling and a body being dragged outside can also be heard.

Pluckley

Pluckley, near Ashford, is known for its paranormal activities and has held a Guinness World Record from 1989 to prove it.

Between 12 and 16 ghosts haunt the village, including a screaming man, a highwayman who appears at Fright Corner, and a schoolmaster found hanged by a group of children.

Another well-known local tale is of the Watercress Woman. It is said she is the spirit of an elderly woman who burnt to death when she fell asleep smoking a pipe.

Rochester Castle

Having been fatally shot in the heart with a crossbow bolt not intended for her, Lady Blanche de Warrenne is said to regularly haunt her place of death at Rochester Castle.

She had won the hearts of a number of men in the 13th century and was unlucky enough to become a tragic victim of a quarrel.

A bolt shot by her future husband, Ralph de Capo, was intended to kill admirer Gilbert de Clare, but it glanced off his armour and pierced Lady Blanche's heart.

As described in Ghosthunter Walks in Kent, Lady Blanche appears hundreds of years after her death with her long hair fluttering in the breeze.

Pacing back and forth along the battlements and wearing a gown, she can be glimpsed briefly before vanishing.

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