There is indeed some disagreement about just how many identified ghosts there are there, on top of which a whole area called The Screaming Woods houses a multitude of unidentified spectres. Pluckley ’s most intriguing ghost story concerns Robert du Bois, a murderous highwayman who frequented the area, surprising his victims by using an old hollow oak tree at the crossroads - so fittingly called Fright Corner - as a hiding place. When his victims were at a disadvantage – as he could tell by spying through a hole in the thin wall of the ancient tree - he would emerge from it and pounce. Du Bois, however, made the mistake of using his trick once too often. It had become common knowledge in the district that the oak could yield a nasty surprise for the unwary, so one traveller took no chances and ran his sword through it as he reached the rotting remnant. The Highwayman was run clean through, as dead as his hiding place. The oak tree is long gone, but it is said du Bois still haunts that crossroads, perhaps embarrassed at his stupidity and undignified end, or maybe hoping to get his own back on the long dead traveller who took no chances.
Posted on: Wed, 30 Jul 2014 01:43:35 +0000
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