forget

They witnessed something inexplicable…

As a child, I relocated to a secluded hamlet near Wimborne in Dorset. This hamlet was situated less than a mile from the now-deserted and dilapidated Knowlton Church, a medieval building that’s reputedly haunted. When I was younger, I seldom visited Knowlton Church, but my fascination with its history and purported ghostly inhabitants grew after we moved away.

The church itself is reputed to be among Dorset’s most haunted locations – and with good reason. This Norman place of worship, erected in the 12th century, stands at the heart of a Neolithic ritual henge, a site of pagan worship.

According to the English Heritage website, the church symbolises the region’s shift from pagan to Christian worship.

It’s thought that parts of the church were built using some of the ancient standing stones found on the site, reports the Express.

However, it’s not just the church that gives Knowlton its distinctive character. The parish church also stands in the centre of earthworks.

According to the English Heritage website, the Neolithic earthwork “is one of the great Neolithic and Bronze Age ceremonial complexes in southern England”.

The main earthwork, known as ‘Church Henge’, encircles the church and has been protected from plough damage, while the others are only discernible in aerial photographs.

The church and village’s history fascinates me, but during my teenage years, one aspect drew me back to Knowlton: the ghosts.

One evening, my mates and I decided to venture back to the church in hopes of catching a glimpse of the alleged ghosts.

The church is reportedly haunted by several spirits, including a phantom horse and rider who are seen galloping across the grounds at night, even passing through the church itself; a ghostly face that materialises in the top window of the tower; and, some claim, a sobbing woman kneeling outside the building.

I’ve always been a believer in ghosts and the supernatural, but I’d never had a personal encounter with the paranormal.

We parked the car near the church, its headlights illuminating the building, and waited for something eerie to occur. At first, nothing happened.

We nervously chatted and giggled, our eyes glued to the medieval structure.

Then, out of nowhere, the church vanished from sight, as if shrouded by a dark veil. We all screamed and jumped in our seats as the building disappeared, only to reappear moments later as if nothing had transpired.

My initial reaction was one of fear; what on earth had I just witnessed? Was this some sort of prank? Was someone watching us, trying to frighten us off?

My gut told me to bolt. Some of my friends felt the same way and wanted to leave, but one was keen to investigate further. We quickly agreed it was safer to head home.

While my encounter was certainly out of the ordinary, I’m not alone in experiencing supernatural phenomena at Knowlton Church. Cheryl, a local from Salisbury, told Bournemouth Echo in 2022 that she’s convinced she spotted a ghost there.

Upon reviewing her photographs of the church, she noticed something peculiar: a shadowy figure lurking in an archway.

Other adventurers and self-proclaimed ghost hunters also claim they’ve had similar eerie experiences.

Today, Knowlton is a quaint hamlet nestled in a secluded location, but centuries ago, it was a thriving village teeming with life. It’s thought that the bubonic plague, infamously known as the ‘Black Death’, decimated the population in the late 15th century.

The survivors abandoned their homes and relocated, leaving the dwellings to decay. Over time, the structures were ploughed into the ground, though their foundations are still visible in certain areas today.

Despite the village being deserted, it’s believed the church continued to serve its purpose until the 18th century, when the roof caved in. However, local lore suggests the church fell into disrepair after its bell was stolen and tossed into the river.

Depending on who you ask, the bell was either taken by the Devil himself or a band of thieves attempted to snatch it but were thwarted by a witch.

As for what I witnessed that night, I can’t say for certain. It could have been mere mist or a play of light, but the feeling it evoked will forever be etched in my memory.

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After spending last summer interrailing around Europe, one journalist and ‘travel addict’ has named his favourite place – and it’s so close to the UK.

If you’re planning a holiday for this year, the choice of destinations can sometimes feel overwhelming. There are so many amazing places to choose from, many of which are just a few short hours’ flight away in Europe.

But one journalist and ‘travel addict’ who has visited 27 countries in total recently went interrailing around Europe and discovered his new favourite place.

It had ‘endless experiences’ to offer, from a rich history to amazing landscapes and underrated food too. Brian Dillon from The Express said: “Jumping from hostel to hostel between seven cities in these five countries, Germany blew me away. I had been to Germany in the past, and every time I go there, I have a completely different experience.”

He had previously visited Berlin but spent time in Munich and Stuttgart in the summer – and they all offered a unique experience.

But the highlight of his visit had to be Munich, as he explained: “This city simply blew me away. First arriving in the Bavarian city on a train from Vienna, I was impressed by the architecture. It seemed like at every turn, there was another stunning building to gawk at.

“The historic Old Town was superbly charming, and you really feel like you have been transported back in time to a centuries-old Germany. However, one aspect of Munich that I fell in love with was its local parks.

“Every major city has some nice parks to explore. But Munich does it differently. Not only are the green spaces here stunning, but they all have lovely beer gardens where you truly feel like you are living like a local when you sit there, sipping a local beer and taking in the unique surroundings. “

Stuttgart was quieter, but Brian was happy to spend the day exploring before moving on to his next destination.

And Berlin is a ‘thrilling city’ too – partly due to tourist attractions like the Brandenburg Gate and the Berlin Wall but also thanks to the unique bars, markets and ‘otherworldly’ nightclubs.

But it’s not just the cities that impressed Brian. The natural landscapes are beautiful too, as Brian wrote: “When I travelled on a sleeper train between Brussels and Prague, much of my journey was spent speeding through the stunning German countryside. The sweeping green fields, the old-timy villages and the staggering mountains were a sight to behold. Waking up in a train cabin and seeing all of this first thing in the morning is an experience I will never forget.”

So if you’re in need of some inspiration on where to book your next holiday, Germany is a fantastic option. Brian added: “If you were to tell me that for my next holiday, I had to go back to a country I had been to before, I would book a flight to Germany. Although I have been to three different cities and through stunning countryside, I suspect that this country has a lot more for me to experience.

“The port city of Hamburg, the historic Cologne, the Christmas markets in Dresden, and the classic architecture of Nuremberg are definitely on my bucket list.”