Large felines, the smell of toast and sights of Old Nick are among the ghost stories that have been recorded in the Banbury and Chipping Norton area.
Whether or not you believe in them is another matter! Either way, they offer fascinating tales, some based around our local history.
These tales come from the website, Paranormal Database (www.paranormaldatabase.com), described as “a serious ongoing project to document locations with folkloric, paranormal and cryptozoological connections”.
1. St Mary's Church Adderbury
This church is one of three in the area (Bloxham and King's Sutton being the other two) that were paid for by three brothers. One of their workers who helped construct this tower never took any pay, never slept and never ate - he vanished as soon as the tower was built. The brothers were convinced that they were helped by Old Nick. Photo: Submitted Image
2. Former Co-op Travel Shop, White Lion Walk, Banbury
An entity here locks the toilet door, creates the smell of toast, and knocks files of documentation from the shelves. Photo: Submitted Image
3. Crouch Hill, Banbury
During the construction of the churches at Bloxham, Adderbury and King's Sutton, the Devil was thought to have lent a hand. During the work he slipped and dropped some of the mortar he was carrying, thus creating Crouch Hill. Photo: Submitted Image
4. Middleton Road, Banbury
A couple living in a Victorian property were subjected to several months of phantom activity. Footsteps were heard in a room where one witness was sitting, a room was ransacked by an invisible entity, and a solid wood trap door to the attic raised itself 45 degrees for several minutes. The house was finally blessed, but the occupiers moved out not wanting to wait to discover whether the blessing was successful. Photo: Submitted Image