Littledean is a village in the Forest of Dean, west Gloucestershire, England. The village has a long history and formerly had the status of a town. Littledean Hall was originally a Saxon hall, although it has been rebuilt and the current house dates back to 1612. The remains of a Roman temple are situated in the grounds. Neither the hall or Roman remains are open to the public.
Collectively, the villages and the surrounding wood (Forest of Dean) were mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Dene, and appear as Dena in 1130.
Why Littledean?
It’s out of the way. Isolated. It has more history than you can shake a stick at, and more ghosts to boot. I just really like the idea of horror in, “little England”. At least, until you start reaching beyond this world, at any rate.
Locations
- Littledean Camp
- Littledean Hall
- Littledean Jail House
- St. Ethelbert’s Church
- Temple of Sabrina
Ghost Tales
There’s a local story about a house that had such a reputation for being haunted that no one would go near it. After a succession of people only staying in the house for a few weeks at a time, due to the haunting, after a while it became abandoned. After a few years the house was demolished. The story tells of a brother and sister who had an incestuous relationship and had given birth to a daughter. The whole village were against them, the man lost his job and couldn’t find anymore work, they were ostracised by everyone. They eventually gave up and committed suicide after killing their baby daughter.
A house known as The Red House or Brayne Court dates back to just after the Battle of Hastings where it was originally built as a keep to protect the local communities from raiders. It was converted into a residential property in Medieval times when it was bought by the local, wealthy Brayne family. The Brayne family sold the house in the 18th Century when it was then used as a pin factory and then in the 19th Century it became the local workhouse for the poor, with the poorest of the community having to live in the attic space which was only accessed by ladder which was removed at night.
At night, the ghost of a very tall man who wears a black suit and a top hat is seen walking around he grounds. Shadows and blured figures have been seen through the windows and a young girl, around 12 years old, sticking her tongue out at people before disappearing.
People visiting the nearby Littledean House Hotel have seen a man wearing a velvet cap and cape has been seen walking around the hotel.
The 17th century Church Farm has had sightings of a lady who wears a long grey dress, she walks silently around the outside of the house.
A man hunched over, carry a heavy sack on his back is often seen at nearby Gun Mills.
The ghost of a horse and its rider is often seen riding amongst the ruins of nearby Flaxley Abbey along with people witnessing strange sounds, walking shadows of monks and a white mist.
Littledean Jail, which is now a museum to the strange and macabre, holds some very strange and interesting artefacts. It contains the shovel of the notorious serial killer Fred West, various paraphernalia that belonged to the Kray Twins and much more.
One of the old jail doors is known to open by itself, it needs a 6 inch key to unlock it and is also secured by two iron bolts. People have also heard the sound of people walking around the upstairs part of the prison when no one else is in the building.
Interesting Facts
It’s Never 11 O’Clock in Littledean
The 12th century parish of Littledean is dedicated to St Ethelbert, the 8th century Saxon king. It’s worth looking up if you visit Littledean, at the tower on St Ethelbert’s Church to the south of the village. The obvious first thing you’ll notice is that the spire is just a stump, having been destroyed in a gale in the 1894. But look carefully at the clock face… where there should be the roman numeral for eleven - XI - it has been wrongly painted as nine - IX! So it’s never 11 o’clock in Littledean.