Hughenden Manor

High Wycombe
Buckinghamshire
HP14 4LA

History

Formally the home of Victorian Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli this Georgian mansion was recorded to even existed as far back as 1086 when it once formally part of Queen Edith’s lands held by William, son of Oger the Bishop of Bayeux. Disraeli purchased the Manor in 1848 to help represent a county and remodeled it in 1862 with the help of the architect Edward Buckton Lamb who designed the gothic motifs still seen today. The West wing was built after Disraeli’s death when it was owned by his nephew Coningsby. The house, park and woodlands total almost 1500 acres and the formal garden was designed by Lady Beaconsfield who died in 1872 and is buried as well as Disraeli in a vault beneath the church nearby. During the Second World War the Manor was used as a secret intelligence base code-named ‘Hillside’. The Manor was finally given to the National Trust in 1949 and was adapted for public access with the help of funds from the Disraelian Society and it is still home to Disraeli’s family portraits, furnishings and his library consisting of his novels inherited from his father and one even signed by Queen Victoria herself.

Paranormal Activity

Hughenden Manor is said to still be haunted by the spirit of Disraeli himself, a Victorian Prime Minster who owned the property in the 1800’s. He has often been spotted by visitors to the Manor on the upper floors as well as at the foot of the cellar stairs.

Ye Olde Swan Tavern

Newport Road
Woughton On The Green
Milton Keynes
MK6 3BS
Tel: 01908 679489
Fax: 01908 609181

History

This Tudor tavern is over 400 years old and is famous for its legend of Dick Turpin who is said to have stayed here frequently to escape from his crimes. A stone outside is believed to be that of Dick Turpin’s, which he used to mount his horse quickly. Also this building holds a secret in the cellar where a doorway leads to a passageway to the church across the road. This is believed to have been an escape route for the monks who were escaping from reformation during the reign of Henry VIII.

Paranormal Activity

Previous owners of the inn have reported many strange experiences. Geoff Bevan one landlord tells of some his strange experiences “We were redecorating one time and had the stalls on the tables but when we came down the next morning all the chairs would be on the floor. This was most strange as noone had been around to move them and no draft could move the chairs. That was quite spooky. Also one time the TV awaked me during the night downstairs. I thought it was my wife Dawn watching TV but thought it was strange to be doing so so late at night. I went downstairs and found the TV off but I could hear what sounded like a party, laughing and singing which when I entered downstairs just disappeared and faded into the distance. Dawn once mentioned to me about a time she saw a lady looking at the lunch menu, she said that the food wouldn’t be ready for another hour but the woman just walked away and disappeared into a wall. Many customers report being pushed at the bar, I always laugh now when they say. One daunting experience though was when a large heavy jug which was hanging up behind the bar just decided to fly off and land the right way up on the floor, right in front of customers during a Friday lunchtime. The bread in the kitchen seems to fly off sometimes too, its always the bread, I don’t know why but its like someone wants us to know its there but uses bread as it cant do much damage. My daughter has spotted a man walking through walls upstairs once. I’ve also seen what looks like a man in a cloak in the bar downstairs.” It is also said that curse beholds the stone outside that once belonged to Dick Turpin and that if anyone is to move it something bad would happen to them. Well one customer decided to try this theory and moved the stone but just a week later he was involved in a rather bad car accident.

Hellfire Caves

West Wycombe Caves Ltd
High Wycombe
Bucks
HP14 3AJ

Tel: 01494 533739
Fax: 01494 471617
www.hellfirecaves.co.uk

History

The West Wycombe Caves are a series of caves excavated to provide unemployed farm workers with jobs, and chalk to build a main road between Wycombe and High Wycombe. The caves were excavated between 1740 and 1750 by Sir Francis Dashwood. It is said that Dashwood held meetings of the notorious 'Hellfire Club' in the caves. Made up of prominent members of society, the club had an infamous reputation for orgies, debauchery and devil worship. One of the claims is that there were 12 original 'brothers' who elected an Abbott each year. The privileged position was held by - among others - Sir Thomas Stapleton and Sir Francis Dashwood. The brothers were given pseudonyms to conceal their actual identities. However, there are differing reports about what actually went on down in the tunnels.

Paranormal Activity

Legend has it that a woman named Sukie, a chamber maid, had gone to meet her lover in the caves, dressed in a white wedding dress but in a cruel practical joke, she found a group of local lads there instead, and was stoned to death. Her ghost is said to haunt the caves. The ghosts of other members of the Hellfire Club are rumoured to wander the dark halls. On one occasion, a girl who was visiting the caves became separated from her group and carried down one of the tunnels but she became lost and very frightened. Suddenly, the temperature dropped and she felt as if someone was following her. When she turned, she could see a man, in old-fashioned clothing, who vanished as quickly as he appeared. Many strange sounds and strange echoes have also been reported here.