Revealed: Six of the most haunted places in the Downs

With Halloween just around the corner, the South Downs authority has revealed the most haunted spots you can visit in the national park.

Devil's Dyke is just five miles north of Brighton (Image: Tim Heaton)

1. Devil’s Dyke

It is no surprise that Devil’s Dyke is a spooky place given its namesake. According to local legend, the devil decided to stop the Christian conversion of Sussex by digging through the downs, letting in the sea and drowning all the people. The earth thrown up by his digging is said to have formed the hills around this haunted valley.

The Long Man of Wilmington is said to immortalise a man who died on the hill (Image: Steve Daniels)

2. The Long Man of Wilmington

Also known as Wilmington giant, this hill figure sits on the steep slopes of Windover Hill and is shrouded in spooky myths. One local legend claims that the Long Man of Wilmington is a memorial to a giant from the hill who fell and broke his neck. Another suggests a fight between the long man and another giant ended in his death.

An ancient yew at Kingley Vale. Legend has it, this tree tranforms into a human form by moonlight (Image: Simon Burchell)

3. Kingley Vale

Known for its twisted and ancient yews, this vale includes a grove of trees which are among the oldest living things in Britain. It is no wonder, then, that it is shrouded in tales of hauntings. Legend has it the woods are haunted by Viking leaders buried here in the 9th century. One story suggests that the gnarled trees transform into human forms at moonlight.

Racton Ruin is said to be haunted by ghosts (Image: Colin Smith)

4. Racton Ruin

Sometimes caled the spookiest place in Sussex, this ruin is an 80 foot tall folly that was built in the 1770s. People have reported a range of paranormal sightings here, including ghosts and bricks being thrown from the top of the tower. As legend has it, there is a ghost tractor in the fields that comes right up to you, then disappears.

5. Upwaltham

A village wise woman called the Ol’ Sary Weaver lived at Upwaltham in the 1800s. Lore tells of her being a witch who could turn herself into a hare. It is said that two country workers were resting under a hedge when they saw a hare bounding along. They had suspicions it was the Ol’ Sary Weaver and threw a stone at the hare’s leg, causing it to let out a harrowing screech. That night, the wise woman was seen in the village hobbling to her cottage, struggling with the same leg.

Lore says the devil can be summoned at Chanctonbury Ring (Image: Prioryman)

6. Chanctonbury Ring

This prehistoric hill fort gets its name from the beech trees planted in a circle at the top. The trees were first planted in 1760, but long before it was the site of Bronze Age burials and a Roman temple. According to folklore, walking anticlockwise seven times round the ring will summon the Devil, ready to offer you a bowl of milk, soup or porridge in exchange for your soul.

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Dawn Nelson, the park’s storyteller, said: “Beneath the rolling downs, misty woods and ancient barrows are layers of voices.

“Humans are storytelling animals and the history of the landscape is woven into some really weird and wonderful stories.

“These local legends certainly add to the magic of the beautiful landscape, so I would encourage people to get out and explore this Halloween!”