Neil Arnold – författare

Although only 30 or so square miles in size, the Isle of Sheppey, situated off the coast of Kent, is one of the most atmospheric locations in Britain. Its windswept marshes and rugged coastlines provide the ideal habitat for a diversity of wildlife and the island boasts some very old buildings. But these fog-enshrouded marshes and ancient structures also harbour several unnerving ghost stories. All manner of apparitions have been sighted or rumoured here – from spectral smugglers and ghostly animals to phantom monks, as well as a wealth of other spine-tingling phenomena. Folklorist Neil Arnold takes to the eerie fields and darkest corners of the Isle of Sheppey to unravel just who and what haunts this mystical island.

For the first time, the historic town of Maidstone gives up its darkest and eeriest secrets. Including previously unpublished accounts of ghostly activity and re-examining classic cases, this is a treasure trove of original material and atmospheric photography. From tales of haunted buildings to ghosts witnessed on winding roads, this volume of the strange sheds light on some of the town’s scariest mysteries as we peer into its darkest corners. With a foreword by Sean Tudor, the Blue Bell Hill ghost expert, it unravels stories which will send a shiver down the spine of any resident, historian or ghost-hunter.

From screaming woods and hellhounds to phantom planes, poltergeists and apparitions, this collection of hauntings – which includes stories from Pluckley, reputedly Britain’s most ghost-infested village – unearths the ghostly secrets of Ashford, the heart of the ‘Garden of England’. Featuring an array of haunted priories, public houses, castles and churchyards, including many spiritual encounters that have never appeared in print before, Haunted Ashford will delight everyone with an interest in the darker side of the area’s history. Neil Arnold, who has researched the area for many years, is a full-time writer and paranormal researcher.

Chatham is a town steeped in history and strange folklore, but much of its ghostly past, and present, remains unwritten. For the first time ever the spectral secrets of this place are uncovered as we delve into ghost stories obscure and well known. The book features an array of haunted houses and shops, and sheds new light on classic local legends at locations like Chatham Dockyard and Fort Amherst. Many stories appear for the first time in print, with information gained first-hand from witnesses who’ve experienced the phenomena. Richly illustrated, Haunted Chatham is your guide to one of Kent’s most supernatural places.

Tunbridge Wells is a town steeped in history — and history, of course, means ghost stories. Join Neil Arnold for a unique and spine-tingling excursion into the darkest corners and eeriest locations of this old town. Be chilled by all manner of sinister tales and things that do more than just bump in the night. Meet the phantoms of the Pantiles — said to number at least twenty, and stroll through a plethora of haunted shops, houses and ancient woodlands. After this creepy jaunt you’ll never see this delightful town in quite the same light, so grab your candle and hold your nerve and prepare to meet a gaggle of ghouls and ghosts and other twilight terrors of Tunbridge Wells.

Do motorists pick up a phantom hitchhiker on Blue Bell Hill during stormy nights? Does Satan appear if you dance round the Devil's Bush in the village of Pluckley? Do big cats roam the local woods? And what happens if you manage to count the 'Countless Stones' near Aylesford? For centuries strange urban legends have materialised in the Garden of England. Now, for the first time, folklorist and monster-hunter Neil Arnold looks at these intriguing tales, strips back the layers, and reveals if there is more to these Chinese whispers than meets the eye. Folklore embeds itself into a local community, often to the extent that some people believe all manner of mysteries and take them as fact. Whether they’re stories passed around the school playground, through the internet, or round a flickering campfire, urban legends are everywhere. Kent Urban Legends is a quirky and downright spooky ride into the heart of Kent folklore.