your comments
Tom, Broughton
I have been up the old warren many times and I don't think that there is one area that I have left unexplored. But one time I went up there with a friend. As I went to catch him up a stick hit me in the back. I turned around and picked it up and showed my friend. We also looked behind us and could see no one. We carried on going up the trail when we could see that there was nothing more up there so we turned back. As we were walking back down the same stick hit me in the back in the exact same part of the trail. The same as before we looked around and no one was there. Me and my friend sprinted down the trail and jumped over the gate. I haven't been to that part of the woods in 1 and a half years since it happened.
Mon Jun 8 10:18:41 2009
Mike, the old Warren
One night at the old Warren me and my mates saw a little boy on a trike riding up the hill. He went passed us and vanished. We ran inside and went on this website.
Fri Apr 3 08:54:35 2009
Dave, Broughton
Hi, I've not been on this site for some time now so haven't kept up on what's been happening up the old warren. I live on the Broadoak Estate like many who contribute to this site. The house I live in is most definitely haunted, things happen on a fairly regular basis but don't spook me, guess I'm so used to it. Footsteps upstairs when there is nobody upstairs is a very regular thing, the dogs barking at things you can't see when they don't normally bark happens regularly and shadows out of the corner of your eye is another regular occurrence but I wouldn't swap living here for anything.
Fri Jan 2 09:41:52 2009
Kenny Jones, Broughton
Hi Donna, yes you do need a permit, but I have been loads of times without one. As long as you keep to the paths there should be no problem.
Fri Jan 2 09:36:14 2009
Donna, Broughton
Can anyone help me? I go walking up the Warren with my two dogs. At the top, there is a metal gate and a sign saying "private". I assume this is the castle grounds. I have seen people walking in there many times, however unable to speak to them. Is there a permit or something to allow access or do people just walk in there regardless of the signs?
Mon Dec 29 09:23:53 2008
RS Broughton
Hia all. Re Mike - Dobshill - really interesting what you said, because the old tales about the floating vicar (retold in local book 'Haunted Clwyd') tell the story of the vicar as floating a couple of feet from the ground, suggesting that maybe way back when he was walking that route, the road or pathway may have been higher than it is today. It seems like this kind of ties in with the height thing, don't you think?
Mon Nov 24 10:34:58 2008
Steve, Bretton
I believe the name 'Broughton' has a dark link to the supernatural, and Broughton is unparalleled in paranormal activity! The name Broughton is popular throughout the world and misery usually follows, for example, Broughton in Brisbane: Several deaths in a mental home, outbreaks of highly infectious viral gastroenteritis cases. Broughton New York: Mental home staff shortages, loss of accreditation following a hospital survey and the list goes on. By the way Ffordd Cledwen no doubts shares a plethora of similar misery as the houses were built on the ground of a former mental home, honestly the area must be brimming with 'activity'.
Mon Nov 17 08:20:19 2008
RS from Broughton
Hia all, interesting to find this page. I'm writing this from my house near the Warren on a very dark and rainy night, and myself have heard the tale of the old vicar and the naked jogger. It can be very spooky up there in the dark, and we've spent many nights in those woods and around the lake, but never seen anything I'm glad to say. Apart from anything, it's really beautiful up there, and it's a pleasure to live so near by. One thing I'm really interested in though, even if it's slightly off the subject, is the amount of psychic activity. I've heard about many of the houses on the Broad Oak estste, my own included. It seems weird that a small-ish estate appears to have been affected by this type of phenonemon.My theory is that when the local council began renovating many of the council houses during the eighties, this somehow 'woke up' a lot of weird energies. As I said, my own house was affected, and I had to have it 'cleared' three times before things quietened down. Someone suggested the estate being near a line between St Mary's chuch and the old Methodist chapel may have had some significance too. Anybody else out there got anything to report?
Fri Oct 24 08:04:05 2008
Steve Brown
A old man tends the walls and fences, he looks very old and could easily be mistaken for an apparition, there was a lady praying about half way down the warren 29 years ago, she looked like a witch and could have easily been there conjouring up some dark evil perhaps?
Mon Oct 20 08:39:09 2008
Kenny Jones
Hi Archie, a friend of mine heard beaufiful singing coming from the lake area in the '70s.
Mon Oct 13 08:52:44 2008
Archie
I recently went fishing down the Old Warren with a friend, heard the sound of children whistling a tune at 2am. Very spooky. I will never go night fishing there again - too freaky!
Mon Oct 6 08:23:46 2008
Kenny Jones
Hi Jane, I was brought up in Broughton and I knew the old hall very well. Yes, the old hall did have a peculiar history about it but it's been very hard to find out about its past events, and its real history. It did have a few spooks about the place. Why it was pulled down in the first place is beyound me. Another piece of history gone forever.
Wed Sep 3 08:31:59 2008
Jane from Northwich
I lived in Broughton from age 8 to getting married. When we bought our house, it backed on to some woods and I think there were the remains of an old hall there. Not long after this the Barratt Estate and the Offas Dyke pub were built. I definitely heard strange things in our house, cupboard doors closing and someone sitting down on the leather sofa. My mum heard someone walking downstairs one morning when no-one was up and was so traumatised that she called the vicar in. I often wonder if there was some link with the woods or the old hall.
Thu Aug 28 06:56:56 2008
Annette, Broughton
I think that if there is anything there someone should try and do a fright night up there for the night and see what comes of it or a group go and spend a few hours up there. I'll be 1st to put my hand up and do it...
Thu Aug 14 08:40:26 2008
A, Broughton
Hello... I have lived up the old warren for 11 years. I woke up really early one morning as I could not sleep, I heard a horse trotting on the road. As I looked out of my window there was nothng to be seen. I haven't heard of any stories about horses or anything but if anyone has I would like know. The old warren can look quite scary at night. I have not seen anything although it always fee's like someone is watching you.
Mon Aug 11 14:24:13 2008
Lee from Kinnerton
Was there today at the lake, felt nothing to be honest...although the field opposite the lake wasn't very nice, very spooky indeed, lots of "hanging puppets" of sort? Not sure this gamekeeper still exists though, hasn't the lake been bought by a club?
Mon Aug 4 09:48:01 2008
Ben, Pentre
I lived in Broughton for 17 years and had not heard about the floating vicar, but I do know that Broughton has a lot of history. The copse on the junction between Broughton Hall Road and Forest Drive has had few ghost stories linked to it (can't remember them though). I nether liked walking through that area. I always felt someone was watching me. Also, Leicester's Lane is supposed to have a female ghost.
Thu Jul 17 08:28:27 2008
Jim, Chester
The flowers around the tree are for a chap called Paul who died of natural causes. He was a fisherman who loved fishing Warren Hall lake, and when he died his ashes were cast into the lake where he liked to be. These flowers are replaced at regular intervals by family members. As for any other cases, I would love to hear the stories.
Thu Jun 26 07:58:30 2008
Loz from Broughton
I've been down that road loads, even at night, and never seen this 'floating' vicar anywhere.
Fri Apr 18 12:10:33 2008
Joe, Broughton
I went up to suicide lake fishing with my friends today. Could anyone please tell me if anyone has been murdered there or committed suicide there or is it just a stupid name?
Wed Mar 26 10:49:42 2008
Kenny Jones, Chester
Reading a book on the civil war 1641-1645 it mentioned Hawarden castle a lot. It's just possible that a lot of paranormal activity occurs in places where people meet violent ends ie battlefields. Maybe the eeriness of Bilberry Wood and the surrounding areas are of lost souls of people killed in battle but don't know they have passed on.
Mon Mar 17 09:52:03 2008
Matty
I was fishing the lake there last night and although it was windy - little tornadoes were visible above the water they were also wisping the leaves and bracken around me. It was very surreal and I'm sure not standard weather. It's a good thing my dog was with me or else I'd have been off.
Mon Feb 25 08:45:42 2008
Jenny, Broughton
I often go up to the old warren with my friends and have been told about 'the floating vicar' none of us believed it. We decided to go for a walk up there late one night and we saw a bright light before us, getting closer and closer, we all got scared and went back to the car, but I now believe that story is true.
Mon Feb 11 09:39:58 2008
James - Ellesmere Port
I went fishing there Saturday morning and there where flowers attached to the tree - very scary with the wind rustling the cellophane! To fish this lake you have to be a member.
Mon Jan 28 08:26:22 2008
Richard, Old Warren
Oooh seems spooky! Never seen anything and I live on Old Warren, although I admit it does 'feel' a little creepy up there! Let me know when any of you are next going up - I am too scared to go by myself! Honestly!
Wed Jan 23 16:43:12 2008
Dave from Deeside
There seem to be some sceptics logging into this site. If you know the Warren in Broughton and want to see these strange things for yourself all you need is a good digital camera and the nerve to go down Cherry Orchard Lane late at night and take as many pictures as you can. I always found the wooded area to the right after the cattle grid to be a good area to capture these orbs and mists on camera. Just keep the noise down as there are a couple of farm houses down the lane and I'm sure they dont want to be disturbed at night by lots of noise. Good hunting
Mon Jan 14 09:04:51 2008
Chantelle from Broughton
I was 11 when I first wrote my little comment lol. I'm 15 now and still haven't seen the floating vicar lol. Been up the warren many times as well, still believe in ghosts too. Any new stories to tell anyone?
Thu Jan 3 14:45:21 2008
Dave from Deeside
I haven't contributed to this site in a while. I still go up the Warren to take photos and still get strange pictures I can't explain. For nearly the last two years I've been living in Broughton and things have been just as weird there. I am now in no doubt that there are things paranormal in the area. I've lived in a house where things move of there own accord and electronic things turn themselves on. Also, I've caught a shadow moving across the living room on video when there was nothing visible. Also, there were strange perfume smells that just came and went, all in all, Broughton is a very strange place.
Mon Dec 17 08:17:54 2007
Fisherman, Chester
Can anyone give me directions to the fishing pond up the Warren and also, is it any good? I'm new to the area and want to see if anything weird happens while I'm fishing. Thanks.
Mon Nov 26 08:10:40 2007
Chris, Broughton
I think people's eyes play tricks on them at night, if it's raining and you wear glasses you can see all sorts of orbs from lights. Shadows, walking movements and lights in the distance are a good mix to see things moving.
Wed Oct 31 10:09:12 2007
Damian, Broughton
There's been a lot of talk about suicide lake. I've fished there for 25 years day and night fishing, only one out of the ordinary thing happend to me and a friend. We were fishing by the wall - if you've fished there you know were I'm talking about - we were about 3-4 hours into our fishing 2am when both our torches dimmed for about 20 seconds and the wind picked up out of the blue. We didn't say anything to eachother we just packed up and went. Then, when we got Broughton, we just said no more night fishing it was such a calm night.
Thu Oct 11 09:06:33 2007
Paula
Kenny, my grandfather (the gamekeeper) would have been there around 1900 to 1930s. He had a horse and cart (not carriage though) and used to drive through the woods to his house. A real charater. He was gamekeeper to the Gladstone estate (as in the former prime minister). Lots of stories about him - some published.
Thu Oct 11 08:57:04 2007
Damian, Broughton
Does anybody in Broughton remember Nut Wood? Very scary place day or night on the left side of the A55 Mold bound right opposite playing fields in Broughton was spooky as it gets. Camped out with friends before the A55 was built. We lasted 2 hrs max. What we all saw was a white flash in the woods.
Mon Oct 8 10:55:32 2007
Mike, Broughton
Lived in Broughton all my life now in Penyffordd. Worked at Dobshill garage straight from school, rode to work on pushbike for five years from 1976 - never saw anything. Also, used to skive off school, walk home through woods and fields - never anything unusual. Now walk dog every day both sides of footbridge in woods - all OK.
Mon Sep 24 09:14:16 2007
Ant, Penyffordd
Got chased off there 3 times when we young (and stupid!) each time it was some bloke in a flat cap (tweed jacket + shot gun - 1989ish?)! Anyway, I can honestly say that this place IS scary. Go there, see for yourself. I won't be going back anyway.
Mon Sep 3 09:53:50 2007
Ant, Penyffordd
Kenny - please tell me what you know (or have heard)? I know these woods inside out, I have lived in these parts all my life. Seen lots of changes, heard LOADS of stories. Seen many a strange thing! As a child the woods of Penymynydd were mine and my friends' second home. From the well house estate to Broughton we were told of hangings to ghosts (I could tell stories about these all night). Anyway, I know what I have seen, and didn't want to see round these parts.
Mon Sep 3 09:52:24 2007
Kenny
Hi Ant. Strange, even I heard of a gamekeeper about 50 odd scaring people in the 70s with a long dark beard, BUT THAT WAS IT. Can anybody enlighten me on this?
Wed Aug 29 08:07:43 2007
Mike, Dobshill
I live on the continuation of the Old Warren, the other side of the A55. I moved here in '99 and had never heard of any hauntings. A suicide in the woods and a naked jogger but that was about it. Around 3 years ago I was cycling to work at Airbus, which, for those not from the area, is at the bottom of the Warren in Broughton. It was around 5.15 am and still very dark. There was a strong moon so I wasn't too concerned that my front lamp was dimming. I crossed the A55 footbridge and followed the footpath down into the Old Warren entering onto what was the old road. It is a footpath now but the old road surface and lines can still be seen, although it is getting overgrown and it is shrouded in trees. Anyway...I got about 200 yards in, when out of nowhere, something much taller than me, that I can only describe as a glowing column of goldish light, swept out at me. It came from my left hand side, not appearing to have any features as such but it just stopped in front of me, as I'd got quite a bit of speed up going down the hill I had to swerve around it and then looked behind to find that nothing was there. I have always been a sceptic of things like this even though I have seen a few things that I can't explain, but I didn't stop pedalling until I got to work. I made a point of looking on my way home in daylight, to see if there was anything that I could have mistaken for what I saw, a silver birch trunk reflecting moonlight or something. Nothing but brambles. I only ventured back down there this year. I was WELL and TRULY spooked. Since that day I have heard many stories about different sightings in and around the Warren. Don't know what's there but I know I saw something. My hair stands on end just writing this.
Tue Aug 28 11:42:57 2007
Ant, Penyffordd
Used to fish there a lot when we were kids (20 years ago!). Always felt eerie back then! A totally different atmosphere to just round the corner by St Johns school. Got chased off by the gamekeeper many a time (or was it the gamekeeper?). Anyway it's a horrible scary place and I ain't going back!
Fri Aug 24 09:37:22 2007
Sarah
Hiya well this story is strange. I have heard lots of stories about the old warren but I don't believe them til I see them. lol Channtelle love ya comment babe x
Fri Aug 17 10:41:18 2007
Kenny Jones
Paula that was an interesting story about your great grandfather and the poacher, could you please give us more details like the date etc. Cheers, Kenny.
Mon Jul 23 10:22:52 2007
Tom, Broughton
Me and my friend walked up the Old Warren last night, not to look for ghosts just for a walk. It was about midnight and we saw nothing but a great view of the area. Though there has beeen many rumors of the Old Warren being a haunted area but I'm not a believer myself.
Mon Jul 9 08:50:10 2007
Paula
My great grandfather lived at a cottage in the woods. He was the gamekeeper for the Gladstone estate. Anyhow he and a poacher fought one night and both ended up unconscious. The poacher died. Maybe this is the ghost of the poacher?
Mon Jul 2 08:39:16 2007
Terry, Broughton
Gresford pit disaster - went down Llay Main pit in 1964 with my friends from Vincent Greenhouse Garage. One of the party, his father was manager. We were under Wrexham and the miner said we were next to a rescue steel door they would use to get at the miners if need be. So could you mean Pentre Broughton?
Tue Jun 26 08:39:47 2007
Kenny Jones
Ref your drive going towards Lower Kinnerton, Rosemary the other week a friend of mine was in that group doing the metal detecting where you said. However a friend of his went white when he found a solid gold Henry 7th sovereign by the old station. The value was £10,000 not bad for a hours work.
Fri Mar 23 08:34:37 2007
Kenny Jones
Hi Rosemary, yes the old Chester to Barmouth railway line closed down in 1969 by the Beeching cuts. Seems strange we had the best railway network in the world only to lose it. Also, you mentioned people with metal detectors on the old line. That's intresting because the line was opened in 1844, so just imagine all the items people have lost over the years there must be a treasure trove on it.
Thu Mar 15 08:47:24 2007
Kenny Jones
I re-call a conversation I had with a friend of mine called Peter. He remembed as a young teenager, he was with his family and some friends near suicide lake on a very hot day in the mid 1970s when all of a sudden they all heard what he described as the most beautiful singing by women along with strange sounds of instruments they never heard of. He said that his group was not singing and these sounds where getting louder but they could not see anyone and there was no events going on in Hawarden Park either. They all realised this was spooky and they all ran none stop back to Broughton.O ver the years he has never changed his story about what happened on that day.
Thu Mar 15 08:42:33 2007
Kenny Jones
Hi, just to remind you all read UFOs on this site. Called Poachers sent packing is about a group of miners who witnessed a strange event that took place in Padeswood nr Pennyffordd in the 1880s. Rosemary, this should interest you and the comments on it are good as well.
Thu Mar 15 08:40:08 2007
Rosemary, Penyffordd
Hi Kenny, How's your research going? I was driving through Lower Kinnerton yesterday, past old railway line, lots of people with metal detectors, online ?
Mon Mar 12 10:09:26 2007
Kenny Jones
Yes Rosemary, yes it was called that and thanks for the other site. I am now reseaching more about the locality and will keep you informed.
Tue Feb 20 13:53:47 2007
Rosemary, Penyffordd
Kenny, another interesting read on Broughton- put in the following (on your computer search): Old Warren, Broughton Dave, it's the one below floating vicar. Also, yes, there is something in what you were saying about Wood Lane. I remember going there for a history lesson from Broughton junior school, 1969 ish. Isn't that mound called a motte and bailey?
Mon Feb 19 17:01:21 2007
kenny jones
HI again. It's common knowledge that if you walk down Wood Lane from Broughton Main Road you will come to a small rise in a field, about a mile from Hawarden Castle. It's where the roundheads had their siege guns placed to bombard Hawarden Castle, which was in the hands of the royalist forces. The destruction can be seen there today.
Mon Feb 19 12:57:11 2007
Kenny Jones
Hi, Rosemary - you seem to know a lot of the area like me, and, like you, I used to mess around in that area in the 70s. Something intresting I found out. In the war a lysander aircraft came down in the woods off old Hope Road killing the two Canadian pilots. The crash site is still visable in the woods. The airmen are buried in Hawarden war cemetery.
Wed Jan 31 08:46:47 2007
We're no longer accepting comments on this page but we're still interested in your ghost stories about NE Wales
