The Strangeness of Clapham Woods

The Clapham Woods are a source of mystery and intrigue the likes of which are rarely seen.  Not only are ghosts and poltergeist phenomena present (and prevalent), but UFOs and all manner of other unusual activity is present.  And strangely, the area has also subsequently manifested a great deal of death in the form of no less than five disappearances which later turned out to be murders.

The woods are located in the area of West Sussex, in England.  They were originally known to be an area of strange activity in the paranormal field by folklorists who considered the place cursed by mysterious spirits.  Lore of the area is varied, but includes the tale of several ghosts who allegedly have inhabited the area for hundreds of years.  Those who have been in the area have reported being pushed, reported hearing strange voices, and seeing the typical apparitions of ghostly figures.

Then there are the mysterious UFO sightings that are ever present in the area.  People say they see mysterious lights flitting about, and even those who have scanned the area with Geiger counters have noticed a slight spike in background radiation, which is particularly unusual due to the high chalk content of the area.  Chalk normally reduces the amount of background radiation because of its low potassium 40 content.  When the forest was young, large crater-like depressions could often be seen in photographs of the area, as though it had been the sight of several meteoric impacts, but there was no way to give a serious survey of the area.  The overgrown area makes thorough exploration impossible.

Animals, it’s said, are also affected by the area.  Domestic dogs become incredibly aggressive, it’s said and even run away from their owners.  Other pet owners have said their animals have gone missing. It is true that a number of animals were discovered within the area, but unknown if the animals were related to the alleged dealings of a cult called The Friends of Hecate.  Of course Hecate is the Cthonic goddess of witchcraft, magic, and crossroads.  According to Toyne Newton, Charles Walker, and Alan Brown, the area was used by high up members of very influential people in politics, who would allow for no interference.  Shortly after a book on the subject was published, and the public’s curiosity was piqued, a great storm swept through and destroyed many trees, scattering much of the potential evidence in the area and ensuring no one would ever be able to uncover any evidence of this group’s movements in the area.

And the area was also the sight of a mysterious series of murders that spanned over nine years.  Of the five murders, each victim had disappeared while hiking in the woods and appeared anywhere from weeks to up to three years later.  After Jim Withers was found guilty for four of the murders, another one popped up a year later.  With the great amount of death in the area, many travelers give second thought or a wide birth to the woods.

What has caused all this mystery to surround the Clapham Woods?  Is there a mysterious force guiding the actions of those involved?  Or is there a rip in space that opens up every now and again to let entities from another world in?