There is no definitive view as to what is a ghost. There is a widespread, but not a universal view that whatever it is that we call a ghost can exist. Generally thought of as a ‘spirit' and often concerning a deceased living thing, our perception of what we may label as ghostly depends at any particular time upon one or more of our senses: sight, sound, smell, touch, taste and psi. The latter, sixth sense, which has only recently been recognised, is associated with telepathy, precognition and other aspects of the mind .

If ghosts are linked to emotion and/or to feelings of stress then we should expect to find them at places where feelings can be strong, e.g. churches, monasteries, hospitals, orphanages, workhouses, prisons, barracks. Such places may be sites where people have experienced: relief, fear, joy, sadness, pain, death, sexual frustration. These feelings may leave a mark that other people can instinctively feel. It is noticeable that monastery sites that comprise what was once a mixture of a church, hospital, hotel, school, prison and barracks are well provided with ghostly happenings.

Those nearest to Christchurch were at Wimborne, Breamore and Beaulieu, and all have tales of phantoms.  Other false ghost stories may have arisen due to smuggling, once the main industry of the Christchurch area. Smugglers did not want witnesses, nor did they want people to investigate locations where they hid their goods. Hence ghost stories could be invented and told to deter the curious from visiting certain places.

Extract from  The Ghosts of Christchurch Hundred

© Michael A. Hodges 2002

ISBN 9781897887318