I lived in Canterbury for almost ten years, but somehow never properly explored neighbouring Faversham beyond the occasional quick visit. Going back recently and finally spending real time there made me realise how much I had missed.

Kent feels different to me these days anyway. It holds quite a few ghosts of my own (and I don’t necessarily mean supernatural ones), so there is something strangely comforting about returning there to go looking for the folkloric kind instead.

One evening we went on a fantastic private ghost walk around the town, which was equal parts romantic, historical, and genuinely interesting. Faversham feels like the perfect setting for ghost stories: old pubs, quiet streets, weathered buildings, and the kind of history that just naturally settles into the atmosphere.

Another day we walked out along the creek towards The Shipwright’s Arms in thick mist that somehow managed to make the entire landscape look haunted before we’d even arrived. Out of all the local stories, the one that stays with me most is the tale of the sailor ghost said to haunt the pub. According to local legend, he was the captain of a ship that sank in the Swale on a freezing winter night. Somehow he managed to drag himself ashore and make his way to the lights of the inn, exhausted and desperately needing help. But the landlord, afraid to open the door so late at night in case it was smugglers or pirates, turned him away. The captain was found dead on the doorstep the next morning, and locals say his spirit never really left.

Honestly, it was just lovely to finally spend proper time in Faversham. Maybe that is part of the appeal of ghost hunting in Kent these days — making newer ghosts to replace some of the slightly older ones.