In a town  that has a history as storied as Newmarket there are bound to be several tales of ghostly happenings and things that go bump in the night. While information around these sightings may be hard to come by, if you dig a little deeper there are a number of reports of sightings of ghosts and other paranormal activity. As we head towards Halloween, here are three creepy stories for you to enjoy.

The Ghost of Fred Archer

It’s been said that this Newmarket legend has been spotted on numerous occasions riding up on the Heath aboard his trusty grey steed, Scotch Pearl. Archer was one of racing’s heroes during the Victorian era and while his exploits on the race track made him famous, his private life was full of turmoil, resulting in his eventual suicide at the tender age of 29.

Since then, there have been numerous reports of sightings of a horse and rider galloping up Warren Hill and along the Rowley Mile, and these apparitions are said to be that of Archer and his hack. These ghostly goings-on have said to have started from around 1927 and have been ongoing since then.

There are also legends that Archer has been seen wandering around Pegasus Stables, the yard he built and now occupied by James Fanshawe, on dark and stormy nights.

You can read more about Fred Archer, who has a Legends of the Turf stone on the High Street, in one of our other blogs by clicking here.

The Boy’s Grave

While this may not be a fully-fledged ghost story per se, the story about the Boy’s Grave is a haunting one.

It is said that the story originates from some time in the late 19th century when a young shepherd boy, distraught at the fact that he’d fallen asleep while looking after the herd, hung himself. Legend has it that he had first assumed that some of the flock had gone missing but that he’d just miscounted.

This site can be found on the Moulton Road and some versions of the tale have said that every year, the colour of the flowers that are present on the grave on Derby day will be those of the winning horse at Epsom.

The Ghost Horses

There is not too much detail about this ghostly tale except for one account recorded back in 1991, on a  winter’s evening a witness was out in search of pet cats in a barn when they heard the sound of horses feet and metal shoes walking outside. The person in question went out to investigate, thinking that it was some of the yard’s horses returning from the races but found no sign of them.

Other staff members on the yard, near Park Lane, also reported that they had experienced similar but could never find the creature’s responsible for the noise. It is said that according to a former owner of the yard in question that the sight was haunted by the ghost of a racehorse.

Do you have any Newmarket ghost stories to share with us? Head over to our Facebook page or tweet it to us by clicking here. Don’t forget to give us a follow and like while you’re there! We’re also on Instagram and you cna find us by clicking here.

If you’re feeling brave, why not head to the Festival of Fear this Halloween with Ghost Tours, Talks, Ghost Hunting and the Children’s Halloween Trail then head to the Love Newmarket website for more information by clicking here.