Hampshire and Isle of Wight Ghost Tales

Michael O’Leary gathers ghost stories linked to Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, drawing on both older folklore and more recent local traditions. The collection includes tales of headless horses riding through the night, an alleged entrance to another world on Marrowbones Hill, drowned sailors and ghost ships, and the reported appearance of a girl riding pillion behind her dead boyfriend.

The stories move between rural roads, hills, coastal waters and places shaped by generations of local storytelling. Some are fantastical, some unsettling and others open to interpretation, reflecting the varied ways ghost lore attaches itself to landscape. Ruth O’Leary’s original illustrations accompany Michael O’Leary’s retellings, adding a visual dimension to these regional accounts.