A616 Stocksbridge Bypass Monk

The A616 Stocksbridge Bypass is haunted by the apparition of a hooded monk dressed in dark robes, an entity that has been witnessed since the road’s construction in the late 1980s. The monk typically appears standing motionless at the roadside or walking slowly across the carriageway, oblivious to modern traffic. His appearance is often accompanied by unexplained vehicle malfunctions, particularly electrical failures affecting lights, radios, and instruments. The monk’s face is never visible beneath his deep hood, adding to the unsettling nature of encounters.

The most compelling evidence for this haunting comes from official police reports. In 1987, two South Yorkshire Police officers responding to security guards’ reports of paranormal activity on the construction site encountered the monk themselves. Their patrol car experienced complete electrical failure as the hooded figure stood in the road ahead. Both officers reported feeling an overwhelming sense of dread and cold, even inside their vehicle. The encounter was so significant that it was formally documented in police records, making the Stocksbridge monk one of the few British ghost sightings with official law enforcement documentation.

The identity of the monk remains a matter of speculation. The Stocksbridge area has ecclesiastical connections—the nearby village of Deepcar was historically associated with monastic land holdings, and the bypass route passes close to what was once Church land. Some theories suggest the monk may be connected to the English Reformation when religious houses were dissolved and monks displaced. Others point to earlier medieval religious figures who traveled the ancient tracks that the modern road replaced. Regardless of origin, the hooded monk of the A616 continues to appear to startled motorists, maintaining his silent vigil over one of Yorkshire’s most haunted highways.