Packhorse Bridge Hebden - The Witch's Ghost
An ancient packhorse bridge in Yorkshire is haunted by the ghost of a woman accused of witchcraft who drowned in the river below during trial by water.
The old packhorse bridge at Hebden Bridge, dating from the 17th century or earlier, crosses the Hebden Water in the steep-sided valleys of West Yorkshire. This area of the Pennines has a dark history of witch trials and folk magic, and the ancient stone bridge is said to be haunted by the ghost of a woman who was subjected to trial by water during the witch-hunting hysteria of the 1600s. According to local legend, she was bound and thrown from the bridge into the river. If she floated, she would be proven a witch and burned; if she sank and drowned, she would be declared innocent. She drowned, but her spirit never left the bridge where she met her unjust fate.
The apparition is most commonly seen as a woman in dark, sodden clothing standing on or near the bridge, particularly during rainy weather or when the river is running high. Witnesses describe her as having long wet hair obscuring her face, and her clothes appearing to drip water even though she casts no puddle on the stone. Some report seeing her standing on the bridge parapet, looking down at the water with her arms bound behind her, before she vanishes. Others describe encountering a woman in period dress who appears distressed and soaking wet, who disappears when approached or when witnesses turn away for a moment. The smell of river water and decay sometimes accompanies these sightings.
Local folklore warns against crossing the old packhorse bridge alone after dark, particularly during storms. Several witnesses have reported hearing a woman’s voice calling for help or crying from beneath the bridge, and some have experienced sudden cold spots and the sensation of wet hands touching them while crossing. Paranormal investigators have recorded unexplained electromagnetic anomalies near the bridge and captured EVP recordings of a woman’s voice pleading in old Yorkshire dialect. The bridge area is considered one of Hebden Bridge’s most haunted locations, a reminder of the cruel persecution of women during the witch trial era and the innocent lives lost to superstition and fear.