The Ghostly Monks of Redditch

Why are so many of Redditch's ghostly monks described as wearing brown when the Cistercians of Bordesley Abbey were known as the White Monks? In this episode of Dark Folklore, Clem Dallaway follows one of Redditch's most persistent supernatural traditions through the medieval landscape of Bordesley Abbey and into the modern town. Stories tell of hooded figures near Bordesley Corner, apparitions apparently walking below the modern ground level, monks crossing gardens and walls, strange figures around Ipsley Church Lane and sightings inside modern buildings. But the brown habits may not be a mistake. Bordesley Abbey's Cistercian community also included lay brothers, known as the conversi, who worked the farms, fields and outlying granges belonging to the monastery. Their darker clothing raises an intriguing possibility: could some of Redditch's brown-robed apparitions represent the working brothers rather than the familiar White Monks? Then, on the morning of 9 June 2025, the story became personal. At approximately 9:20 AM, while walking his dog through Bordesley Meadows beside the River Arrow, Clem saw what appeared to be a man in a bright white hood standing amongst dense brambles. He walked towards the figure. It disappeared. There was no obvious route away, no sign that anybody had moved through the undergrowth, and the place where the figure appeared to have been standing seemed almost impossible to reach. A strange man in a white hoodie? A trick of distance and landscape? Or something connected with the White Monks who once lived and worked beside the River Arrow? This is the story of Redditch's ghostly monks, the forgotten working landscape of Bordesley Abbey, and one unexplained encounter that Clem still cannot account for. Throughout October, Clem is also leading The Redditch Ghost Walk, exploring the history, folklore and hauntings of the old town and Kingfisher Centre every Monday to Thursday. Tickets are £8.50 per person, with proceeds going to Redditch Local History Museum. Ghost Walk information and tickets: https://ghosttales.co.uk/ghostwalk Discover more from Ghost Tales by the Fireside: https://ghosttales.co.uk Clem's book, The Redditch Ghost Walk: History, Folklore and Haunted Places from the Old Town to the Kingfisher Centre, is available from Amazon: https://amzn.eu/d/093Shix6 Music featured during the October season includes the upcoming debut single “Chasing Ghosts” by Kindred Spirit, Clem's own new musical project with singer Hollie James. The song was written to inhabit the same atmospheric world as these stories: haunted places, memory, loss and the urge to keep following the traces left behind. Ghost Tales by the Fireside explores true ghost stories, paranormal encounters, haunted places, dark folklore, local legends and the history behind them. Presented by Clem Dallaway. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.