A Ghost on The Motorway
The M25 Service area Mimms is unsurprisingly by the Village of South Mimms. The church and churchyard had in the 1930’s the reputation of being haunted. People standing by the churchyard at night have felt unseen presence follow them. At that time the ghost hunter Elliott O’Donnell held a vigil there and felt the presence in the churchyard. It followed him as he walked to another haunted area called the Wash. The presence stayed with him until he reached a wooden bridge across a stream. At that point at a certain spot a small cloud of large evil looking flies were seen. When approached these flies vanished, only to reappear when he moved away again. Moving back down the stream he met a shadow moving from South Mimms. Concerned by the shadow which only seemed semi human in shape he retraced his steps with the shadow following him. When he reached the area of the wooden bridge, the flies were still there. The shadow moved towards the flies, they merged and vanished. Then the presence returned, and stayed with O’Donnell until he returned to Mimms Churchyard then it disappeared.
Elliott O’Donnell investigated the history of the area with the locals. He heard that a woman many years before who was thought of as a witch, died on the Wash under suspicious circumstances. She was buried at a crossroads with a stake through her heart. The spot were she died has been ever since haunted by the flies and the shadow.
Two other suspicious deaths also occurred on the Wash. The body of a female farm worker was found in 1861, too eaten by rats to find cause of death. In 1930 the body of tramp was also found recorded as natural causes, but suspected foul play. Local legend says the ghost of Dick Turpin is about on the Wash and the churchyard. All this gives the spot a certain history.
If you want to check out the Wash, it survived the building of the Service Area. It is to the East of the service area and the stream is roughly parallel to the cycle track. South Minns is to the West of the service area over the A1M. If you have time on a trip give them a look.
