The Headless Horseman

As you approach the old town from the A631, Bawtry and Retford road, you travel down Flood Road, today known as Ramper Road. This Nottinghamshire approach has undoubtedly been the most important road entrance to the town throughout the centuries, as visitors would eventually have to cross over the River Trent.

Before the stone bridge was built in the late 18th century, an unpredictable ferry operated. It was unpredictable in the sense that the Trent, being a bore river often made the journey over the river to the opposite side, one fraught with risk and danger.

Could it be that the stagecoach, which has made a ghostly appearance a number of times during the 20th century, was on a journey destined to end in disaster?

Sightings of the apparition vary from being around the fields known as eight arches-up to the final corner before approaching the river.

Local legend even suggests some sightings make the ghostly coach driver appear-headless. Was the stage coach driver and his occupants doomed as they sped down the Flood road to board the ferry as happened the day before Christmas Eve in 1760….

It was on this bitterly cold day that a Mr Halls, a servant from Beckingham, was returning from Gainsborough Market. On arrival at the riverbank he sensed he was running late.

“Oh no, I ‘m going to miss the ferry!”

This feeling was confirmed as Mr Halls saw the ferryboat pulling away. One old lady who made the ferry on time could see Mr Halls on his steed, pacing at the rivers edge. Earlier in the day she had purchased a pig at Gainsborough market and sensing her beast was restless she had taken some string and fastened it around the pig’s leg, and then bound it to her waist to secure the animal from escaping her. As the ferry inched further downstream the horseman appeared to retreat from the rivers edge, then suddenly, the old lady and the crowd of passengers realised that the foolish horseman was bolting his horse in an attempt to leap onto the departing boat.

“Aarghhhhh!”

Blood curdling screams echoed down stream as the terrified horse made to leap high into the air by its rider. Looking up the ferry passengers realised the impending disaster that winters night had brought them, as they looked in horror at the horse and its rider, in freefall, heading towards them. With a violent thud the ferryboat turned over on impact, and six people drowned.

But one old lady lived to tell the tale, as she was dragged out of the freezing river and saved, by of all things, her newly purchased pig.

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