Most Haunted Places in Kent: The KASE Directory
Kent has a long and layered history, and with that comes no shortage of reported paranormal activity. We built this directory as a single, honest resource for anyone curious about the county's haunted locations, whether you are researching local history, planning a visit, or trying to make sense of something you have experienced yourself.
Each entry follows the same format so you can find what you need quickly. Where we have investigated a location ourselves, we have included what we found.
Do you know of any locations we should include here? Let us know!
How to Use This Guide
Every location in the directory is organised by area of Kent and follows a consistent structure: a brief history, a summary of reported activity, and a set of notes from us at KASE.
Each entry also carries an evidence classification so you can see at a glance how well documented the reports are.
Evidence Classification Key
| Level | Label | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Investigated by KASE | We have conducted a formal investigation at this location. Our findings and methodology are linked where available. |
| 2 | Documented Reports | Multiple reports from credible sources including historical records, published accounts, and independent witness testimony. We have not investigated ourselves. |
| 3 | Folklore & Oral History | Local legend, oral tradition, or limited anecdotal reports. Included for completeness and historical interest. |
North Kent and Medway
North Kent's paranormal history is closely tied to the military infrastructure that has defended the Thames Estuary and Medway for centuries. The Chatham Dockyard defences alone account for multiple reported locations, while the old coaching roads through the North Downs have generated some of the most persistent road apparition accounts in the country.
Fort Amherst, Chatham
Evidence Level: 1 (Investigated by KASE); Access: Heritage attraction, regular paranormal events
History: Fort Amherst was constructed in 1756 to defend the Chatham Dockyard and River Medway from French attack during the Napoleonic Wars. It is now recognised as the finest surviving example of a complete Napoleonic fort in Britain. The fort includes an extensive network of tunnels carved into the chalk hillside, originally used for troop movement, storage, and defence.
Reported Activity: Since opening to the public in 1983, Fort Amherst has become one of the most frequently reported paranormal locations in Kent. Dark shadows are seen regularly, including during daylight hours. Voices have been reported directly in visitors' ears, as though someone were standing beside them. The sounds of children crying and a woman wailing have been noted on multiple occasions. Cold spots appear in the tunnels with no obvious source. A soldier figure has been reported in the deeper passages, along with white shapes seen in the tunnel openings.
KASE Notes: KASE has investigated Fort Amherst on multiple occasions. We have recorded cold spots, movement of shadowy figures, and EVP recordings in the tunnel network and upper gun level. In the Gatehouse, we also had some peculiar experiences, including a loud bang. We could only reproduce this sound by lifting and dropping a decorator's stool onto the floor. The consistent reports from both our team and public visitors make Fort Amherst one of the strongest cases for repeated, documented activity in Kent.
Rochester Castle
Evidence Level: 2 (Documented Reports); Access: Public, English Heritage
History: Rochester Castle has stood over the River Medway since the late 11th century. The great stone keep, built in 1127, is one of the best preserved in England. The castle endured a brutal siege in 1215 when King John's forces undermined the south tower, and a second siege in 1264 during the Barons' War.
Reported Activity: The most commonly reported figure is Lady Blanche de Warenne, said to have fallen from the battlements during the 1264 siege. Her apparition has been described near the top of the keep. Separately, a figure resembling Charles Dickens has been reported in the castle grounds. Dickens had strong ties to Rochester and expressed wishes to be buried locally, though he was interred at Westminster Abbey. Visitors have described the feeling of being watched on the upper floors and sudden temperature drops in the keep's interior rooms.
KASE Notes: We have not formally investigated Rochester Castle. The Lady Blanche de Warenne account is well documented in local historical sources, and the castle's long, violent history makes it an interesting prospect for future investigation.
Blue Bell Hill, A229
Evidence Level: 2 (Documented Reports); Access: Public road
History: Blue Bell Hill is a stretch of the A229 between Maidstone and the Medway Towns, cutting through the North Downs. The road has been associated with a fatal car accident on 19 November 1965, when a vehicle carrying three young women was involved in a collision on the eve of one of their weddings. The earliest documented report of a road apparition here predates the 1965 crash, appearing in the Kent Messenger in 1967, though the connection between the two events became firmly established in local consciousness.
Reported Activity: The most commonly reported experience involves a woman appearing in front of vehicles, often described as stepping into the road. In 1974, Maurice Goodenough reported to local police that he had struck a girl on the road, wrapped her in a blanket, and returned with help only to find the blanket but no person. In 1992, further incidents were reported. Drivers describe a figure that either vanishes on impact or is simply no longer there when the vehicle stops. The reports are concentrated along a specific stretch of the A229 near the Lower Bell pub.
KASE Notes: We have not investigated Blue Bell Hill. The volume of independent reports across multiple decades, including at least one formally recorded police report, puts this among the best documented road apparition cases in the UK. The 1967 Kent Messenger article is the earliest known published account.
Slough Fort, Allhallows
Evidence Level: 1 (Investigated by KASE); Access: Preservation trust site, paranormal events held
History: Slough Fort was built in 1867 to guard the Thames Estuary from French invasion. It is a Victorian casemated fort located on the Hoo Peninsula near Allhallows. In 2012, excavation work to open a previously sealed tunnel preceded a notable spike in reported activity at and around the site. A nearby farm reported CCTV footage of white objects moving through fields in the direction of the fort.
Reported Activity: Voices and laughter have been heard inside the fort by visitors, particularly in the tunnel sections. There are recurring reports of two named spirits associated with the fort: a figure connected to the fort's gunpowder storage known as the "gunpowder monkey," and another referred to as Meredith. The 2012 tunnel opening appeared to correspond with increased frequency of reports.
KASE Notes: KASE has investigated Slough Fort. The location's relatively remote position on the Hoo Peninsula and its well-preserved Victorian structure make it a strong investigation site with minimal environmental interference. During our time at the fort, we identified what we believe to be an elemental presence, a type of non-human spirit tied to the land rather than to any individual who lived or worked there. This is unusual and distinct from the residual or intelligent hauntings we encounter at most locations and even the fort itself! We have written about elementals in more detail on the blog, including what they are and how they differ from other types of reported activity.
White Hill Road, near Chatham
Evidence Level: 2 (Documented Reports); Access: Public road
History: White Hill is a stretch of road near Chatham in north Kent. Like Blue Bell Hill a few miles to the south, it is an old route through the North Downs with a history of reported road apparitions.
Reported Activity: A woman in her thirties, described as wearing a long coat, has been reported appearing in the middle of the road as vehicles approach. Rather than moving out of the way, she turns and smiles directly at the driver just before impact. No evidence of a collision has ever been found after these incidents.
KASE Notes: We have not investigated White Hill Road. The reports are fewer in number than Blue Bell Hill but follow a similar pattern of road-based apparitions, which would make for an interesting case study. The description of the figure smiling at the driver is a distinctive detail that distinguishes this from the Blue Bell Hill accounts.
Fort Horsted, Chatham
Evidence Level: 1 (Investigated by KASE); Access: Scheduled monument, paranormal events held regularly
History: Fort Horsted is the largest of five forts constructed around Chatham to protect HM Dockyard from attack. Built between 1880 and 1889 using convict labour from the newly constructed Borstal prison, the fort has a distinctive six-sided arrowhead shape with extensive underground tunnels. It was designed to house a garrison of around 400 and was equipped with seven machine guns by 1902, though it became obsolete by 1910. The fort served in both World Wars. Construction was marked by tragedy: in March 1889, a tunnel collapse during building work trapped a gang of six convicts.
Reported Activity: The tunnels beneath Fort Horsted are the main focus of reported activity. Unidentified figures have been seen in the underground passages, and footsteps with no traceable source are frequently reported. The fort has been investigated by the US television show Ghost Adventures, which described it as one of Kent's most active locations. Visitors during paranormal investigation nights have reported direct intelligent responses across multiple devices, and the overall atmosphere in the underground sections is consistently described as heavy and unsettling.
KASE Notes: Over the years, KASE has conducted multiple investigations at Fort Horsted, with the most recent one taking place in 2023. During an earlier visit, two investigators observed a full apparition moving in the grounds outside in broad daylight. Furthermore, on every visit, equipment has been triggered and residual energy detected in the same specific areas.
Chislehurst Caves
Evidence Level: 2 (Documented Reports); Access: Public, guided tours available
History: Chislehurst Caves are a network of over 22 miles of man-made tunnels beneath Chislehurst in the London Borough of Bromley, which sits on the historic Kent border. The earliest documented reference appears in a 9th-century Saxon charter. During World War II, the caves served as an air raid shelter for up to 15,000 people, complete with a chapel, hospital, and barber's shop. In the 1950s and 1960s, sections of the caves were used as a live music venue, hosting performances by David Bowie, Jimi Hendrix, and Pink Floyd.
Reported Activity: The most commonly reported figure is the White Lady, described as rising from pools of water in the deeper sections. A girl is documented as having died during a cave collapse in 1939, and children's laughter has been heard in the tunnels. In the 1950s, a policeman reportedly accepted a five-pound challenge to spend a night alone in the caves. He later described a menacing presence and did not stay until morning. In the 1980s, tour guides were found in distress in the caves, with at least one requiring hospital treatment. ASSAP conducted an investigation in 1987 and documented unusual sounds.
KASE Notes: We have not investigated Chislehurst Caves. The scale of the tunnel network and the layered history of the site make it a strong candidate for future investigation. The 1987 ASSAP investigation and the consistent nature of reports from both public visitors and staff across multiple decades give this location more weight than a typical folklore entry.
Hall Place, Bexley
Evidence Level: 3 (Folklore & Oral History); Access: Public, free entry, council-managed heritage site
History: Hall Place is a Grade I listed Tudor manor house in Bexley, originally built in 1537 for Sir John Champneys, a former Lord Mayor of London, using stone recycled from nearby Lesnes Abbey. The house was extended in 1649 by Sir Robert Austen. It later passed to Sir Francis Dashwood, founder of the notorious Hellfire Club. During World War II, the US Army's Signal Corps operated an intercept station at the house, codenamed Santa Fe, as part of the Enigma code-breaking operation. The house is now managed by the local council and is open to the public.
Reported Activity: Hall Place is said to be haunted by three figures. The most well-known is Lady Constance, who reportedly threw herself from the tower after watching her husband Sir Thomas being killed by a stag in the courtyard. A maidservant's spirit has been reported in the attic. The third figure is said to be Edward, the Black Prince, who appears in black armour. The Black Prince is documented as having courted Joan, the Fair Maid of Kent, by the River Cray which runs through the grounds.
KASE Notes: We have not investigated Hall Place. The three-ghost tradition is well established in local folklore but lacks the independent, repeated witness testimony that would move it into Level 2. The Hellfire Club connection and the WWII intelligence history add fascinating historical layers, though they are not directly connected to the reported activity.
East Kent
East Kent's paranormal history is shaped by centuries of coastal defence, religious significance, and maritime tragedy. Dover's clifftop fortifications and Canterbury's ecclesiastical heritage account for some of the most frequently cited locations in the county, while the Goodwin Sands have claimed over two thousand ships and generated maritime ghost stories stretching back centuries.
Dover Castle
Evidence Level: 2 (Documented Reports); Access: Public, English Heritage
History: Dover Castle has defended the shortest sea crossing between England and the continent for over nine centuries. The great keep was built by Henry II in the 1180s, but the site's history extends to Roman times, with a lighthouse dating to AD 43 still standing in the grounds. The castle was continuously garrisoned until 1958. During World War II, the tunnel network served as a military command centre and hospital.
Reported Activity: The most enduring account involves a headless drummer boy from the Napoleonic era. Staff reported a sighting of a pikeman walking through walls in 1979. A cavalier figure was seen in the basement in 1990. Screams have been reported from the WWII tunnel sections, attributed to wounded soldiers or Dunkirk evacuees. ASSAP conducted an investigation in 1991 and documented six separate apparition reports from independent witnesses. A woman in a crimson dress has been reported in the keep, and a figure in khaki with a blurred face was seen in the tunnels as recently as 2013.
KASE Notes: We have not investigated Dover Castle. The 1991 ASSAP investigation, which documented six independent reports, is one of the more robust pieces of formal investigation work at a Kent location. The site's continuous military use across nearly a thousand years provides an unusually deep historical context for reported activity.
Canterbury Cathedral and Surrounds
Evidence Level: 2 (Documented Reports); Access: Public (cathedral and city centre)
History: Canterbury has been a centre of religious pilgrimage since the murder of Thomas Becket in 1170. The cathedral and its surrounding streets contain buildings spanning nearly a thousand years of continuous use. The area known as the Dark Entry, a narrow passage near the cathedral, has its own distinct body of folklore separate from the cathedral itself.
Reported Activity: A bearded figure identified as Simon of Sudbury, the Archbishop of Canterbury beheaded during the Peasants' Revolt of 1381, has been reported inside the cathedral. A female figure known as Nell Cook is said to appear in the Dark Entry on Fridays. At Tiny Tim's Tearoom in the city centre, children's spirits were reported following renovation work that uncovered human remains beneath the building. At the Maidens Head pub, CCTV footage reportedly captured poltergeist-style activity including objects moving without explanation.
KASE Notes: We have not formally investigated Canterbury Cathedral or its surrounds, though we have written about Canterbury's haunted history on the blog. The concentration of independently reported activity across multiple buildings in a small area is notable.
Fort Burgoyne, Dover
Evidence Level: 1 (Investigated by KASE); Access: Occasional open days and paranormal events
History: Fort Burgoyne, originally known as Castle Hill Fort, was built between 1861 and 1868 as one of the Palmerston forts defending the south coast. It was constructed to guard the high ground northeast of the strategic port of Dover, sitting just north of Dover Castle. The fort features a large parade ground, a long row of casemates providing barrack accommodation, and Haxo Casemates on the terreplein that housed the guns. Detached eastern and western redoubts with a surrounding ditch were flanked by three demi-caponniers and a double caponnier to the north. The fort is named after the 19th-century General Sir John Fox Burgoyne.
Reported Activity: Fort Burgoyne has developed a reputation as one of the most active paranormal locations in Kent. Visitors report strange sensations throughout the fort, unexplained sounds, and sightings of figures in 19th-century military uniforms. The underground tunnels are a particular focus of activity, where the footsteps of unseen individuals have been heard. Disembodied voices have been reported in the darker sections of the fort. Full-body apparitions have been described, and loud unexplained footsteps and crying voices are among the most commonly reported phenomena.
KASE Notes: KASE has investigated Fort Burgoyne. The fort's layout and atmosphere lend themselves well to structured investigation work, and the underground sections in particular warrant careful attention. During our investigation, the team noted a heavy, oppressive atmosphere in the tunnels that was distinct from what we have experienced at similar military sites. A few team members also reported seeing a black shadow figure in two separate locations. The proximity to Dover Castle is worth noting, as both sites share a military heritage and similar environmental conditions, though the character of reported activity at each location is quite different.
Reculver Towers, Herne Bay
Evidence Level: 2 (Documented Reports); Access: Public, English Heritage
History: Reculver Towers are the remains of a 12th-century church built on the site of a Roman fort, Regulbium, which guarded the northern entrance to the Wantsum Channel. The site has been occupied since at least the 3rd century. During archaeological excavations in the 1960s, the remains of ten infant burials were discovered beneath the church floor, predating the Norman structure.
Reported Activity: The sounds of crying, often described as infantile, have been reported at the site by multiple visitors over a sustained period. The association with the excavated infant remains is unavoidable, though no causal link can be established. Hooded figures have been reported between the two towers, typically at dusk. The exposed coastal position and the layered archaeological history of the site add a particular atmosphere.
KASE Notes: We have not investigated Reculver Towers. The infant remains are an established archaeological finding. The reports of crying are anecdotal but have been noted by multiple visitors over a sustained period, and the hooded figure reports add a separate layer of activity.
Goodwin Sands, off the coast of Deal
Evidence Level: 3 (Folklore & Oral History); Access: Not publicly accessible (sandbank in the English Channel)
History: The Goodwin Sands are a ten-mile-long sandbank in the English Channel, approximately six miles off the coast of Deal. They have been responsible for the wrecking of over two thousand ships across recorded history and are sometimes referred to as the "ship swallower." The sands shift constantly with the tides, and at low water parts of the bank are exposed, occasionally enough for cricket matches to be played on them.
Reported Activity: Phantom ships have been reported by fishermen and sailors over the centuries, appearing on or near the sands before vanishing. The most well-known account involves the Lady Lovibond, said to have been deliberately wrecked on 13 February 1748 by a jealous crewman. The ship is said to reappear every fifty years, though no reports emerged in 1998. Two other phantom vessels are associated with the area: the liner Montrose and a warship named Shrewsbury. More general sightings describe a three-masted vessel appearing in fog or poor visibility, sometimes listing heavily as though running aground.
KASE Notes: We have not investigated Goodwin Sands for obvious logistical reasons. This is included as a Folklore & Oral History entry because the phantom ship reports, while persistent, are part of a broader maritime folklore tradition found around dangerous coastlines worldwide. That said, the concentration of shipwrecks here is genuinely remarkable and the local oral history is rich.
The Woolpack Inn, Chilham
Evidence Level: 3 (Folklore & Oral History); Access: Public, operating pub
History: The Woolpack Inn is a pub dating back roughly 600 years in the village of Chilham, near Canterbury. Chilham itself is a picturesque medieval village with a Norman castle and a square of half-timbered Tudor houses.
Reported Activity: A figure known as the Grey Lady has been reported wandering the corridors of the inn, typically seen in the upstairs rooms and on the landing. The identity of the figure is unknown. Staff and guests have described the sightings independently over a number of years.
KASE Notes: We have not investigated the Woolpack Inn. Grey Lady reports are common in older English pubs and inns, so we have classified this as Folklore & Oral History pending any stronger documentation. Chilham village itself has a broader history of reported activity connected to the castle grounds.
West Kent and the Weald
West Kent's haunted history is rooted in grand estates, ancient woodlands, and villages that have remained largely unchanged for centuries. The Weald of Kent, once an impenetrable forest, carries its own body of folklore distinct from the coastal and military histories of the north and east.
Pluckley Village
Evidence Level: 1 (Investigated by KASE); Access: Public village, some private land
History: Pluckley is frequently described as the most haunted village in England, a claim traceable to an entry in the Guinness Book of Records. The village's haunted reputation was first systematically documented by Frederick Sanders in the 1950s. More recently, Dr Simon Moreton of UWE Bristol conducted academic research into the village's paranormal reputation, tracing how the stories originated and evolved. The village claims up to twelve distinct ghosts, including the Fright Corner highwayman, the watercress woman, and the Screaming Woods (Dering Woods). Interestingly, when the M20 motorway extension was proposed in the 1970s, local opposition may have leveraged Pluckley's haunted reputation as part of the campaign against the route.
Reported Activity: Reports across the village include apparitions at Fright Corner (a crossroads where a highwayman was pinned to a tree), sounds in the Screaming Woods attributed to people who became lost and died, objects moving in the Black Horse pub, and a woman seen picking watercress near a stream. The volume and variety of reports across such a small area is unusual. However, the saturation of the village by ghost hunters and tourists has made independent verification increasingly difficult.
KASE Notes: Some KASE Team Members have investigated Pluckley. Their assessment was that the village was "calm and quiet" during their visit. The logistical challenges of investigating a location with this level of public saturation are significant. The tourism factor introduces noise, both literal and evidential, that makes it difficult to isolate genuine phenomena from expectation-driven experience. We have written about our thoughts on the blog.
Hever Castle
Evidence Level: 3 (Folklore & Oral History); Access: Public, ticketed heritage attraction
History: Hever Castle in the Weald of Kent was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, second wife of Henry VIII. The castle dates to the 13th century and was extensively restored by William Waldorf Astor in the early 20th century. Anne Boleyn lived here before her rise at court and her eventual execution in 1536.
Reported Activity: The apparition of Anne Boleyn is said to appear on the bridge over the River Eden at Christmas. Her father Thomas Boleyn has been reported as a spectral coach and horses crossing the bridge. These accounts are part of a wider national tradition of Anne Boleyn hauntings that extends to the Tower of London, Hampton Court, and Blickling Hall in Norfolk.
KASE Notes: We have not investigated Hever Castle. The Anne Boleyn accounts are firmly in the folklore category, forming part of a national tradition rather than being unique to this site. We have classified this as Level 3 accordingly.
Leeds Castle, near Maidstone
Evidence Level: 3 (Folklore & Oral History); Access: Public, ticketed heritage attraction
History: Leeds Castle near Maidstone has served as a royal residence for over 300 years of its 900-year history. It was a favoured palace of Henry VIII. The castle sits on two islands in a lake formed by the River Len.
Reported Activity: A phantom black dog has been reported in and around the castle, linked in local tradition to a Duchess who was accused of sorcery. The black dog motif is widespread in English folklore (the Black Shuck tradition in East Anglia, for example), which places this account in a broader cultural context rather than being site-specific evidence.
KASE Notes: We have not investigated Leeds Castle. The phantom black dog tradition is one of the most common motifs in English ghost folklore, which is why we have classified this as Level 3. If stronger, site-specific documentation emerged, we would reconsider.
Ightham Mote, near Sevenoaks
Evidence Level: 2 (Documented Reports); Access: Public, National Trust
History: Ightham Mote is a medieval moated manor house near Sevenoaks, dating to around 1340. It was home to the Selby family from the late 16th to mid-19th century. Dame Dorothy Selby is connected to the Gunpowder Plot of 1605: she is said to have sent the anonymous letter to Lord Monteagle warning him to stay away from Parliament on 5 November. In the 1870s, workmen investigating a persistent and unexplained chill in the tower bedroom uncovered a small space behind the wall panels containing the skeleton of a young woman. The skeleton's identity has never been confirmed, though local tradition attributes it to Dame Dorothy.
Reported Activity: A Grey Lady has been reported in the tower and corridors, associated with the walled-up skeleton. The tower bedroom where the skeleton was found has been noted for unexplained cold spots that conventional heating could not resolve. The American author Henry James stayed in the tower bedroom over Christmas 1887 and noted the ghost story, though he reported no personal experience. Cold spots remain the most consistently reported phenomenon.
KASE Notes: We have not investigated Ightham Mote. The skeleton discovery is historically documented and adds a genuinely unusual dimension to the reports. The persistent cold spots, noted independently across different time periods, are interesting. This is a Level 2 entry because the physical evidence (the skeleton) and the multiple independent reports of cold spots over an extended period provide stronger documentation than typical folklore entries.
Chiddingstone Castle
Evidence Level: 3 (Folklore & Oral History); Access: Public, ticketed heritage site
History: Chiddingstone Castle is a 17th-century country house near Edenbridge, remodelled in the Gothic style in the 19th century. It now houses collections of Japanese, Egyptian, and Buddhist art.
Reported Activity: A female ghost on horseback, described as wearing a three-cornered hat, has been reported in the grounds. The identity and origin of the figure are unknown, and the accounts are limited.
KASE Notes: We have not investigated Chiddingstone Castle. The reports are anecdotal and limited in number, which is why this is classified as Level 3. The unusual detail of the three-cornered hat is distinctive but insufficient on its own to elevate the classification.
Ramhurst Manor, Tonbridge
Evidence Level: 2 (Documented Reports); Access: Private
History: Ramhurst Manor near Tonbridge is a timber-framed medieval house. In the 19th century, the house gained attention when servants reported unexplained phenomena, leading the owners to call in a medium for consultation.
Reported Activity: Servants described hearing whispers and the sound of silk rustling through the corridors when no one was present. The disturbances were persistent enough that the household called in outside help. The reports are concentrated in the domestic spaces of the house rather than any particular room.
KASE Notes: We have not investigated Ramhurst Manor. The 19th-century servant accounts, while historical, represent multiple independent witnesses describing consistent phenomena, which is why this is classified as Level 2 rather than Level 3.
What to Do If You Have Experienced Something
If you have experienced something you cannot explain at home or at work, you are not alone, and you do not have to work it out by yourself. We offer private, confidential investigations across Kent and the South East. No judgement, no drama, just a calm and thorough approach to finding out what is going on.
Our private investigations page explains what to expect if you decide to get in touch.
Know a Location That Should Be Listed Here?
This directory is a living resource and we plan to update it as we investigate more locations and receive new information. If you know of a Kent location with a history of reported activity that is not included here, we would love to hear about it.
About Us
Kent and South East Paranormal - also known as KASE Paranormal - is a private, members-only group of paranormal investigators dedicated to researching and documenting unexplained phenomena across Kent, Sussex, and surrounding areas in the South East of England.
We investigate ghost sightings, haunted locations, and spiritual activity with professionalism, discretion, and a strong foundation in historical and investigative research. Our team operates out of genuine curiosity, respect for the unknown, and a commitment to uncovering credible evidence of the paranormal.
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You can also read other articles on our blog if you want to think things over before deciding what to do next: https://www.kaseparanormal.co.uk/blog