Many of the tales surrounding Pluckley are associated with the Dering family. The family itself settled into the area around the 15th century. The Dering family were lords of the manor for centuries until about the start of the first World War. But their influence is still seen today. Many of the older buildings have distinctive windows with a round top.
A legend says that a Dering lord escaped from Oliver Cromwell’s army by diving through such a window just in the nick of time. As a remembrance when the manor was rebuilt, he had every window constructed with the same round top. Unfortunately, the manor house itself burned down in 1951, but the distinctive windows can still be seen in many of the buildings of the village.
But how does the Dering family play in the ghosts of Pluckley village? The answer begins with arguably the most well-known of supernatural legends, the dancing light.
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