The Warminster Thing: A Wiltshire Mystery Unfolds

The Warminster Thing. It's a name that conjures images of swamp monsters, but the reality is far stranger. This "Thing" refers to a bizarre UFO flap that gripped the small Wiltshire town of Warminster in the 1960s, and continues to surface even today. As local journalist Arthur Shuttlewood, who dedicated countless hours to investigating these reports, discovered, the "Thing" was a shape-shifting enigma, morphing from UFOs and strange noises to crop circles and even missing livestock. It was, in essence, many things to many people.

Shuttlewood's book, "The Warminster Mystery," is a treasure trove of firsthand accounts, a window into the heart of this perplexing phenomenon. He became a sort of UK equivalent to John Keel, meticulously documenting the strange occurrences that disrupted the rural calm.

The Sounds of the Unknown

The Warminster mystery often began with a sound. On Christmas Day 1964, over 30 soldiers at Knook camp were jolted awake by a thunderous noise, as if a massive chimney had been ripped from a building. No conventional aircraft could be blamed. That same morning, Mrs. Marjorie Bye, on her way to church, was bombarded by cracking noises and then pinned down by "invisible fingers of sound." The experience left her shaken and weak.

Warminster's head postmaster, Roger Rump, also experienced the sonic onslaught. A loud pounding on his roof, as if thousands of tiles were being rearranged, accompanied by a constant humming, terrified him. Again, no damage was ever found. Similar roof-rattling events were reported by others, often accompanied by a strange detail: dead mice, their bodies burnt and riddled with holes, appearing in gardens. Animals, too, were affected, with cats hissing and dogs hiding in fear.

From Sounds to Sightings

While the strange sounds were disturbing, they were only the beginning. The first recorded sighting of the "Thing" came in May 1965. Hilda Hebdidge saw cigar-shaped objects, silently hovering and covered in bright lights, over Longleat and Heytesbury. "These things are from somewhere in the heavens," she mused. "Why should they not come down here and have a look at us for a change?"

The question of whether the "Thing" was benevolent or malevolent remained. One evening, three children playing by a stream encountered a sudden gale that swept them off their feet. One boy felt his neck gripped by an unseen force, while a toddler was mysteriously plucked from the edge of the stream. The wind subsided, leaving an eerie calm.

More sightings followed. A glowing apparition, sketched by a young boy, revealed a cigar-shaped object with a fiery halo. Teenagers at a local lake witnessed a similar object, exuding a blue light before vanishing. Kathleen Penton saw a silent "flying train" with lit windows, an object also reported by others in different locations.

The Mystery Deepens

The reports grew more bizarre. Rachel Atwill was awakened by a grinding sound and saw a bright, star-like object. A delivery driver, Terry Pell, encountered a flaming crimson orb that caused his truck's engine to seize. Theories about extraterrestrial visitors were rampant.

Then, things escalated. A massive blast rocked 40 houses, leading to reports of a monstrous orange flame and a mushroom-shaped cloud. Witnesses described metallic fragments found at the site. More sightings of unusual craft, some described as egg-shaped and metallic, followed.

Two brothers in Chapmanslade saw "jungle cat's yellow eyes" descending from the sky. Near Colloway Clump, a couple encountered two spheres of silver light, with "fiery entrails of blue and green," that revolved around each other before disappearing. These lights were often described as resembling human eyes.

A Public Meeting and Photographic Evidence

A public meeting was called to address the growing fear and confusion. Despite the large turnout, only a few witnesses dared to speak publicly. One government inspector suggested methane gas pockets as a cause. Volunteer observation groups were formed.

Around this time, Gordon Faulkner captured a photograph of the "Thing," a fast-moving object silently crossing the town. He refused to sell the photo, insisting he only wanted to live his life in peace. Arthur Shuttlewood believed the photo was genuine.

More sightings continued, with descriptions ranging from flat silvery objects to white lampshades. One group of witnesses, including an art teacher and his students, saw a circular object performing acrobatics around a jet aircraft.

Shuttlewood's Own Encounter

After months of documenting these accounts, Arthur Shuttlewood finally had his own encounter. He saw a colossal cigar-shaped object with an amber appendage. As he tried to take a photo, he experienced pain in his arm and face, and the craft disappeared. When it reappeared, it was much higher and further away. Shuttlewood's hand and face twitched for days after the event, and his watch stopped working.

By the end of September, over 200 reports had been made. The "Thing" was the talk of the town. The fact that many sightings involved lights resembling car headlights led to some speculation about refraction, though this seemed inadequate to explain the sheer variety and strangeness of the phenomena. The presence of water near many of the sighting locations also raised questions.

Strange Encounters and Vanishing Figures

The strangeness didn't end with lights in the sky. A man in a distressed state, wearing only light clothing in the cold, was found wandering and then disappeared after being treated in a hospital. Another report told of a driver who seemingly ran over a man in the road, only to find no trace of him afterward.

Annabelle Randall had a series of chilling experiences. She nearly hit a figure slumped on the road, only to find no one there. Later, she encountered a bright orange ball of light that disabled her car, followed by two figures in dark balaclavas. A retired RAF captain and his wife also reported seeing a figure in dark clothing, followed by a naked, bloody man who vanished.

The Thing Lingers

Even after the initial flurry of activity, the "Thing" didn't disappear. Strange noises, unexplained landings (including one witnessed by Ian Hann, involving a wheel-less vehicle), and continued sightings of unusual objects and figures in black persisted. The "Thing" had become a permanent part of Warminster's folklore.

Theories and Questions

The Warminster Thing raises many questions. Could the strange noises have induced hallucinations? Was it some kind of secret military experiment? The sheer variety of experiences, from sonic assaults to close encounters, makes it difficult to categorize.

The mystery of the Warminster Thing remains unsolved, a testament to the enduring power of the unknown. It's a story that blends eyewitness testimony, unexplained phenomena, and a touch of the bizarre, leaving us to wonder what, exactly, the "Thing" truly is.

Check out episode 23 of Wyrd Wessex ‘The Warminster Thing’ here

Or watch the video here