The Mysteries of the Silent Pool

In this short, Zachary Peatling visited Silent Pool in Surrey, to trace the mysteries of this once-beautiful spot. From King John and ghosts, to the disappearance of the legendary Crime Writer, Agatha Christie, Silent Pool has constantly been shrouded in myth and legend.

It is said to be the most haunted body of water in the county. And one of the earliest mysteries of the Silent Pool is the story of the woodcutter’s daughter. While swimming in the pool, the young girl was approached by a figure on horseback. This man was King John. As he tried to get nearer, she retreated into the deeper waters, where she was swallowed by the darkness and drowned. According to legend, John made no attempt to rescue her, fleeing the scene. As he left, however, a feather from his cap was caught in a tree, incriminating him in her death. It is said that the ghost of this young woman still haunts the Silent Pool every night at midnight. 

Agatha Christie's car was found at the nearby Newland’s Corner, abandoned. It was feared that she had drowned in the Silent Pool. The mystery of her disappearance still remains baffling. She was found ten days later, at a hotel in Harrogate, about 230 miles away, under an assumed name, suffering from amnesia. 

Today, the mysteries are all that are left of this once beautiful site. The clear, pure waters used for gin distillation, the pool as quickly become riddled with rubbish and piping. It is a sorry sight for a place so resplendent in natural beauty and legendary intrigue.