Wookey is a small English village located near Chewton Mendip, on the outskirts of Wells, Somerset. Apart from having a name that bears curious similarity to certain hairy denizens of the Star Wars universe, Wookey also happens to be the latest location among those worldwide where mystery booms have been reported.
The Wells Journal reported that a loud bang, accompanied by a plume of smoke seen over a field, was reported at around 11 AM local time on the morning of Friday, April 24, 2015.
According to the Wells Journal article:
Klaus Bogstad, who lives near the field said: “There was a big bang, lots of smoke – but there was nobody to be seen except a dog who was running away very fast.”
Police were called, and officers went along to investigate, talking to those living nearby and examining the field.
No scorched grass, craters associated with a meteorite fall, or suspicious activity of any kind was reported, according to a spokesperson with area law enforcement.
In November of last year, similar reports of loud booms were reported near Manchester, as described in this Mirror article. Weather phenomenon is often cited as a possible cause, as well as pranks involving fireworks, with more elaborate theories involving military aircraft, such as the BAE Systems Taranis.
The town of Wookey likely derives its name from Ochie, a derivative of “Ogo”, the old Celtic word for “cave.” The village is famous for the nearby Wookey Hole, a series of limestone caverns of archaeological significance. The caves are also connected with an enduring legend about a “witch” that lived there, which has been associated with the remains of a 1000-year-old human female that were within the caverns.
The caves have also been featured in various television productions over the years, including two episodes of the British science fiction series Doctor Who.
The cause of the recent “mystery boom”, though no one has linked it to local legends about a witch or a Cyberman invasion, does remain unexplained.
Image by Derek Andrews, CC 3.0.