Ghost Stories for Halloween Straight from the Shire

The Ugly Little Ghost of Lacock Village

Back in the 70’s a Mrs Moore told Kathleen Wiltshire about a ghost that was haunting her friend’s house in the historical village of Lacock.

So the story goes, two children came to stay at the house and they begged the owner, this friend of Mrs Moore, to let them sleep in a different room. They said they were frightened of the ugly little man who came into their room at night.

Mrs Moore said the owner thought it related to some recent building works where they had taken down a wall between the two bedrooms and found a second hidden wall behind this. Sticking out from under the wall were a pair of skeletal feet. The builders were spooked!  Since the owners were away at the time they decided to rebuild the wall and leave the bones where they found them. The friend is convinced this uncovering was related to the ugly little ghostly man’s appearances.

Where this occurred, I have no idea. It could be in any number of the very old and special buildings of Lacock. 👻

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The Ghostly Monk of Avebury Manor

A couple of ghosts are said to haunt the Elizabethan building of Avebury Manor. Built on the site of a Benedictine priory in 1110, you won’t be surprised to hear one of them is monk. He is seen in the garden, various areas of the house and in the churchyard.

There is a story of an au pair who worked at the house sometime in the 20th century and when in the library she came across a monk sitting there. She asked him if he was staying for lunch. I’m not sure quite what happened next, but the family were said to be very shocked by the interaction as they too were in the library and saw no one there. Needless to say, no monk was staying or even visiting the house! 👻

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Old Josie of Cliff Farmhouse, All Cannings

Mrs F Hues glanced out of her bedroom window one late afternoon, back in 1946 or 47. She saw her neighbour, old Joshua Cowdry, standing by his gate. We went through the gate and up the path that led to his back door before disappearing into the house, even though the door was closed. Mrs Hues was surprised to see him as the house had been empty since he had been for a stay in Devizes Hospital.

Later that day Mrs Hues was sat with her husband having tea and remarked she was pleased to see ‘Old Josie’ was home. Her husband looked astonished but she was adamant she had seen him go into his cottage. Her husband informed her Old Josie had died that very afternoon in the hospital. 👻

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The Tedworth Drummer

The first recorded poltergeist report in British history came from Tidworth. In 1661, a landowner seized a vagrant drummer’s drum for being a nuisance and begging on the streets. The drum was taken to the local magistrate’s house at Tedworth House.

It wasn’t long before the drums started up. Night after night, ghostly drumming echoed through the house along with other terrifying activity. Boards in the children’s room would rise and be hurled at servants. Objects moved, chamber pots were emptied on beds and a smell of sulphur filled rooms.

On occasion ‘a great body with two glaring eyes’ was claimed to appear. For two years the family was terrified. Eventually the drummer was tried for theft and sentenced to transportation to Virginia. Strangely that’s when things quietened down and the phenomena gradually ceased. 👻

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An Evil Presence at Flower Farm, Bratton

There was once a building called Flower Farm which dated back to the 1490s. An evil presence, an old woman in dark clothes, haunted the upstairs of the house and resented visitors. In 1967 Flower Farm was pulled down.

In 1967 it was pulled down another house was built on the site but the nasty ghost was said to still be there. Five of the builders of the new house had unfortunate accidents, one nearly being crushed to death. They knew nothing of the history of the house but declared they felt ‘a jinx’ had been placed on it. 👻

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Counting Nails at The Church of the Holy Cross, Ramsbury

Go to the north door of this church at midnight and count the 100 nails but beware; the ghost of Wild Will Darrell will appear and open the door. Let me tell you, you don’t want to meet him. There are many ghostly locations associated with this horrid aristocratic man, who was accused of killing his baby by throwing it in the fire. It’s not clear what his connection is to this church but just don’t count any nails if you visit.👻

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The Ghostly Silk Noose of Salisbury Cathedral

Charles Stourton, 8th Baron of Stourton in Kilmington, was the second ever peer to be executed. Back on 6th March 1557, he was executed in Salisbury, having been found guilty of killing his arch enemy, William Hartgill, after a very serious Tudor-beef that had been going on for many years.

Because Charles was a peer, he was hung with a silk rope, as was his privilege. Following his death he was buried in Salisbury Cathedral, strangely it seems he was deemed worthy to share a tomb with Saint Osmund. The silk noose was suspended above their grave as a reminder.

For 200 years it hung in the cathedral. The dean of the time decided it was all in bad taste and removed it. But it is said to sometimes reappear, a luminous outline seen on occasion, within living memory, and by ‘impeachable witnesses’.

There are two possible places where St Osmund’s Tomb could be. Even the very knowledgeable guides don’t know!

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That wraps up the stories for this Halloween. Stay warm, stay dry, stay under the covers and most of all, stay spooky!