A Victorian Lincolnshire Haunting: Halton Holgate

[staticgirl]

I have come across an account of two haunted houses in Halton Holgate, near Wainfleet, in Lincolnshire whilst idly googling for historical Lincolnshire related content. The book itself is a travelogue describing a tour of Lincolnshire and was published in 1898. The writer was desperate to include a haunted house in his itinerary. First he describes the articles that appears in 'The Standard' (which appears to be a nationally available paper which he buys in London and Boston) and then visits the house himself. It is quite long so I have just clipped some excerpts and then the link to the ebook which is available in the Project Gutenberg website.

The first account appears to be a local 'Big House':

Chapter XIV - "...after a haunted house this journey, but, nothing daunted, the following morning we set forth on the same errand, having heard that there was “a real haunted house” at Halton Holgate, a village situated about eight miles from Wainfleet. Haunted houses are strangely coming into note and repute again; I really thought their day was over for ever, but it seems not so....

...In a long letter to the Standard that appeared therein on 22nd April 1896 under the heading of “A Haunted House,” the writer gravely laments his lot in having unwittingly taken a lease of a house from which he and his family were driven, solely on account of the ghostly manifestations that took place there! The letter, which I afterwards learnt was written in absolutely good faith and was no hoax, commences: “In the nineteenth century ghosts are obsolete, but they are costing me two hundred pounds a year. I have written to my lawyer, but am told by him that the English law does not recognise ghosts!” ..."

And the second account, a farm:

"...We came here on Lady-day. The first night or so we heard very strange noises about midnight, as though some one was knocking at the doors and walls. Once it seemed as though some one was moving all the things about in a hurry downstairs. Another time the noise was like a heavy picture falling from the wall; but in the morning I found everything as right as it was the night before. The servant man left, saying he dared not stop, and we had to get another. Then about six weeks ago, I saw ‘something.’ Before getting into bed, my husband having retired before me, I thought I would go downstairs and see if the cow was all right, as it was about to calve. I did so, and when at the foot of the stairs, just as I was about to go up again, I saw an old man standing at the top and looking at me. He was standing as though he was very round-shouldered. How I got past I cannot say, but as soon as I did so I darted into the bedroom and slammed the door. Then I went to get some water from the dressing-table, but ‘feeling’ that some one was behind me I turned round sharply, and there again stood the same old man. He quickly vanished, but I am quite certain I saw him. I have also seen him several times since, though not quite so distinctly.”
Mrs. Wilson conducted her interviewer to the sitting-room where the figure appeared. The floor in one corner was very uneven, and a day or two ago Mrs. Wilson took up the bricks, with the intention of relaying them. When she had taken them up she perceived a disagreeable smell. Her suspicions being aroused, she called her husband, and the two commenced a minute examination. With a stick three or four bones were soon turned over, together with a gold ring and several pieces of old black silk. All these had evidently been buried in quicklime, the bones and silk having obviously been burned therewith. The search after this was not further prosecuted, but a quantity of sand introduced and the floor levelled again. Dr. Gay, to whom the bones were submitted, stated that they were undoubtedly human, but he believed them to be nearly one hundred years old. ..."

The travelogue writer makes enquiries and was told the bones were either 'dug up from the churchyard to infill the foundations' or 'a pig'. He also encounters Lincolnshire reticence and vagueness about distances. On first seeing the farm-house he remarks "we had expected to find an old-fashioned and perhaps picturesque farmstead, weathered and gray, with casement windows and ivy-clad walls. Nothing could well have been farther from our ideal of a haunted dwelling than what we beheld; no high-spirited or proper-minded ghost, we felt, would have anything to do with such a place, and presuming that he existed, he at once fell in our estimation—we despised him!" The farmhouse wife agrees to show them round but only once she's finished peeling the potatoes! She then describes what sounds like a poltergeist, the ghost of a little old man and the digging up of the bones. After the bones are uncovered the little old man does not reappear although the noises continue.
It's a vivid description and the author devotes quite an effort into describing everything even though he claims to be highly amused by the whole affair.

You can view the whole account at 'Over Fen and Wold' by John James Hissey, published 1989
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/65900/65900-h/65900-h.htm#CHAPTER_XIV

I hope you enjoy reading about a good old fashioned haunting as much as me

 

[staticgirl]

It's quite the find this book. This is from Wispington:

Then our host related to us a curious story that had been told to him as true history. According to this, a certain Lincolnshire miser died (I withhold, name, date, and place), and was duly placed in his coffin overnight; but then a strange thing happened, next morning the body had disappeared and its place was taken up with stones; it being presumed that the Devil had made off with his body and had placed the stones in the coffin in exchange. But one would have imagined that it was the man’s spirit not his body that his Satanic Majesty desired—but there I am always over-critical and too exacting about details. By the way this reminds me we were told, that the Lincolnshire folk never call the Devil openly by that familiar designation, but speak of him in an undertone, as either “Samuel,” “Old Lad,” or “Bargus.”

Then we gleaned some particulars of old Lincolnshire folk-lore. Here, for example, is an infallible charm to get power over the Devil, I mean “Samuel.{399}”

CHARMS
On St. Mark’s Eve, precisely at twelve o’clock, hold two pewter platters one over the other, take these to where bracken grows, hold the platters under the plants for the seeds to drop in, then you will find that the seeds will go right through the top platter and be caught in the one below; upon this “Samuel” will appear riding on a pig and tell you anything you want to know. Here is another charm. Kill a hedge-hog and smear two thorn-sticks with his blood, place these in a hedge-bottom and leave them there for fourteen days, if not moved meanwhile you will have your wish. I give these two charms as a fair sample of others, and I think they will well suffice!

 

[bugmum]

It's quite the find this book. This is from Wispington:

Poor hedgehogs!

 

[maximus otter]

I have come across an account of two haunted houses in Halton Holgate, near Wainfleet, in Lincolnshire whilst idly googling for historical Lincolnshire related content. The book itself is a travelogue describing a tour of Lincolnshire and was published in 1898. The writer was desperate to include a haunted house in his itinerary. First he describes the articles that appears in 'The Standard' (which appears to be a nationally available paper which he buys in London and Boston) and then visits the house himself. It is quite long so I have just clipped some excerpts and then the link to the ebook which is available in the Project Gutenberg website.

The first account appears to be a local 'Big House':


And the second account, a farm:



The travelogue writer makes enquiries and was told the bones were either 'dug up from the churchyard to infill the foundations' or 'a pig'. He also encounters Lincolnshire reticence and vagueness about distances. On first seeing the farm-house he remarks "we had expected to find an old-fashioned and perhaps picturesque farmstead, weathered and gray, with casement windows and ivy-clad walls. Nothing could well have been farther from our ideal of a haunted dwelling than what we beheld; no high-spirited or proper-minded ghost, we felt, would have anything to do with such a place, and presuming that he existed, he at once fell in our estimation—we despised him!" The farmhouse wife agrees to show them round but only once she's finished peeling the potatoes! She then describes what sounds like a poltergeist, the ghost of a little old man and the digging up of the bones. After the bones are uncovered the little old man does not reappear although the noises continue.
It's a vivid description and the author devotes quite an effort into describing everything even though he claims to be highly amused by the whole affair.

You can view the whole account at 'Over Fen and Wold' by John James Hissey, published 1989
https://www.gutenberg.org/files/65900/65900-h/65900-h.htm#CHAPTER_XIV

I hope you enjoy reading about a good old fashioned haunting as much as me

An hour's looking into this pair of tales leads me to suggest that the loci might be, respectively, the Rectory and High Farm in the village of Halton Holegate.

This local website gives digests of the tales:

1. "Sadness and hauntings at the Rectory

In 1790 the Rector Rev. William Brackenbury built a drawing room on to the Rectory.

His wife, Juliet was in this room, dressed to go out for an evening party when her dress caught fire. She attempted escape but this only fanned the flames and she died as a result of the burns received.

A second tale re-told by Rev. C.W. Smith:

The Rector Rev. Rawnsley was a close friend of the Rector of Somersby, Rev. George Tennyson, who often became depressed. He would make his way to Halton where he knew he would be made welcome.

A large bedroom at the Rectory was always made ready for him, and he would reside there for a week to 10 days. Thereafter he would return to his parish. Since Tennyson’s death, from time to time, heavy footsteps can be heard coming from, what is known as ‘Tennyson’s room’. Rev. Charles Smith (Vicar from 1943 to 1971) recalls the sounds, including the front door opening and footsteps walking upstairs.

2. Ghost Farm

The inhabitants of High Farm – to the north of the village – claimed that the farmer’s wife had seen the ghost of a little hunchback, on several occasions. The farm became known as ‘ghost farm’.

High Farm no longer remains but a few buildings are still standing, on fields to the north of the public footpath that runs between Halton Holegate and Spilsby.

The White family of Northorpe Road remember visiting the farm in the 1950s when, as boys, they were attending the village Primary School. A Mr Harry Simpson lived at the farm at the time, and he told the boys that he would pin a ten shilling note to the door and they could have it if they dared come up to the house after dark and take it."

High Farm is shown on this Victorian OS map of 25" to the mile (rectory also circled):

A study of the appropriate aerial photo reveals that High Farm has vanished since the Fifties. It therefore fits all the criteria from the above account: "North of the village, north of the footpath between Halton Holegate and Spilsby; now vanished."

The rectory is still there, but images of it are difficult to acquire due to its location. Here's the best I can do via Goggle Earth:

The late Victorian/Edwardian rector of St. Andrew's church in the village started to keep a scrapbook of records and events in the village. The only mention of ghosts I can find in it (it's 223 pages...) is on p.208, where the details as shown above - "Sadness And Hauntings At Rectory" - are quoted from "The Standard, March 14th 1980".

The scrapbook.

maximus otter

 

[staticgirl]

Oh nice investigations work!