Haunted Cottage.
A poor woman, inhabiting a cottage near New Radnor, about a year ago persuaded her husband to emigrate with the whole family to America. Shortly after her arrival the poor woman was seized with cholera, and died. For several weeks past most alarming noises, like the sound of a sledge-hammer on the boards, or like a person jumping, or like horses galloping, are heard in the cottage, and can in no way be accounted for. The superstitious begin to connect the visitation with the fate of the poor woman who formerly lived in the house.
The Glamorgan, Monmouth and Brecon Gazette, 15th June 1833
Mysterious Affair (From a Correspondent.)
Various are the opinions relative to the existence of supernatural sights and sounds in the present day. The inhabitants of New Radnor however appear almost unanimous in their belief on this controverted point, from a circumstance which has produced an excitement quiet novel to them. For several weeks past an alarming noise (of course produced, as it is supposed, by supernatural agency), has been repeatedly and distinctly heard in a cottage about a quarter of a mile distant from the town. So great was the nightly disturbance that the noise is compared by the inmates to a person striking on the boards with a sledgehammer, at other times like a person jumping, and often like the galloping of a horse outside the door.
The house has been carefully examined by different persons, but no trickery discoered, or cause assigned for so unusual an occurrence. In the spring of last year the (then) occupier and proprietor emigrated with his family to America, on the second or third day after their arrival at the place of destination the wife was attacked with cholera which terminated fatally in a few hours. The superstitious and lovers of the marvellous attach much to this circumstance; as the woman’s repeated solicitations was the sole cause of the family leaving, it is believed by many her spirit is returned to its old habitation! Many are the conjectures of “what can it be?” and numerous the tales related on the subject in the locality. – Hereford Journal.
A correspondent has furnished us with the following “clearing-up” of the above “Mysterious Affair.” On Wednesday night a few spirited inhabitants of New Radnor watched the “haunted” cottage: after spending a great part of the night in ghost-searching, and observing the most careful vigilance towards the room whence the alarming noises proceeded, they at length succeeded in unravelling the mystery. The alarming noise was occasioned by a party of rats, who were in pursuit of corn which had been in the room, and which must before have induced their nocturnal visits! When the fact was made known to the inhabitants of New Radnor nothing could exceed their joy, and the marvel now is, how any person could liken the noise of travelling rats to the sound from the blows of a sledge hammer, or the galloping of a horse!!
Hereford Times, 15th June 1833