A ghost quits newly-weds
A ghost who forced a young, newly-wed couple to move out of their flat has now been forced to move out himself. The Bishop of Exeter, Dr Robert Mortimer, held a service of exorcism in the flat on Sunday. During the thirty-five minute service Holy water was sprinkled in all the rooms. And yesterday, Mr John Durston, 21, and his wife Carol, 20, had breakfast in their flat after sleeping there for the first time this month. Their ground-floor flat in an old farmhouse at Abbotskerswell, Devon, which is divided into three apartments. John and Carol moved in on August 31.
Carol said yesterday that they heard footsteps at night, saw a “misty figure of an old man” in the flat, watched their wardrobe shake and move away from the walls, and were conscious all the time that someone else was there. She said: “We went to relatives. Several times we moved back, but had to leave again after a night or two.”
The Rev. Gordon Langford, the vicar of Abbotskerswell, said: “I spoke to earlier tenants and a former owner and became satisfied the house was haunted. I obtained evidence from independent sources from as far back as 1925, when the house changed hands after a suicide there.”
He said that after he reported the matter to the Bishop, the Bishop’s Chaplain, the Rev. Sir Patrick Ferguson-Davie, made his own investigation and also became satisfied that it was haunted.
Daily Mirror, 14th November 1963.
Bishop exorcises country house ghost.
The Bishop of Exeter, Dr Roberrt Mortimer, has conducted a service of Exorcism to rid a country house in South Devon of a “ghostly presence.” The special visit was made last Sunday. All has been quiet there since.
The Bishop was called in by the Rev. Gordon Langford, Vicar of Abbotskerswell, who said yesterday: “The service was held at Aller House, Aller, near Newton Abbot, when after lengthy investigations I was satisfied that there was some ghostly presence there. We actually sensed it when we went there to hold this special service. The room temperature suddenly dropped alarmingly and we all shivered as though we were standing in an icy blast. The Bishop conducted the service and all the tenants living there were present.”
Aller House has been turned into three flats. The haunted flat was on the ground floor and in the home of Mr and Mrs John Dunton, who are newly-married. They had complained to the vicar of furniture being moved, the wireless being switched on in their absence and seeing a white form pass through their flat. For two months they had been afraid to sleep in the flat and spent the nights at Mr Durston’s mother’s house in the village of Kingskerswell near by. Mr Langford said, “I made a full investigation before reporting the matter to the bishop. His chaplain made further enquiries, and, as a result, the bishop decided to come down for theh purpose of exorcising the spirit.”
Mrs Durston, whose husband, aged 21, is an apprentice engineer, said: “It’s been a terrifying experience. One could sense something evil, and I don’t want to talk about it.” Mr Langford added: “On Monday last I went back and celebrated Holy Communion at the house. Since last weekend there has been a very different feeling about the house.”
Birmingham Daily Post, 14th November 1963.
Bishop scares ‘the ghost’.
Exorcism service frees newly-weds from terror.
Ghost terror has been lifted from an old country house by a bishop who held an exorcism service. For 35 minutes the Bishop of Exeter, Dr Robert Mortimer, said prayers and sprinkled holy water at Aller House, near Newton Abbot, Devon. And last night newly-wed Mrs Carole Durston, who had been driven in fear from her flat there, said: “We are sure the ghost has been driven away. We can live here again.”
More than 40 years ago, a man committed suicide at Aller House and there have been complaints of ghosts ever since. The house is now converted into three flats. The Bishop was called in by the Reverend Gordon Langford, vicar of nearby Abbotskerswell, who had heard tenants’ eerie stories of footsteps, misty figures and moving furniture. Said Mr Langford: “I made a thorough investigation and was satisfied there was a presence in the Durstons’ flat. After the Bishop’s chaplain had investigated, Dr Mortimer came down on Sunday to conduct the exorcism. Even the Bishop commented on the icy blast as he came into the room. But on Monday I celebrated Holy Communion at the house and there was a different atmosphere about the place.
Mrs Durston, aged 21, told of the nights of terror she and her husband spent at Aller House when they moved in last August. She said: “We heard footsteps shuffling up and down the passage, but found no-one there. The wardrobe was violently shaken and moved away from the wall. Ornaments moved by themselves along the mantelpiece. And several times we both saw a misty figure in our living room. After only a fortnight we went to my mother-in-law’s because we couldn’t bear to stay another night.”
Another tenant, Mr Leonard Culley, said: “Even when the Durstons were away we could hear furniture and crockery moving in their flat.”
Daily Herald, 14th November 1963.
Albert the ghost gets a new flat.
A bishop was called in to banish the ghost which haunted a bed-sitter in an old mansion. The ghost vanished from the bed-sitter. But soon afterwards it turned up in a flat just across the corridor. Now a medium is to be asked to deal with the wandering ghost of Aller House at Abbotskerswell, Devon.
About forty-five years ago a man committed suicide in the house – which has since been converted into flats. In the bed-sitter live Mr John Durston, 21, and his wife Carol. They were frightened by a misty figure, which they called “Albert.” The Durstons sent for the Bishop of Exeter, Dr Robert Mortimer, who held an exorcism service at the house.
Later Albert reappeared in a flat occupied by Mr Leonard Culley, 46, his wife Phyllis and their two daughters. Mr Culley said yesterday: “I was alone doing some accounts when I saw the ghost – a man aged between forty and forty-five dressed in Edwardian clothes. The ghost was there for several seconds. Then it vanished.” Mr Culley added: “The only answer is for a qualified medium to come and find out why the ghost isn’t resting. I’m going to ask the Metaphysical Society in London to send someone.”
Dr Mortimer said yesterday: “It looks as though I have failed to get rid of the ghost – although it HAS moved from one flat to another. I don’t think I will be going there again to conduct another exorcism service.”
Daily Mirror, 9th December 1963.