Asfordby.
A series of strange mishaps.
On Saturday and Sunday no little excitement was caused in Asfordby by certain strange occurrences which commenced at three o’clock on Saturday afternoon at the Old Hall, occupied by Mr Daniel Hall, farmer.
It appears that in connection with the hall there are seven bells. On Saturday afternoon a new arrival entered the service of Mr Hall, as housekeeper. No sooner had she settled down in her new home than she was startled by a discordant peal on the seven bells, and when it was found that at intervals, from 3 to 10 p.m., the mysterious ringing continued 40 times, the housekeeper, Miss Fisher, and the servant became seriously alarmed, the latter becoming hysterical.
The whole village turned out to talk about the mystery. “The house is haunted,” says one old crone. “No; that ain’t it,” says another; “it’s spirits.”
Mr Hall, who had been from home, on his return, said “It might be mice” operating in an iron tube through which five of the bells ran. These bells were unhung, the sixth was muffled, the seventh being the front-door bell. The result was disappointing, for from time to time the front-door bell continued ringing, the last peal being rung at eight o’clock on Sunday morning.
In the meantime the household became somewhat settled, and Mr Hall was in the bedroom dressing for church. On changing his socks he sat down on a chair, on which were two pairs of trousers, at the head of the bed. Slipping on his boots, he proceeded to church. A few minutes afterwards Miss Fisher smelt fire, and, failing to find anything on the ground floor, went upstairs. On opening Mr Hall’s bedroom door she found the compartment full of smoke. She sent for Mr hall, and the Melton Fire Brigade was sent for. Before the engines started from Melton, however, news arrived that the fire had been extinguished by hand-grenades. The chair and the trousers, the mattress and the upper bedclothes were burnt; but a second marvel presented itself when it was found that the feather bed was quite uninjured. It is believed that some matches in the trousers pocket were ignited by Mr Hall sitting upon them just before going to church. A few pounds will cover the loss.
Leicester Daily Post, 22nd April 1890.