Finedon Ghost.
The village of Finedon, in the county of Northampton, has for some time past been greatly agitated, in consequence of an unusual noise heard in the Charity School House. On Christmas Eve, the inmates of the school, which is detached from any other building, were alarmed by an extraordinary loud knocking. Its movements are generally such as these, and have been continued almost without intermission till now:-
A violent thumping upon the doors of the inner rooms, as if given with a heavy hammer; the simultaneous rattling up and down of the latch of the room door which flies open and shuts, and, if closed by any person, it immediately bursts open again, receiving at the same time a tremendous blow, as if in the centre of a pannel; at other times, it causes the whole house, especially the school room, to shake, and the beams and rafters appear actually as though they were falling down.
The removal of the children to another house at a considerable distance in the parish was resorted to, and several persons set to watch the school house, but what appears very singular, the poor children had no sooner entered the new house than the knocking, precisely similar to that which had before annoyed them, commenced, following them into whatever part of the dwelling they went. Very great numbers of persons, we understand, have been to see and examine both houses, but without affording any effectual aid towards laying this troublesome and noisy Ghost, which, from all we can hear, is likely to outrival the famous London Cock Lane Ghost.
Northampton Mercury, 7th February 1824.
A Ghost!
The village of Finedon, near Kettering, has for some weeks been considerably alarmed by indescribable noises heard in a school-house there, and the vulgar (ever attached to the marvellous) of course attribute the whole to supernatural agency. Common report, indeed, makes the case of the most “horrible” description. The beams are said to have moved! and an image of a charity girl is also reported to have shaken violently!! Noises have been heard similar to blows struck with a sledge hammer, and yet no person is to be found, nor are the facts to be physically accounted for.
The Vicar has been anxiously making all possible inquiry into the matter, and several other clergymen and gentlemen in the neighbourhood are said to be also actively employed in the investigation. The school is founded in a charity left many years ago by two ladies; but a number of shoemakers now occupy the school, and these sons of St. Crispin have been frequently annoyed by more hammerings than their own! What adds to the mystery is, that the disturbance is by day as well as by night, and in different parts of the house successively. The subject is at present to the whole neighbourhood the cause of high wrought curiosity.
Warwick and Warwickshire Advertiser, 14th February 1824.
Finedon Ghost.
We are authorised to state, that this awful personage is no other than the contrivance of the charity girls, whose tricks have been encouraged by the multitudes whowent to see or hear a wonder; and have been detected by the few who sought to expose an imposture.
Northampton Mercury, 14th February 1824.