A Hampshire Ghost Story.
The Gentleman’s Magazine for December contains the second and concluding part of the curious narrative of supposed supernatural visitations at the old manor-house of Hinton Ampner, in Hampshire, some hundred years ago, the story being circumstantially told (with the support of other witnesses) by the then tenant, Mrs Ricketts, the sister of the celebrated Lord St. Vincent, a lady of evident courage and intelligence. She, with her family, occupied the house for nearly seven years during the absence of her husband in Jamaica, and in that time had a succession of servants, so that she strongly rebuts the possibility of any confederacy for the purpose of producing the noises and appearances by which she was troubled, and which ultimately drove her to another residence. Mrs Ricketts thus narrates her experiences: –
In the summer of 1770, one night that I was lying in the yellow bedchamber (the same I have mentioned that the person in drab-coloured clothes was seen to enter), I had been in bed half an hour thoroughly awake, and without the least terror or apprehension on my spirits. I plainly heard the footsteps of a man, with plodding step, walking towards the foot of my bed. I thought the danger too near to ring my bell for assistance, but sprang out of bed and in an instant was in the nursery opposite; and with Hannah Streeter (one of the servants) and a light I returned to search for what I had heard, but all in vain.
There was a light burning in the dressing-room within, as usual, and there was no door or means of escape save at the one that opened to the nursery. This alarm perplexed me more than any preceding, being within my own room, the footsteps as distinct as ever I heard, myself perfectly awake and collected.
I had, nevertheless, resolution to go to bed alone in the same room, and did not form any conclusion as to the caus e ofthis very extraordinary disturbance. For some months afterwards I did not hear any noise that particularly struck my attention, till, in November of the same year, I then being removed to the chintz bedroom over the hall, as a warmer apartment, I once or twice heard sounds of hamony, and one night in particular I heard three distinct and violent knocks as given with a club, or something very ponderous, against a door below stairs; it occurred to me that housebreakers must be forcing into some apartment, and I immediately rang my bell. No one hearing the summons, and the noise ceasing, I thought no further of it at that time.
After this, and in the beginning of the year 1771, I was frequently sensible of a hollow murmuring that seemed to possess the whole house; it was independent of wind, being equally heard on the calmest nights, and it was a sound I had never been accustomed to hear.
On the morning of the 27th of February, when Elizabeth Godin (another servant) came into my room, I inquired what weather. She replying in a very faint tone, I asked her if she was ill. She said she was well, but had never in her life been so terrified as during the preceding night; that she had heard the most dismal groans and fluttering round her bed most part of the night, that she had got up to search the room and up the chimney, and though it was a bright moonlight she could not discover anything. I did not pay much attention to her account, but it occurred to me that should anyone tell her it was the room fomerly occupied by Mrs Parfait, the old housekeeper, she would be afraid to lie there again. Mrs Parfait dying a few days before at Kilmeston, was brought and interred in Hinton churchyard the evening of the night this disturbance happened.
That very day five weeks, being the 2nd of April, I waked between one and two o’clock, as I found by my watch, which, with a rushlight, was on a table close to my bedside. I lay thoroughly awake for some time, and then heard one or more persons walking to and fro in the lobby adjoining. I got out of bed and listened at the door for the space of twenty minutes, in which time I distinctly heard the walking with the addition of a loud noise like pushing strongly against a door. Being thus assured my senses were not deceived I determined to ring my bell, to which I had before much reluctance on account of disturbing the nursery maid, who was very ill of a fever.
Elizabeth Godin during her illness lay in the room with my sons, and came immediately on hearing my bell. Thoroughly convinced there were persons in the lobby, before I opened my door, I asked her if she saw no one there. On her replying in the negative, I went out to her, examined the window, which was shut, looked under the couch, the only furniture of concealment there; the chimney board was fastened, and when removed, all was clear behind it. She found the door into the lobby shut, as it was every night. After this examination I stood in the middle of the room, pondering with much astonishment, when suddenly the door that opens into the little recess leading to the yellow apartment sounded as if played to and fro by a person standing behind it. This was more than I could bear unmoved.
I ran into the nursery and rang the bell there that goes into the men’s apartments. Robert Camis (a man servant) came to the door at the landing place, which door was every night secured, so that no person could get to that floor unless through the windows. Upon opening the door to Robert I told him the reason I had to suppose that some one was intrenched behind the door I before mentioned, and giving him a light and arming him with a billet of wood, myself and Elizabeth Godin waiting the event. Upon opening the door there was not any being whatever, and the yellow apartment was locked, the key hanging up, and a great bolt drawn across the outside door, as usual when not in use. There was then no further retreat or hiding place. After dismissing Robert and securing the door, I went to bed in my sons’ room, and about half-an-hour afterwards heard three distinct knocks, as described before; they seemed below, but I could not then or ever after ascertain the place. The next night I lay in my own room; I now and then heard noises and frequently the hollow murmur.
On the 7th of May, exactly the day five weeks from the 2nd of April, this murmur was uncommonly loud. I could not sleep, apprehending it was the prelude to some greater noise. I got up and went to the nursery, stayed there till half-an-hour past three, and then, being daybreak, I thought I should get some sleep in my own apartment; I returned and lay till ten minutes before four, and then the great hall directly directly under me was slapped to the utmost violence, so as to shake my room perceivably. I jumped out of bed to the window that commands the porch. There was light to distinguish every object, but none to be seen that could account for what I had heard. Upon examining the door it was found fast locked and bolted as usual.
From this time I determined to have my woman lie in a little bed in my room. The noises grew more frequent, and she was always sensible of the same sounds, and much i nthe same direction as they struck me. Harrassed and perplexed, I was yet very unwilling to divulge my embarrassment. I had taken every method to investigate the cause, and could not discover the least appearance of trick; on the contrary, I became convinced it was beyond the power of any mortal agent to perform, but, knowing how exploded such opinions were, I kept them in my own bosom, and hoped my resolution would enable me to support whatever might befall.
After Midsummer the noises became every night more intolerable. They began before I went to bed, and with intermissions were heard till after broad day in the morning. I could frequently distinguish articulate sounds, and usually a shrill female voice would begin, and then two others with deeper and manlike tone seemed to join in the discourse, yet, though this conversation sounded as if close to me, I never could distinguish words.
I have often asked Elizabeth Godin if she heard any noise, and of what sort. She as often described the seeming conversation in the manner I have related, and other noises. One night in particular my bed curtains rustled and sounded as if dragged by a person walking against them. I then asked her if she heard any noise and of what kind. She spoke of it exactly in the manner I have done. Several times I heard sounds of harmony within the room – no distinct or regular notes, but a vibration of harmonious tones; walking, talking, knocking, opening and slapping of doors were repeated every night. My borther (afterwards Earl St. Vincent), who had not long before returned from the Mediterranean, had been to stay with me, yet so great was my reluctance to relate anything beyond the bounds of probability that I could not bring myself to disclose my embarrassed situation to the friend and brother who could most essentially serve and comfort me.
The noises continuing in the same manner when he was with me, I wished to learn if he heard them, adn one morning I carelessly said: “I was afraid last night the servants would disturb you, and rang my bell to order them to bed.” He replied he had not heard them. The morning after he left me to return to Porsmouth, about three o’clock and daylight, Elizabeth Godin and myself both awake – she had been sitting up in bed looking round her, expecting as she always did to see something terrible – I heard with infinite astonishment the most loud, deep, tremendous noise, which seemed to rush and fall with infinite velocity and force on the lobby floor adjoining to my room. I started up, and called to Godin, “Good God! did you hear that noise?” She made no reply; on repeating the question, she answered with a faltering voice, “She was so frightened she scarce durst speak.”
Just at that instant we heard a shrill and dreadful shriek, seeming to proceed from under the spot where the rushing noise fell, and repeated three or four times, growing fainter as it seemed to descend, till it sank into earth. Hannah Streeter, who lay in the room with my children, heard the same noises, and was so appalled she lay for two hours almost deprived of sense and motion. Having heard little of the noises preceding, and that little she did not regard, she had rashly expressed a wish to hear more of them, and from that night till she quitted the house there was scarce a night passed that she did not hear the sound as if some person walked towards her door, and pushed against it, as though attempting to force it open. This alarm, so more than commonly horrible, determiend me to impart the whole series to my brother on his return to Hinton, expected in a week.
The frequency of the noises, harassing to my rest, and getting up often at unreasonable hours, fixed a slow fever and deep cough, my health was much impaired, but my resolution firm. I remained in anxious expectation of my brother, and he being detained a week longer at Portsmouth than he had foreseen, it occurred to me to endeavour, by changing my apartment, to obtain a little rest; I removed to that formerly occupied by Elizabeth Godlin; I did not mention my intention till ten at night, when the room was prepared, and I went to bed soon after.
I had scarce lain down when the same noises surrounded me that I before have related, and I mention the circumstance of changing my room without previous notice, to prove the impossibility of a plan of operations being so suddenly conveyed to another part of the house, were they such as human agents could achieve.
The week following I was comforted by the arrival of my brother. However desirous to impart the narrative, yet I forbore till the next morning; I wished him to enjoy a night’s rest, and therefore contented myself with preparing him to hear on the morrow the most astonishing tale that ever assailed his ears, and that he must summon all his trust of my veracity to meet my relation. He replied it was scarce possible for me to relate any matter he could not believe, little divining the nature of what I had to offer to his faith. The next morning I began my narrative, to which he attended with mixed surprise and wonder. Just as I had finished, Captain Luttrell, our neighbour at Kilmston, chancing to call, induced my brother to impart the whole to him, who in a very friendly manner offered to unite his endeavours to investigate the cause. It was then agreed that he should come late in the evening, and divide the night watch between them, keeping profoundly secret there was any such intention. My brother took the precaution, accompanied by his own servant, John Bolton, to go into every appartment, particularly those on the first and attic story, examined every place of concealment, and saw each door fastened, save those to chambers occupied by the family; this done, he went to bed in the room over the servants’ hall.
Captain Luttrell and my brother’s man with arms sat up in the shintz room adjoining, and my brother was to be called on any alarm. I lay that night in Elizabeth Godin’s room, and the children in the nurseries; thus every chamber on that floor was occupied. I bolted and locked the door that opened to that floor from the back stairs, so that there was no entrance unless thorough the room where Captain Luttrell kept watch.
So soon as I lay down, I heard a rattling as of a person close to the door. I ordered Elizabeth Godin to sit up a while , and if the noise continued, to go and acquaint Mr Luttrell. She heard it, and instantly Mr Luttrell’s room door was thrown open and we heard him speak. I must now give his account as related to my brother and myself the next morning.
He said he heard the footsteps of a person walking across the lobby, that he instantly threw the door open, and called, “Who goes there?” That something flitted past him, when my brother directly called out. “Look against my door.” He was awake and heard what Mr Luttrell had said, and also the continuance of the same noise till it reached his door. He arose and joined Mr Luttrell. Both astonished, they heard various another noises, examined everywhere, found the suitcase door fast scoured as I had left it. I lay so near, and had never closed my eyes, no one could go to that door unheard.
My brother and his man proceeded upstairs, and found the servants in their own rooms, and all doors closeed as they had seen just before. They sat up together, my brother and Mr Luttrell, till break of day, when my brother returned to his old chamber. About that time, as I imagined, I heard the chiniz room door opened and slammed to with the utmost violence, and immeidately that of the hall chamber opened and shut in the same manner. I mentioned to Godin my surprise that my brother, who was ever attentive not to alarm or disturb the children, should hazard both by such vehement noise.
An hour after I heard the house door open and slam in the same way, so as to shake the house. No one person was then up, for as I had never slept, I heard the servants rise and go down about half-an-hour afterwards. When we were asemled at breakfast, I observed the noise my brother had made with the doors. Mr Luttrell replied, “I assure you, Jervis made not the least noise; it was your dooor and the next I heard opened and slapped in the way you describe.
My brother did not hear either. He afterwards acknowledged to me that when gone to bed and Mr Luttrell and I were sitting below, he heard dreadful groans and various noises that he was then and after unable to account for. His servant was at that time with mine below. Captain Luttrell declared the disturbances of the preceding night were of such a nature that the house was an unfit residence for any human being. My brother, though more guarded in his expressions, concurred in that opinion, and the result of our deliberations was to send an express to Mr Sainsbury, Lady Hillsborough’s steward, to request he would come over immediately on a very particular occasion, with which he would be made acquainted on his arrival. Unluckily, Mr Sainsbury was confined with the gout and sent over his clerk, a youth of fifteen, to whom we judged it useless and improper to divulge the circumstances.
My brother sat up every night of the week he then passed at Hinton. In the middle of one of these nights I was surprised with teh sound of gun or pistol let off near me, immediately followed by groans as of a person in agonies, or expiring, that seemed to proceed between my chamber and the next, the nursery. I sent Godin to Nurse Horner, to ask if she had heard any noise; she had not. Upon my inquiry the next morning of my brother, he had not heard it, though the report and groans were loud and deep. Several instances occurred where very loud noises were heard by one or two persons, when those equally near and in the same direction were not sensible of the least impression.
As the watching every night made it necessary for my brother to gain rest in the day, he usually lay down after dinner. During one of these times he was gone to rest. I had sent the children and their attendants out to walk, the dairymaid gone to milk, the cook in the scullery, my own woman with my brother’s man sitting together in the servants’ hall; I, reading in the parlour, heard my brother’s bell ring with great quickness. I ran to his room, and he asked me if I had heard any noise, “because,” said he, “as I was lying wide awake, an immense weight seemed to fall through the ceiling to the floor just by that mahogany press, and it is impossible I should be deceived.” His man was by this time come up, and said he was sitting underneath the room as I before mentioned, and heard not the least noise. The inquiry and attention my brother devoted to investigate this affair was such as from the reach of his capacity and ardent spirit might be expected; the result was his earnest request that I would quit the place, and when obliged to return to Porsmouth, that I would permit him to send Mr Nichols, his Lieutenant of Marines, and an old friend of the family, to continue, till my removal, with me.
One circumstance is of a nature so singularly striking that I cannot omit to relate it. In one of our evening’s conversations on this wonderful train of disturbances I mentioned a very extraordinary effect I had frequently observed in a favourite cat that was usually in the parlour with me, and when sitting on table or chair with accustomed unconcern she would suddenly slink down as if struck with the greatest terror, conceal herself under my chair, and put her head close to my feet. In a short space of time she would come forth quite unconcerned. I had not long given him this account before it was verified to him in a striking manner. We neither then, nor I at other times, perceived the least noise that could give alarm to the animal, nor did I ever perceive the like effect before these disturbances, nor afterwards when she was removed with me to another habitation. The servants gave the same account of a spaniel that lived in the house, but to that, as I did not witness, I cannot testify.
[After this, Mrs Ricketts left the house, which subsequently had only one tenant, a Mr Lawrence, who stayed about a year, and then suddenly quitted it.]
After this the house was never occupied. On being pulled down there was found by the workmen under the floor of one of the rooms a small skull, said to be that of a monkey; but the matter was never brought forward by any regular inquiry, or professional opinion resorted to as to the real nature of the skull.
Bristol Mercury, 7th December 1872.