There is no mistake about the latest spook. It is the genuine
article, if ever there was one, and the setting, moreover, could not be
more appropriate. An old-fashioned, creeper-covered inn, of great
antiquity, near Pontypool, has lately been the scene of ghostly
visitations, and from its behaviour the “spirit” is evidently that of
some departed pugilist. It has displayed most violent tendencies, and
those who have come under its spell have not only received a shock to
the nerves, but have come in for not inconsiderable physical buffettings
as well. To begin with, one night the landlord heard strange groaning
noises. A search was fruitless. Later he was awakened by a sound like
the pulling of a trigger and the slamming of a door, though all the
doors were fastened.
Another night a steeplejack engaged a lodging
at the inn, but about twenty minutes after going upstairs to bed rushed
down again. He declared that he had been smacked in the face several
times by an unseen hand. On his face there were livid marks which bore
eloquent testimony to the truth of his story. No explanation has been
forthcoming yet, and the discovery under some flooring, whence proceeded
a terrible odour, of a wreath of lilies, has merely heightened the
mystery.
This is an enlightened age, but such incidents as these
still have a powerful effect on the imagination of many people. Probably
the phenomenon arises from perfectly natural cuases, or, on the other
hand, the steeplejack may have been the victim of his own fears. Anyhow,
it’s a good advertisement for the inn – during the day time.
Birmingham Mail, 14th September 1905.
Bellicose “Ghost.”
A
“ghost” of bellicose tendencies is troubling the peace of mind of the
occupants of an old-fashioned inn in a village near Pontypool. According
to the narrative of the proprietor, uncanny noises have been heard
almost nightly for some weeks. A few nights ago the landlord’s son,
after he had retired for the night, heard a click, as though someone had
pulled the trigger of a pistol. This was followed by a groaning noise
and the slamming of a door. He conducted a search through the house, but
could find nothing unusual.
A day or two later, a customer put
up at the inn for the night. Soon after he had retired he aroused the
landlord in alarm, and complained that while in bed he was struck on the
face two or three times by some mysterious figure. He struck a light,
but, to his surprise, found himself alone in the room. There were marks
on his cheek where he had been struck.
The proprietor, when
interviewed, could throw no light on the occurrences, and mentioned a
further curious incident. Some months ago a curious odour was noticed in
one of the rooms, and on the floor-boards being taken up a wreath of
lilies of the valley in a good state of preservation was discovered.
Bristol Times and Mirror, 15th September 1905.
Haunted Welsh Inn.
Steeplejack’s experience.
The
quiet country tavern known as the New Inn, near Pontypool, supplies the
latest ghost story, and enables South Wales to keep up its reputation
for spooks. A night or two ago a steeplejack who had been working in the
neighbourhood was put up for the night. The landlord’s son showed him
to his room, but twenty minutes later heard a noise on the stairs.
Rushing to the bottom, he saw the steeplejack coming down, looking as
white as a sheet and very frightened.
“What tricks have you been
at?” he asked. “No tricks at all,” was the reply. Then the steeplejack
told his story. He said that after he got into bed he was smacked in the
face two or three times. He was now thoroughly frightened, and refused
to sleep in the room alone. The landlord’s son had to stay near him to
calm his shattered nerves.
Four persons saw on the steeplejack’s
face livid marks of fingers, but nothing further happened that night.
Questioned as to a possible explanation, the landlord’s son declared
that he could give none, but he mentioned that a few months ago one of
the rooms was re-floored. When the floor was removed a terrible odour
was noticed, and stranger than all, under the floor was found a wreath
of lilies of the valley in a wonderful state of preservation.
This,
with the click of the trigger, the groans, the slamming of the door,
and the ghostly blows, have stimulated the villagers’ imagination, but
the whole thing puzzles them. It is a kind of revival they do not
welcome.
Irish Independent, 18th September 1905.
Ghosts.
I
am no great believer in ghosts, but I have no particular objection to
the ordinary ghost if it is quiet in its movements. At a village near
Pontypool, a ghost has turned up that hits on the face the people it
visits. Now a fighting ghost is just too much of a good thing. I should
object to one of that sort unless the blows were only ghosts of blows.
Good hard knocks from a ghost ought to destroy anybody’s faith in its
spiritualistic character.
Cambrian News, 22nd September 1905.