Norfolk Farm-house “Ghost.”
The following singular letter, dated Swaffham, March 1st, 1780, appeared in the “Norwich Mercury” in the year named:-
“There is a circumstance that hath lately very much excited the curiosity of many people in this neighbourhood, but I know of no other term to give it than the second part of the Cock-lane ghost.
At Anser, about two miles from this town, lives a plain, simple country farmer, and he has two servant girls, who give out that when in bed they are haunted, and cruelly beat and tormented with some daemon or evil spirit, which visits them in the night with a vast deal of scratching, knocking, and other noise.
These artful husseys manage matters so dexterously, that the whole family are fascinated, and most of the visitors instantly become converts to the farmer’s opinion; indeed, their credulity is so great that a friend of mine who lately went there, venturing to tell the farmer it was a gross imposition of the girls, was immediately told by him it was a lye.
Several grave and well-meaning people have been there also, as well as the weak, the lame, the halt, and (I suppose) the blind, and they all feel, see, or hear what strikes them with astonishment and wonder. Some of them return with very serious countenances and say, ‘We did not believe it, but we find it too true, and it is not a thing to be made a joke of’; though they all admit that the scratching ceases if the girls hold their hands out of bed, and the knocking also if you lie across their feet.
Indeed, the jades will venture sometimes to give the curtains a shake, or a visitor a slap on the face, but this is done so instantaneously that you can scarce perceive from whence it came.
A repetition of this farce every night would weary out the whole family, therefore the spirit has very good-naturedly confined his visits to three particular nights in six weeks. In an age so enlightened as the present, it is surprising how easily mankind are imposed upon. Against so much vulgar error and prejudice you may argue, but it is impossible to convince.”
It will be seen by the foregoing that this Norfolk farmer rather appreciated the allegation that his house was haunted. In this respect he differed from the modern owner of property, who resents the imputation. – B.J.
Norfolk Chronicle, 27th July, 1907.