Old Rectory, Epworth
The Old Rectory in Epworth, Lincolnshire is a Queen Anne style building, rebuilt after the fire of 1709, which has been completely restored and is now the property of the World Methodist Council, who maintain it as a museum. It is the site of supposed paranormal events that occurred in 1716, while the Wesley family was living in the house.[1][2]
Epworth Rectory haunting
The Epworth Rectory haunting is one of the best-known English poltergeist claims, and has been described by Author Mary Beth Crain as "the second-best-authenticated ghost story in history".[3][lower-alpha 1] Epworth Rectory, in Epworth, Lincolnshire, was home to the Reverend Samuel Wesley and his wife and their 19 children,[5] one of whom, John Wesley, grew up to become a founder of the Methodist Church.[1] From December 1716 until January 1717 it was said to be plagued by a series of regularly occurring mysterious loud noises and knockings, apparently caused by a ghost the eldest Wesley daughter nicknamed "Old Jeffrey", who made his presence known to all on Christmas Day 1716. In Mrs Wesley's words, "there was such a noise in the room over our heads, as if several people were walking, then running up and down stairs that we thought the children would be frightened". According to the tale, as she and her husband searched the house in vain for the culprit, Old Jeffrey continued "rattling and thundering in every room, and even blowing an invisible horn at deafening decibels".[6] "Old Jeffrey" supposedly disappeared in January 1717 just as suddenly as he had appeared.[4]
References
Notes
- ↑ Author Mary Beth Crain considers the best-authenticated account of a ghost to be the Bell Witch.[4]
Citations
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Crain (2009), p. 109
- ↑ Hall (1965), pp. 14–25
- ↑ Crain (2009), pp. 113–115
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Crain (2009), p. 115
- ↑ Steiger (1966), p. 68
- ↑ Crain (2009), p. 114
Bibliography