The 'Ragged Boy'

[Ealdwita]

My house was built in the early 1560's on a site of a much earlier structure, so it's bound to have a bit of a history. Legend has it that a woman in a dark red dress with a wide white collar and wearing a white bonnet has been seen sitting by the fireplace in the living room, (whether there's a chair there or not!) From the description I believe she might be from the English Civil War period. In what we think was the old bake-house, now used as a utility room, an apparition described as a 'ragged boy' has been seen. Both these visions have been documented, and most of the sightings seem to have occurred in the 18th.Cent.

Neither I nor my wife have seen or felt anything, but last year Daughter No.4 and my Granddaughter Tatiana came down for a long weekend. We were sitting in the kitchen having a cuppa whilst Tatty galloped round the house exploring, (like 4 year-olds do)! After a while she came in and asked where the 'little boy's' mummy was, and seemed quite worried because he'd "torn his coat and had got very dirty"! Needless to say, there was no sign of any boy when we went to look.

Neither my daughter or granddaughter had any knowledge of the legend BTW, as she wouldn't have come near the house had she known.

Who knows? They don't bother us and we don't bother them, but the dogs don't like it!

[DevilCatGirl]

Very fascinating. Has anything else odd happened?

Oh - and welcome to UM!

Edited June 10, 2010 by DevilCatGirl

[Ealdwita]

Very fascinating. Has anything else odd happened?

Oh - and welcome to UM!

Thank you for the welcome, DevilCatGirl. In answer to your question, nothing further has happened in the house - with the possible exception of the odd temperature change now and again, but it's such an old place, who knows what's causing that? I live in what is reputed to be one of the most haunted villages in England so we're not short of the odd spectre or two.

Here's a quick run-down from the 'Village History'

The spectre of the highwayman Robert Du Bois speared to a tree at Fright Corner (Even though the tree is now gone);

A phantom coach and horses, allegedly manifesting in the vicinity of Maltman's Hill;

The ghost of a Gypsy woman who burned to death in her sleep;

The black ghost of a miller haunting the ruins of a windmill near "The Pinnocks";

The hanging body of a schoolmaster in Dicky Buss's Lane;

A colonel who hanged himself in Park Wood;

The screaming ghost of a man being smothered by a wall of clay at the brickworks;

A Lady in a red dress and a ragged boy haunting Jack's Court....(my place)

The Lady of Rose Court, who is said to have eaten poisoned berries in despair over a love triangle;

The Phantom Monk of "Greystones", a house built in 1863. There is a suggestion he may have been the unrequited love object of the Lady of Rose Court;

The White Lady of Dering, a young woman apparently buried inside 7 coffins and an oak sarcophagus who haunts the churchyard of St. Nicholas's Church;

The Red Lady, reputedly an earlier member of the same ancient Dering family who also haunts St Nicholas'. The legend of the Red and White Ladies seem to overlap. A third ghost has apparently also been reported in the same place.

The Screaming Woods, an area of forest outside of town supposedly haunted by the ghosts of many who became lost in the woods. It was given its name because you can supposedly still hear their screams from inside the forest at night.

Three other buildings in the village are also said to be haunted.

And it's such a pretty village too!

Edited June 10, 2010 by ealdwita

[DevilCatGirl]

You are most welcome!

I have odd temperature differentials in my house at times (among other things) that we have tried to find every explanation for. My house is fairly new, however.

A pretty village with ALL that deliciously creepy lore??? Sounds like my kind of village!!!

[Lcvec]

My house was built in the early 1560's on a site of a much earlier structure, so it's bound to have a bit of a history. Legend has it that a woman in a dark red dress with a wide white collar and wearing a white bonnet has been seen sitting by the fireplace in the living room, (whether there's a chair there or not!) From the description I believe she might be from the English Civil War period. In what we think was the old bake-house, now used as a utility room, an apparition described as a 'ragged boy' has been seen. Both these visions have been documented, and most of the sightings seem to have occurred in the 18th.Cent.

Neither I nor my wife have seen or felt anything, but last year Daughter No.4 and my Granddaughter Tatiana came down for a long weekend. We were sitting in the kitchen having a cuppa whilst Tatty galloped round the house exploring, (like 4 year-olds do)! After a while she came in and asked where the 'little boy's' mummy was, and seemed quite worried because he'd "torn his coat and had got very dirty"! Needless to say, there was no sign of any boy when we went to look.

Neither my daughter or granddaughter had any knowledge of the legend BTW, as she wouldn't have come near the house had she known.

Who knows? They don't bother us and we don't bother them, but the dogs don't like it!

I think there's no need to worry, as long as you don't have any problems with it. Your last line says everything, if they don't bother you, you don't bother them...it's a nice story though, must be an interesting place to visit.

Thanks for sharing your story and welcome to UM!

[Ealdwita]

I think there's no need to worry, as long as you don't have any problems with it. Your last line says everything, if they don't bother you, you don't bother them...it's a nice story though, must be an interesting place to visit.

Thanks for sharing your story and welcome to UM!

Thanks Lcvec. From the documentation I've seen, my particular 'ghosts' seem completely unaware of the living and have never interacted with us. It would be nice to catch a glimpse of them though.

[MikeW]

How are your daughter and granddaughter faring? I mean, they must be somewhat curious to what they have seen, it's hard to comprehence for grown-ups, let alone for a child. But then again, children have a much simpler look on everything so she might just forget about it. They also say children are way more perceptive to these things, so when she visits again she might experience something again. However it might be best to be very cautious, after all, who knows what it is right? It's never good to provoke the unknown so if she keeps experiencing these things you should surely keep a watchfull eye.

Maybe, if your "lucky", the spirit/ghost/or whathever you presume it to be might even communicate. Lets hope it just doesn't cause any trouble as mentioned before.

I believe it is best to leave it alone, i mean if it is just you , it's your personal choice to investigate or anything alike, but well, you never know right? Especially with small children around ;o (Oke, i sound abit dramatic there, i don't want to frighten you or anything hehe)

Edited June 10, 2010 by MikeW

[Insignia]

Thank you for the welcome, DevilCatGirl. In answer to your question, nothing further has happened in the house - with the possible exception of the odd temperature change now and again, but it's such an old place, who knows what's causing that? I live in what is reputed to be one of the most haunted villages in England so we're not short of the odd spectre or two.

Here's a quick run-down from the 'Village History'

The spectre of the highwayman Robert Du Bois speared to a tree at Fright Corner (Even though the tree is now gone);

A phantom coach and horses, allegedly manifesting in the vicinity of Maltman's Hill;

The ghost of a Gypsy woman who burned to death in her sleep;

The black ghost of a miller haunting the ruins of a windmill near "The Pinnocks";

The hanging body of a schoolmaster in Dicky Buss's Lane;

A colonel who hanged himself in Park Wood;

The screaming ghost of a man being smothered by a wall of clay at the brickworks;

A Lady in a red dress and a ragged boy haunting Jack's Court....(my place)

The Lady of Rose Court, who is said to have eaten poisoned berries in despair over a love triangle;

The Phantom Monk of "Greystones", a house built in 1863. There is a suggestion he may have been the unrequited love object of the Lady of Rose Court;

The White Lady of Dering, a young woman apparently buried inside 7 coffins and an oak sarcophagus who haunts the churchyard of St. Nicholas's Church;

The Red Lady, reputedly an earlier member of the same ancient Dering family who also haunts St Nicholas'. The legend of the Red and White Ladies seem to overlap. A third ghost has apparently also been reported in the same place.

The Screaming Woods, an area of forest outside of town supposedly haunted by the ghosts of many who became lost in the woods. It was given its name because you can supposedly still hear their screams from inside the forest at night.

Three other buildings in the village are also said to be haunted.

And it's such a pretty village too!

Sounds like Pluckly if i'm not mistaken?

Beautiful village too, i'm incredibly jealous! (Manchester here ><)

[nognome]

only in england can somebody have a 450 year old house

[Gwynbleidd]

only in england can somebody have a 450 year old house

I know!! I'm incredibly envious now

It would be fantastic to see pics if possible

[Ealdwita]

How are your daughter and granddaughter faring? I mean, they must be somewhat curious to what they have seen, it's hard to comprehence for grown-ups, let alone for a child. But then again, children have a much simpler look on everything so she might just forget about it. They also say children are way more perceptive to these things, so when she visits again she might experience something again. However it might be best to be very cautious, after all, who knows what it is right? It's never good to provoke the unknown so if she keeps experiencing these things you should surely keep a watchfull eye.

Maybe, if your "lucky", the spirit/ghost/or whathever you presume it to be might even communicate. Lets hope it just doesn't cause any trouble as mentioned before.

I believe it is best to leave it alone, i mean if it is just you , it's your personal choice to investigate or anything alike, but well, you never know right? Especially with small children around ;o (Oke, i sound abit dramatic there, i don't want to frighten you or anything hehe)

My granddaughter has placed no significance of her encounter, other than she met 'a little boy that was going to get into trouble', and we've left it at that. Like me, my daughter is quite pragmatic about it, so life goes on quite uneventfully.

[Ealdwita]

Sounds like Pluckly if i'm not mistaken?

Beautiful village too, i'm incredibly jealous! (Manchester here ><)

Pluckley it is, Insignia. Have you visited here? Don't be too jealous though - have you any idea how much the Council Tax is?

[Ealdwita]

For nognome and pixiii - Old houses are fine (up to a point), but there's a downside. They cost the earth to maintain, and there's always another case of woodworm or death-watch beetle to sort out! At least it's not thatched or we'd be talking silly money every few years!

I have some pics somewhere, I'll see if I can find them.

[Ealdwita]

I know!! I'm incredibly envious now

It would be fantastic to see pics if possible

I've found a pic of the house from when we first moved in...

[hogan804]

Sounds like you live in a paradise for Ghost Hunters. Hopefully, you'll get a chance to post some additional pics.

Edited June 11, 2010 by hogan804

[DevilCatGirl]

I've found a pic of the house from when we first moved in...

That house is beautiful!!!! I love old masonry...it cannot be beat. My house was built in 2005 and it is terribly boring in comparison.

[Ealdwita]

Sounds like you live in a paradise for Ghost Hunters. Hopefully, you'll get a chance to post some additional pics.

We have regular packs of ghost hunters roaming round the village. It's almost a local tourist industry! They're a damned nuisance most of the time!

[Ealdwita]

That house is beautiful!!!! I love old masonry...it cannot be beat. My house was built in 2005 and it is terribly boring in comparison.

Yes, but give it another 400 or so years.......and who knows?

[MikeW]

Yes, but give it another 400 or so years.......and who knows?

Imagine what your house might look like then xD

you yourself might just be roaming around for future unsuspecting family's to communicate with ;p

[Lcvec]

I've found a pic of the house from when we first moved in...

Really beautiful house, I'd love to live in such place with or without ghosts.

Edited June 11, 2010 by Lcvec

[Gwynbleidd]

I've found a pic of the house from when we first moved in...

oh my goodness! Now thats just gorgeous! I can only imagine sipping a hot cup of tea on a cold night in front of the fireplace whilst hearing the fire crackling and the familiar house creaks and groans. Not to mention, having an actual spirit sharing the house is awfully exciting. Thankyou so much for sharing!