Ringcroft, Galloway.

[Althalus 11]

These paranormal disturbances have been documented and attested in a nineteen page report, prepared at the time by the ministers of five adjacent parishes, by the lairds of Colline and Millhouse, and other responsible witnesses.

The dwelling at Ringcroft had long had a reputation for strange happenings. the mysterious occurences related here began in 1695, although there were numerous children in the house, they were all under observation at the time and could not have been responsible for any of the events that took place. Initial disturbances were at night and outside the house. the occupier of the house, Andrew Mackie, found one evening that all his cows had been led from their sheds and that their ropes had been cut. The following night the same thing happened and, even worse, one of the cows had been tied to a roof beam, its feet barely in contact with the floor. A stool and blanket were found to have been made into a shape that roughly resembled a human; stones were thrown, although mainly at night, and never on Sundays, and various pothooks vanished from the house, only to be found days later in places that had already been searched. One day, a large quantity of peat was mysteriously brought into the house, and the stone throwing now even took place on Sundays and was at its worst when the household was at prayer.

Peace briefly returned after a month, when the disturbances stopped. the lull lasted only seven days, however, then the family had its life disrupted even more violently than before. There were strange knocking noises throughout the house and stone throwing, which this time struck various members of the family. Children had the bedclothes ripped off the beds, and people were struck and badly beaten by a unidentifiable presence. While the family prayed, a voice was often heard at the end of each sentence saying 'Hush, Hush'.

The dor, hearing a strange voice, ran to the back door barking. In addition, fires were started, peices of burning peat were thrown about while the family prayed, balls of fire fell in and about the house, and strange groans and whistling noises were heard.

The house had been built 28 years before, and every person who had lived there was questioned by a local magistrate. these inquiries led to the discovery of human remains buried just outside the house, and it was assumed they were the remians of a victim of an unknown murder. As it was suspected that the disturbances were caused by the unquiet spirit of the corpse, 5 local minsters held a serviceof exorcism, but tey had hardly started when stones began to be thrown out of nowhere, at the ministers and the surrounding house.

For the next few days the disturbances continued and then a cloudlike black mist was seen in a corner of a room. This gradually grew in size, until if filled the house, the next day, 1st May 1695, the disturbances stopped for good.