It was in the spring of 1948 that the necessary spark to ignite the flame [to learn about ghosts]
was provided by my espying. . . . a copy of the late Harry Price's much criticized but nonetheless
fascinating and enthralling "End of Borley Rectory." Here, it seemed, was a collection of
evidence of alleged paranormal happenings, unique in its detail and variety. . . . Yes, I too was
bitten by the Borley bug, and, finding that the so-called 'most haunted house in England' lay
within easy access from Cambridge, it was not surprising that before long I found myself among
the ever-increasing, if curiously assorted band of pilgrims wending their way towards the
undisputed Mecca of twentieth century ghost-hunters.
This is not the place to embark on a discussion of the evidence for and against the haunting of the
famous rectory, but suffice it to say that I shall always be thankful for my introduction to the
mysteries of Borley, for, had I not become one of the many thousands of Borley 'fans,' it is
unlikely that the present book would ever have been written. There will always be a soft corner in
my heart for that peaceful and pleasant spot in the heart of East Anglian countryside, where I first
tasted the excitements of ghost-hunting. [page 11]
. . . . in the early spring of 1949, during one of my periodical pilgrimages to Borley, I first heard the name of Langenhoe. The late Rector of Borley, Rev. A.C. Henning (who took a great interest in psychical phenomena) told me [about it]. [18]
Mindful of the church at Borley, one was hoping to find a nice sheltered porch [at Langenhoe Church]. . . . [18]
It is worth mention in passing, that the bishop's [Colchester] interest in paranormal phenomena had been considerably sharpened some years previously during a visit to the notorious Borley Rectory. It appears that he was sitting talking to the incumbent (the late Rev. Eric Smith) when, with all the doors and windows closed, all of a sudden there sailed through the air apparently from nowhere, a large-sized pebble which, after more or less parting His Lordship's hair, dashed itself against the fireplace. [28]
[The rector of Langenhoe, Earnest A.] Merryweather. . . . had learned of the very interesting connection between Langenhoe and the celebrated Borley, by virtue of their common ownership over a period of some 200 years by the Waldegraves, a well known Roman Catholic family. It was in 1589 that Nicholas Waldegrave, lord of the manor at Borley, acquired also the manor of Langenhoe, by marrying Catherine Browne. . . . Nicholas Waldegrave's father, Sir Edward, had been an important figure during the reign of Queen Mary, but, under her Protestant successor, Queen Elizabeth, had suffered persecution and had been imprisoned in the Tower of London. . . [28]
. . . . Frances Waldegrave. . . . [was] ultimately buried at Borley in 1599. . . . [28]
I could recall hearing of only one previous instance in which a ghostly voice was alleged to have come "out of the blue" in this dramatic fashion: this was at Borley Rectory, where the rector (Rev. L.A. Foyster) claimed that, on one occasion, he walked out of a room on to the landing and caught what seemed to be the tail end of a ghostly conversation ("don't, Carlos, don't"). [sic. Actually, Rev. Eric Smith. 34]
. . . . at least one name appeared . . . . which was also to be found on the list of rectors hanging in Borley Church, emphasizing the link between the two parishes, and indicating that at one period at least, the two benefices had evidently been held in plurality. [40]
It was on a hot, sultry late summer afternoon (27th August 1949) that I was driven over to Langenhoe from Borley by Mr. James Turner (the author and broadcaster) and his wife catherine, with whom I had become very friendly the previous year, and from whom I received much kind hospitality during my visits to Borley. Mr. and Mrs. Turner, incidentally, lived in the old rectory cottage at Borley (which had survived intact from the burning of the rectory in 1939) from 1947 to 1950, and, by reason of certain peculiar experiences that befell them during their time there, were by no means uninterested in the subject of psychical phenomena. [41]
The paranormal locking and unlocking of doors is of course a recognised part of the repertoire of poltergeists, and was reported, among other instances, in the haunting of Borley Rectory. [48]
. . . .we took our leave of the rector and drove back to Borley. . . .[48]
. . . . these unaccountable smells. . . .are reported sometimes in cases of hauntings, as, for instance, at our old friend Borley Rectory, where lavender and bacon and eggs . . . . seem to have been the main items on the menu. [58]
. . . . at Borley, both Mr. and Mrs. Turner, during their period of ownership of the rectory cottage and grounds (1947-1950), on more than one occasion had the fascinating experience of hearing for a few seconds what are best described as "sibilant whisperings," for which they were quite unable to account. This experience occurred on each occasion while they were at work in the old orchard, and Mr. Turner described the noise as being rather like the distant echo of people chattering at a garden party; always, as soon as they stopped working in order to listen more carefully, the sound mysteriously ceased. [80-1]
The most convincing of a number of phenomena experienced by Mr. and Mrs Turner during their tenancy of the rectory cottage at Borley was of a precisely similar type. While at lunch in their dining room one quiet summer's day, they were greatly startled by a sudden tremendous crash as of falling crockery in the adjoining kitchenette. Assuming that one of their cats must have gone berserk, they leapt up at once and made straight for the scene of the "crime" - only to find that there was not the slightest sign of any broken crockery anywhere on the premises. There was not the slightest possibility of having mistaken the direction of the sound, and the paranormality of the occurrence seemed established beyond doubt when two or three workmen, who happened to be doing a job in the yard outside at the time, thrust their heads through the other door of the kitchenette, having also been somewhat startled by the sudden loud crash, and enquired politely just what was going on! (Those who know their Borley story well will recall that, some 30 years previously, the occupant of the cottage had, late one night, an identical experience.) [88-9]
. . . . I received a letter from a friend, Mr. Leonard Sewell, who lived for a time in a caravan on the "Nun's Walk" at Borley Rectory, recounting a curious experience which he had just had. . . . [He] had at various times heard strange taps on his bedroom door, to which he had usually responded by calling out "Come in" or "Knock again," but invariably without reply. On the morning of 14th January 1959 he was listening to the Daily Service on the radio, in the course of which the hymn " Brief Life Is Here Our Portion" was sung, the theme of which was the contrast between the blessings of life in the hereafter and the tribulations of our earthly existence. During the last verse of this hymn, Mr. Sewell distinctly heard a couple of quite loud taps on the door of the caravan! [ 92-3]
One recalls that [exorcism] was tried at Borley Rectory at the height of the haunting, but with singularly little result. . . . [101]
. . . . [a] mention was made earlier of a certain historical connection between Langenhoe and the notorious Borley, and of the fact that the two villages lie only about 22 miles distant from one another. In view of my long standing interest in the great Borley mystery, it would clearly have been missing a unique opportunity, if, having procured the services of so splendid a medium, we had failed to include, in the itinerary of our expedition to Essex, a visit to what had, after all, been my first love in the ghost hunting field. . . . Sudbury [was chosen] as a base for our operations. . . . visiting Borley [July 1, 1958]. . . .Langenhoe [July 2]. By kind permission of the owners of the Rectory cottage and site at Borley, my good friends Mr. and Mrs Robert Bacon, we were able to do what I had long wanted, namely to hold a sitting with a really reliable sensitive at the scene of Harry Price's epic tale. Those readers who are ardent Borley fans will doubtless be all agog to hear what transpired; it is clear, however, that an account of this sitting has no place in the present volume, and one can only say that it was an occasion of considerable interest, without in any way being startling - in fact in some respects it was definitely disappointing. In view of the way in which the sitting developed (with rather too many people present), there was no opportunity to put to [spirit guide] Red Hawk more than a few of the kind of questions one would have liked to ask concerning the erstwhile haunting. The principal fact which we established however, was that there are now, apparently, no longer any fully earthbound spirits at the rectory site (as opposed to the church) at Borley, the spirit of the famous nun having been released some while since, but exactly how or hen was not made clear. [133-4 - emphasis added.]
. . . . [our contingent at Langenhoe included] Mr. Leonard Sewell of Borley (a well known local photographer, who was for some years in charge of excavations on the famous rectory site). . . . [134]
. . . .[the medium] Mrs Lampard also stated that she did not feel the same strong Roman Catholic atmosphere [at Langenhoe] as at Borley. [141]
On the previous evening at Borley, Red Hawk himself had been the first to come through, and had remained in control throughout almost all of the trance. [143]
"[Red Hawk said the clergyman] is connected with the rectory at Borley, and is a wonderful soul. He has a certain amount of affinity with Mr Kiernander, and has been attached to him for some time." (Mr K. had, it should be mentioned, been a frequent visitor to Borley over the years.) [151]
"[Red Hawk said] The Robert man was connected with the Borley family. . . ." 151
In 1583 one Sir Anthony Browne, dying without issue, left the estate to his sisters Katherine and Jane, the former of whom in 1589 married Nicholas Waldegrave of Borley. [162]
Red Hawk had told us that the name of the clergyman from Borley who was present at the sitting,
and who had lived on earth some 600 years ago, was thought o be John Allen (or possibly
Alleyn). It was of course a simple matter for Mr Sewell to call in at Borley Church the following
day and run his eye over the list of rectors that hangs in the vestry (dating back to the 13th
century). There, sure enough, was the full confirmation of what Red Hawk had told us. Rev.
John Alleyn had been inducted to the living at Borley in the year 1400, and had remained rector
until 1429. [165]
Mrs. Lampard had, on the morning before our sitting at Langenhoe, paid a visit to Borley Church
with Mr Sewell, and had, apparently, looked at the list of rectors. But, as she assured me later,
she had only given it a somewhat cursory glance. . . [163]
There is of course nothing intrinsically improbable about a rector of Borley. . . . having connections with Langenhoe. . . . a link that may well date from a good deal further back than 1589. [163]
On the few previous occasions when I had tried to use [planchette] or the wine glass and letters of communication, there had been no result worth mentioning. . . (with the notable exception of one exciting night during my visit to the rectory cottage at Borley in 1948). [168]
In this [1615] will [Nicholas Waldegrave] makes no mention whatever of any land or possessions at Langenhoe, but refers only to "the leases of the rectory and parsonage at Borley" and to "my house at Borley." Could this be taken to mean that he and his wife Katherine had spent their days at Borley? [173]
[Sir Robert] was connected. . . . with Borley. [204]
"He came from Borley Church and was a priest of long ago." Red Hawk seemed to imply that John Alleyn's friendship with Mr. Kiernander was during a life on earth prior to the one in which he was Rector of Borley in the early 15th century. [i.e reincarnation] [207]
[Red Hawk] "I think there was a [family] link with the lord of the Borley as well, in fact, I know there was." [217]
Nicholas Waldegrave. . . died June 19, 1621, possessed of the Manor of Borley Hall. . . .and some unspecified share in the church and Manor of Langenhoo (sic). . . [206]
It must have been fairly easy for any member of the Waldegrave family to escape to - or from - the continent, as, in addition to being the lords of the Manor of Borley, they also owned Langenhoo, a lonely spot on the Essex marshes, not very far from Borley, and near the sea. [210]
In 1660 a certain William Playne was appointed Rector [of Borley] by Philip Waldegrave. . . . but in 1662 he went to Langenhoo, another incumbancy in the gift of the Waldegraves. [262]
. . . both William Playne (1662) and Thomas Muriell (1681) were transferred [from Borley] to Langenhoo. . .so that for the space of some fifty years, if not more, [the original Borley] Rectory could have remained untenanted. [263]
The Ghosts of Borley by Peter Underwood, 1973.
. . . .[the Langenhoe haunting] may be linked to the Borley case for there are associations with the Waldegraves and combined livings of the parishes for two periods. [160]
Nothing like [incense being prepared] was happening and, in common with other churches (including Langenhoe) no explanation could ever be found. [169]
Hauntings by Peter Underwood, 1977.
. . . .additional psychic activity, distinct from the main haunting, is to be encountered at. . . . Borley. . . . and certainly at Langenhoe. . . .[32]
Mr. Henning added that in all the years he had been at Borley that key had always turned quite easily. . . . Similar incidents [of a door refusing to be locked] have been reported from Langenhoe church. [171]
Haunted Churches of England by Graham J. McEwan, 1989.
. . ..[both villages of Borley and Langenhoe] belonged to the Waldegrave family and at times the two churches were served by the same rector. [Langenhoe was also haunted with] the phantom of a sad-faced nun; sibilant murmurings in which the words are indistinguishable; music resembling plainsong; unaccountable, sometimes offensive, smells; the mysterious locking and unlocking of doors; the involvement of bricks; mysterious footsteps; and the unexplained ringing of the church bells.
Guy Lyon Playfair letter to Vincent O'Neil.
The haunting of Langenhoe Church, some 20 miles from Borley and also, as it happens, formerly owned by the Waldegrave family, was well witnessed and thoroughly investigated. Of special interest was the rescue circle in which the trance medium May Lampard supposedly incorporated a number of earthbound entities who were persuaded to move on.