Yorkshire Oddities, Incidents, and Strange Events — John Shaqi
Yorkshire Oddities, Incidents, and Strange EventsBaring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
History
Yorkshire Oddities, Incidents, and Strange Events
Baring-Gould, S. (Sabine)
Legends -- England -- Yorkshire; Yorkshire (England) -- Miscellanea
"The gallery is situated at the extreme west end of the building,
and faces the east window, from which it is distant some 50 feet or
so. It is said that in the aisle and body of the church nothing is
ever seen. The gallery was full, but no one seemed to have come
there especially for the ghost, and though many of them afterwards
said they saw it, they were not in the least affected by the
apparition, treating it as a matter of course, to which they were
well accustomed.
"I kept my eyes fixed upon the east window for nearly the whole of
the hour and a half during which the service lasted, but was not
favoured with a sight of the phenomenon; although others saw it
cross the window and return, and my friend, who knows it well,
called my attention to the fact, at the moment, yet I could not
perceive nothing. I therefore left the place as unbelieving as
ever, and supposed that either I was the victim of a hoax, or that
it required a great stretch of imagination to fancy that a passing
shadow was the desired object. However, not liking to discredit the
statements of many friends who were used to seeing it almost every
Sunday, I consented on Easter Day to go to the same place and pew.
The seat I occupied was not an advantageous one, a large brass
chandelier being between me and the lower panes of the window. In
the middle of the service my eyes, which had hardly once moved from
the left or north side of the window, were attracted by a bright
light formed like a female robed and hooded passing from north to
south with a rapid gliding motion outside the church apparently at
some distance. The window is Gothic, and I fancy, from 20 to 25
feet high, by 12 to 15 feet wide at the base. The panes through
which the ghost shines are about 5 feet high and about half-way
between the top and bottom. There are four divisions in the window,
all of stained glass, of no particular pattern, the outer on right
and left being of lighter colour than the two centre panes, and at
the edge of each runs a rim of plain transparent white glass, about
two inches wide, and adjoining the stone work. Through this rim,
especially, could be seen what looked like a form transparent, but
yet thick, (if such a term can be used) with light. It did not
resemble linen, for instance, but was far brighter, and would, no
doubt, have been dazzling to a near observer. The robe was long,
and trailed. The figure was of course not visible when it had
crossed the window and passed behind the wall. My friend whispered
to me that it would return, must return, and at the end of five
minutes or so, the same figure glided back from right to left,
having turned round while out of sight. About half an hour later it
again passed across from north to south, and having remained about
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