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 apparition always returns to the organ window. I have seen
this several times since the first. Owing to the dull day and the
darkness of the windows, the appearance on the first occasion was
the more remarkable. Two or three other figures also appear, but I
never thought them as distinct as the first, and I thought the
second and third might be reflections of the first. The two or
three often move quickly back and forwards with a dancing movement
somewhat like the reflection of the sun on a wall, but taking the
form of human figures. However, it was dull and raining when first
I saw the apparition, so that on that occasion there could have
been no reflection of sunlight.
"These appearances are sometimes not seen for weeks and months;
then they appear once or twice on succeeding days or Sundays. No
one can be sure of seeing them if they go to the church for that
purpose. I do not believe the apparition takes place at one more
favoured time than another, though some people like to think so.
The present rector wished to abolish the 'ghosts,' and was advised
to cut down one or two trees. This was done; all thought that the
ghosts were banished. Ten months after there was a gay wedding; my
daughters went into the gallery to witness the ceremony, and lo!
the 'ghost or ghosts' were there also. They had not been seen for
nine or ten months. That was the first occasion since the cutting
down of the trees on which they reappeared.
"The Sunday-school children who sit in the gallery see the form so
often as to be quite familiar with the sight, and call them 'the
mother, nurse, and child.'
"The legend I have heard told of it is that a family, consisting of
a father, mother, and only child, lived here once upon a time. The
father died, and was buried at the east end of the church, under or
near the organ window. After a while the plague broke out in York
and carried off the child, and it was buried outside the city, as
those who died of plague were not allowed to be laid in the
churchyards for fear of communicating the infection.
"The mother died afterwards, and was laid in her husband's grave,
and now, as in her lifetime, continues to visit the grave of her
child and bemoan the separation. The child is brought from its
grave in the plague-pit by the mother and nurse, and brought to
the grave of its father, and then it is taken back to where it lies
outside the walls."
"L. S."
V.
The following appeared in the "Newcastle Daily Chronicle" a couple of
years after the publication of my book, in 1874:--
"SIR,--On Good Friday last I went to Holy Trinity Church, York, for
morning service, at 11 o'clock, and repaired with a friend to the
gallery, being anxious to see a certain apparition which is said to
haunt the place.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account