The official start to Autumn is 23rd September and it is during the Autumn season that the ghostly goings on at Hinxworth Place, Herftfordshire are most prevalent.
This medieval manor house dates from 1390 so the fact that it is haunted should come as no surprise. At one time in its' long history it was home to Cistercian monks from the Northampton monastery of Pipewell and it may well be one of these monks who was unfortunate enough to be bricked up in the walls of the house.
In the 1800's Robert Clutterbuck, author of "The History and Antiquities of the County of Hertford" reported seeing the ghost of a monk at Hinxworth Place.
Apparently there used to be a plaque dating from 1770 which said
"This is the place where a monk was buried alive in the wall. His cries can sometimes be heard at midnight."
Sadly the plaque couldn't be found in the 1940's when major renovation work took place on Hinxworth Place.
Hinxworth's most famous haunting is the sound of a baby crying, thumps, screams and water pouring from a pump. This dates back to the time when a nursemaid unintentionally killed a young boy. The child had dressed himself up as a ghost to give the nursemaid a fright, he succeeded beyond his wildest expectations. The frightened nursemaid struck the "ghost" with a poker, he fell down the stairs and died. The noise woke the nursemaid's charge, a baby, who started crying and other servants rushed to the scene, they attempted to revive the boy by putting him under the water pump but he was already dead. These events are said to replay in the Autumn especially on a stormy night.
Image: © Copyright Dylan Mills and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Other September Hauntings:
Ghost of King Edward II Berkeley Castle, Gloucestershire
The Grenadier Pub, Wilton Row, London
The Ghost of Annie Chapman, a September Haunting
The ghost of Amy Robsart wife of Sir Robert Dudley, a September Haunting
Sarah Preston the ghost of Boston Stump a September Haunting
Ghosts of the Lost Ninth Hispana Legion in Dunblane a September Haunting
Haunted Newark Castle, Selkirk a September haunting
The ghost of Janet Dalrymple, Baldoon Castle, a September Haunting
I have seen the ghost of the nursemaid, i didnt realise at the time about this but googled ghosts in hinxworth and saw this, it was a blustery rainy early morning though
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