In his 1980's book "Timpson's England a look beyond the obvious" author and broadcaster John Timpson writes of Barnwell Abbey: "For sheer variety in ghosts it would have been difficult to beat Barnwell Abbey House in Cambridge. There was a squire, and a White Lady, and a poltergiest, and a disembodied head. There was also the statutory clanking chain and, less likely, a ghostly squirrel and a hare." Timpson goes on to suggest combining all the above into one ghost story but concludes with: "But alas it is too late. All that remains is a building called Cellarers Chequer and these restless spirits with their ghostly menagerie must have long since departed." But have they? Barnwell Priory itself fell victim to the Reformation and was dissolved in 1538 subsequently falling into ruin, Abbey House was built on priory land and Abbey House is reputed to be very haunted. One ghost is that of Squire Jacob Butler, the oldest barrister in En