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| Ghosts Archive 1998 |
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 Ghosts news, views, gallery and archive brought to you by Weird Wiltshire Introduction Latest News News Archive Longleat House Sign of an Angel Bewley Court Red Lion Westbury Pool Maud Cunnington Wardour Castle Manor House Hotel Devizes Castle Kings Arms Malmesbury Abbey Lacock Abbey Avebury Manor Littlecote Manor Lydiard House Gallery Postcards Wallpaper Links |
First Published April 18 1998 Ongoing riddle of the grey lady COUNTRY mansions abound with tales of ghostly sightings... and Lydiard House is no exception. The rumours were started by American GIs who lived in a camp in the grounds of the mansion during World War Two. Joyce Vincent, 71, of Lydiard Millicent, who was then the teenage daughter of the house caretaker, saw the myth taking shape. 'My father became the first caretaker of Lydiard House after Swindon Corporation bought it,' she said. 'I had grown up in the village and my father was verger at St Mary's, so we had strong connections with the place. 'People were always asking to be shown around and one day I took a group of GIs and park visitors on a tour of the ground floor. 'One of the Americans was really inquisitive. He didn't leave a door or drawer unopened.' But the curious soldier had the shock of his life when he was confronted by silvery haired lady dressed in grey from head to toe behind one of the doors. 'It was too much for him - he fainted,' said Joyce. The visitors were momentarily mortified, until it transpired the lady was Joyce's mother. 'Some more people had come to look around and she came in the back way to catch us up,' said Joyce. The GI was duly roused from his swoon by Peter the dog, who belonged to Joyce's family. 'He nipped him on the rear - I often wonder if it cured him of his curiosity!' she joked. Although this ghostly apparition turned out to be a false alarm, Sarah Finch-Crisp, the keeper of Lydiard House, says that sightings of a grey lady have been reported there ever since. 'The house was a bit spooky,' Joyce recalls. 'We didn't have any electricity - all the lighting came from oil lamps and candles.' Running water was also a luxury which Joyce, her parents and sister had to do without. 'There was a well, she said. 'When we wanted a bath we would have to warm the water and then lug it upstairs to the bathroom!' Despite the tales of hauntings, Joyce looks back at her days at Lydiard House with great affection. She even celebrated her wedding, held at St Mary's Church in 1948, with a reception at the mansion. Back to 1998 index |
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