hello and welcome to
SCHOOLGREENCOTTAGE.
Little Hallingbury.
Essex.
From the tip of its fine Elizabethan chimneys to the 'odd' dimensions of its rear outside walls, the cottage is something of an enigma. Its history is uncertain, some say it was once the village marriage house, I think this to be true, but I cannot 'prove' it, so I cannot claim the fact as gospel, it is 90% certain the dwelling was built, well part of it, around 1475, so it sure must have a history.
And, as it will, history has left its marks, I dont just mean in the actual fabric of the house, the changes of style and building material, the years have woven around the building we know today.
SCHOOL GREEN COTTAGE is, to be blunt, HAUNTED, no ifs, buts, or maybe, its haunted, not by one or two 'presence's', but by several definite and individual'something is', I know this as a fact as I have lived there, my father died there, my mother made a widow many years too early,and my fathers mother, long dead and buried many miles away in Cambridgeshire often came to call, (In the hope of making peace with my mother), but that's another story.
My other Grandmother, who had adopted my mother, was, as we say in Hampshire, the county of my birth, 'fay', some claim she was more than 'fay' and was a full blown witch, that's as maybe, and she sure didn't talk about it.
Anyway, to get back on track, my grandmother, as mentioned above, was staying with us one year during the weeks before Christmas. She was sleeping downstairs, with the rest of the family upstairs. Around 1.15am we all awoke, to the strangest and most unearthly sounds I have ever heard. A high pitched resonance, which fell down the scales to a deep bass baritone, then the two sounds would mix and seem to sweep along the landing, fly into the attic and then sink down the stairs where grandma was.Mum and Dad got up and came into my room, both were startled by what was going on, when the sound increased into a deafening crescendo fading away to a low echoing whimper. We all then remembered Grandma was downstairs, and rushed down to see if she was okay, she was fine sitting upright on the settee in the living room, which was her bed. Mum said, "Are to all right, did you hear a horrid noises", to which Grandma replied, "Oh Yes, so sad so very very sad", when Dad asked her to explain , this is what Grandma said.
"The poor dear,. too young, far too young, it 'was' him you know, at least he married her I suppose, that's something".
"Who are you talking about dear", said Mum. "Well the couple who lost the baby in childbirth , she was in such pain, he couldn't stand her screams, and when he 'knew' she was dead, he loved her you know, he did love her, he joined her, I wish I knew what happened to the baby, I wonder if the little mite lived, I wonder if I will ever know".
Poor Grandma never did learn what ever it was behind 'those' noises, as she died within a few weeks..
My bedroom was first left at the top of the first flight of stairs, and the first night I slept in it, I did something I had never done before, I asked for a Bible, I never slept a night in the room without it, and I never had a troubled night. We had a Borzoi, called "Seeker", now she was a fine animal and very very friendly and would go anywhere for a Boneo biscuit, anywhere that is except my bedroom. It puzzled me 'why' Seeker never came into my room, so one day I laid a trail of said biscuits across my bedroom floor, and got Seeker up to the landing, as she failed to follow the trail of Boneos into my room, I got behind her and tried too push her in, bad move, she turned on me with fury in her eyes, she snarled, and barred her teeth, and almost knocked me downstairs in her rush to get passed me. A change came over Seeker after this, she was never my'friend' anymore, she avoided me if possible and I felt she no longer trusted me.
Its a sad fact but my father died (Suddenly) a few weeks just before I married Susan, now my father thought the world of Susan, and was very interested in our coming marriage, he had a great interest knowing the plans for Susan Wedding Dress, so one evening Susan Dad and I sat in the kitchen discussing the forthcoming event.
To get from the Kitchen to the Dining Room you go down a step though an arch, or you did in those days. To gain access to the outside, and the garden, the door had an old fashioned Rise and Fall Latch, you had to put your thumb on the top and push it down to open the door. Again, at the time of the event in question, to keep Seeker 'in' the garden, Dad had built a high wooden fence around the garden, with the only access to the back door being from next door. So, late this evening, when the latch began to 'clack' up and down in a vigorous manner, we were all mighty surprised . Dad, who at the time was fit and well, thought It was Jen from next door, so he called out "Come on in Jenny, Sue and John are here, come on, stop mucking about". Still the latch banged and clattered, with a slight air of irritation Dad got up and went to the door, saying "All right Jen, all right", both Susan and I watched as Dad struggled to get his hand on the animated door latch, when he finally got it under control Sue and I sood beside him, he got the door open nothing or nobody was there,just the darkness and stillness of the night ..
A 'true' tale told by John Meyer who once lived in School Green Cottage.
Little Hallingbury Village History Society