07 November 2016 | Haunted houses
A stone throw away from where I grew up stands the beautiful Burton Agnes Hall. It was built in the late 1600’s by one Sir Henry Griffith, the 2nd Baronet of Burton Agnes. He planned a grand home for his family that included three daughters and the entire family took great interest as the home was being built.
His youngest daughter, Anne, whose painting now hangs in the Hall, was particularly interest in the design and building of the house. She was said to be the prettiest of his daughters and one can well imaging her visiting with her father to inspect progress. However, tragedy was to strike as one day, when Anne was taking a trip in the local countryside, she and her party were set upon by robbers. They beat her half to death and she was rushed back home to the Hall where she later succumbed to her injuries. Before she died she did have one last request and that was that a part of her be interred in the Hall so that she could enjoy it through eternity. Her family must have been quite upset at her peculiar request to have her head removed and placed inside one of the walls of the Hall!
Of course, the family did nothing of the sort and instead had her buried properly nearby. That however, was the start of the troubles. The Hall was filled with strange bumps and bangs and a horrendous wailing sound such that no one could possibly stay there. Finally, in despair, the family had their daughter’s body exhumed, the head severed, and brought back to the Hall. No sooner than that was done then peace reigned once again at the picturesque Hall.
Unfortunately, one day a cleaner finding the skull decided that it should be discarded. The wailing, banging and crashing resumed until the skull was restored to its place in the Hall.
Over the next centuries, the skull would be removed from the house and even buried in the garden but each time, the Hall was haunted by the wailing, screaming and thrashing around of poor Anne.
These days, the skull is said to be safely hidden behind one the paneled walls of the Hall and for now anyway, peace reigns at Burton Agnes Hall.
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