Haunted Littlecote Hall

In the 20th century the Wills family was living in Littlecote. It was Major George Wills who told the tale of how his dog began to bark in the middle of the night, awaking the whole household. The animal stood in front of the bedroom door, its hair standing on end, quivering in terror – while the Major saw this woman pass by, wringing her hands, appearing to be looking for someone.

Her spectral search had its horrible origin one night 400 years before, with a thunderous knocking upon the door of the cottage of Mrs Barnes, a midwife of few scruples and even fewer qualifications, who was living in the little Berkshire village of Great Shefford. Mrs Barnes opened the door and was confronted by two young men, warmly cloaked. Behind them there was a carriage with a pair of horses, steaming in the cold night air.

Mrs Barnes was requested immediately to attend upon a lady who lived not far from Great Shefford… blindfolded. When she asked who this lady might be, she was informed that it was Lady Knyvett. Mrs Barnes didn’t believe this, no such lady would call upon her services – but the gold that was thrust into her hands, made her agree quickly.

A bandage was placed over her eyes and when the carriage finally stopped, she was being conducted into a great mansion, through rooms, galleries and corridors, and up a staircase. Mrs Barnes counted thirty-one steps, but at that time she didn’t know that of all the great houses in the district only Littlecote contained a staircase of thirty-one steps. Nor did she know the masked young lady who was lying in the four-poster in the bedroom, where her blindfold was removed. Mrs Barnes only knew the lady had to be unmarried, for no legitimate birth in such a great house would take place in this manner.

There was a man waiting in an ante-room, where a fierce fire was burning. The impatient father – who else could he be? – was tall and slender and had a dark and angry face. He piled more fuel upon the roaring fire, while Mrs Barnes delivered the masked woman of her child. When this was done, the man strode in and seized the baby roughly from the hands of the midwife. He took it straight to the ante-room and crushed it into the fire with his foot. In a few moments the small body was consumed by the flames.

Mrs Barnes was not a woman of great conscience, but she was not inhuman. Outraged at this act of barbarity, she screamed and to her screams were added those of the terrified mother. And the inhabitants of Littlecote listened in fear, knowing that the master of the house – Wild Will Darrell – was up to some fresh devilry.

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