Hollow Hill

Ghosts Tampered with My Gas Gauge – Twice?

This is silly.

It’s embarrassing even to tell this story, because there are probably logical reasons for what happened.

But, it’s an odd story, so I’m sharing it… if only for a laugh.

It started at Blood Cemetery

Ghosts and a gas gauge On Thursday, 14 Oct 1999, my kids and I brought a friend to visit haunted “Blood Cemetery” (real name: Pine Hill Cemetery) in Hollis, NH.

The cemetery was about ten miles from my house, so I didn’t stop for gas because my dashboard gauge showed over a quarter tank of gas left.

That should have been enough to get to Blood Cemetery and back again. And, as it turns out, it was, but…

We took Route 130 into Hollis, turned up Nartoff Road. That’s where the dashboard light flashed that means “buy gas soon.”

The light blinked off, but came on again about a mile from Blood Cemetery. This second time, it was the steady light which means “buy gas now.”

With a car full of people, I was a little alarmed, but didn’t mention it until after we’d visited the cemetery.

I said that we needed to stop for gas on the way back, and mentioned the odd light phenomenon.

My friend remarked that we’d driven up a short, steep hill to reach the cemetery. That could make the fuel light go on.

I half-agreed, even though I remembered the light going on well before we started up the hill.

But maybe I was wrong. That’s what I decided, at the time.

About two blocks later, the fuel light went off.

And it stayed off while I dropped my friend near his home, took my kids to karate class, ran a few errands, and finally went home.

In other words, the gas hadn’t been running low.

I decided that it was just “one of those weird things” that’s not worth fretting over.

But then… it happened again

On 17 Oct 1999, I returned to Blood Cemetery for photos. It was late in the day and I was by myself.

This time, I had well over a quarter-tank of fuel, so I knew I should have no problems with the fuel light.

Gas gauge Once again, about a mile from the cemetery, the fuel light came on.

It was the bright, “buy fuel now” light. Since it was getting dark and the cemetery is on a rural road, I did not even slow down as I passed the cemetery, but drove straight to the gas station.

Once again, about two blocks past Blood Cemetery, the fuel light went off. And it stayed off.

Not wanting to take any chances, I drove to the nearest gas station and filled up. The car needed barely half a tank of gas.

The fuel light didn’t go on again at any other visit to Blood Cemetery, or at any other cemetery.

Nearly ten years later as I’m updating this webpage, I can report that the gas tank lights have never again misled me. (I’m still driving that same car.) But, there may be logical explanations for what happened.

Yes, the problem was (probably) Blood Cemetery

My advice: If you go to Blood Cemetery in Hollis, be certain your fuel tank is filled before you leave the main roads.

During the week when I first wrote this summary, a van was parked across the street from Blood Cemetery. A local woman commented that it was probably someone who ran out of gas or something, and left the van there until he could get back to it, later. She said that this happens often.

Maybe ghosts didn’t vaporize my gasoline or play pranks with the dashboard lights. But maybe Blood Cemetery had something to do with it, too.

If you read our other articles about Blood Cemetery, you’ll see that its ghosts have a reputation for electrical and mechanical interference.

(In fact, that’s commonplace at many haunted sites. It may have something to do with the odd EMF activity at those locations.)

Directions to Blood Cemetery:

Blood Cemetery, a local nickname for “Pine Hill Cemetery,” is one of the northeast’s most famous haunted cemeteries. Folklore centers around the headstone of Abel Blood, whose history offers nothing to support the tales of his hauntings.

However, this lovely cemetery – near Nashua, NH (of Gilson Road Cemetery fame) and less than an hour from Boston, MA – seems to be haunted.

I’m not sure how haunted.

To visit the cemetery, you can approach from Nartoff Road in Hollis, New Hampshire, off Route 130 (Exit 6 from NH’s Route 3). It’s an easy drive through some lovely rural landscapes. The cemetery is next to Nartoff Road near the crest of the hill. It will be on your right.

The cemetery closes at dusk and is well patrolled by the police, due to unfortunate vandalism in the cemetery.

Trespassers will be stopped; do not visit Pine Hill Cemetery after dark.

Scottish Ghosts – the ‘Green Lady’ in Fact and Folklore

The ‘Green Lady’ of Scotland is either beautiful and protective, or a blood-sucking demon.

It all depends upon where you hear the story, and who is telling it.

In the Highlands, the macabre is ever-present in both ghost stories and faerie lore. Many Highland tales speak of a determined (and usually protective) Green Lady.

A similarly styled demonic entity is generally considered a Green Woman.

The two are different, but often confused in stories. That’s what challenges us as researchers, when we’re following the trail of the good (or evil) women dressed in green.

I believe that the Green Lady is benevolent spirit who visits her former home by choice, but the darker imagery comes from a something that is not a ghost.

However, if we combine the stories, the Green Lady may be similar to the Irish Banshee, because she is neither human nor ghost.

A Typical Green Lady

Many stories describe the Green Lady as a mortal woman. She’s under an enchantment, or has already entered the faerie world.

Whatever her nature, the Green Lady’s appearance is lovely. She is a lovely young woman, with long golden hair. She wears a green gown that reaches the ground.

She’s usually associated with water.

For example, there are stories of a beautiful woman arriving at a cottage, dripping wet.

She asks if she can enter the home to warm herself and dry her clothing.

If welcomed, she stays for awhile.. and then she vanishes.

From then on, she’s home’s own Green Lady.

The Green Lady as a Protector

Eilean Donan castle - photo by Laila Laila of Pexels — *Eilean Donan Castle / Laila Laila photo*

Each Green Lady protects a particular house, and the family in it.

If the family moves, the Green Lady remains in the house and protects the next family to move in.

That’s what makes the Green Lady different from a Banshee, which follows and protects a particular family.

The Green Lady can be helpful to farmers. There are many stories of a Green Lady taking care of cattle, herding them into the barn when a storm was coming, or when enemies were nearby.

There is a rare, male counterpart to the Green Lady, but he’s not the “Green Man” of Celtic forest legends.

The male version of the Green Lady is a slender, handsome young man who wears red and green. (Sort of like Robin Hood.) He also protects the house, the family that lives there, and its cattle.

Because she has long hair, the Green Lady is usually called a Gruagach. It’s a category of brownie-type spirits of the Scottish Highlands.

(The word “brownie,” means these are generally good spirits, although they sometimes enjoy a practical joke. Any mischief they cause is minor compared with the good that they do.)

In Skye, where Gruagachs are usually male, there is a tradition called a “gruagach stone.” This is a stone with a small hole or depression in it.

Every night, the family sets out its gruagach stone and leaves a bit of milk in it. This is to thank the home’s own Gruagach for help.

]A small amount of milk, fresh cream, cake, or bread is acceptable. Anything larger will insult the Gruagach.

Green Ladies Can Be Anywhere

Like banshees, Green Lady ghosts are seen worldwide. Usually, they have Scottish ancestry. (In the United States, one of the most famous “green lady ghosts” is Ocean-Born Mary.)

So, when I hear about the ghost of a woman in a gown, the first question I ask is, “What color was her gown?”

If it’s green, I know that she’s probably spirit that’s protecting the house.

Read Next: Scottish ghosts – Where to find a ‘Green Lady‘, with links to places you might see one.

Edinburgh’s Ghosts – 1. The Haunted Vaults

The ghost of a murdered little girl haunts Edinburgh’s underground vaults and passageways.

This 1996 story describes the original encounter with her. In fact, I personally guided many of the staff of Mercat Tours through the vaults shortly after they opened for tours in mid-1996.

I’m the one who provided them with the information about the ghost of the little girl.

Here’s the full, true story from that evening, told in four parts at this website.

On May 6th, 1996, my family and I visited Edinburgh, Scotland, my husband’s ancestral home.

For entertainment, friends said that we must take one of Edinburgh’s “ghost tours.” We chose the Mercat Tour because it was near the restaurant where we’d had dinner.

We expected a light-hearted evening. Our tour guide, Judith I. Mann, provided exactly that. Her theatrical skills made the evening a delightful experience filled with mock melodrama and hilarity.

Most of the tour was above ground. We saw places where people had been hung, sites where people were buried beneath the pavement, and so on. It was standard fare, and great fun as Ms. Mann told stylish – and clearly exaggerated – tales.

However, our last stop was “the vaults.” That’s an underground area. It had once provided housing and workplaces for some of Edinburgh’s poor.

Our tour was among the first to explore these dark rooms and corridors, which had been closed for over a century.

What lurks beneath Edinburgh’s streets?

From the moment I looked around the grim setting, I felt that we were not alone. Oh, we had about a dozen other tourists with us, but it was more than that. The room held a lingering sense of immense sorrow and hardship.

The sensations in the rooms became more sinister as the tour continued. I could see the outline of figures, and the rooms threatened to transform into something dark and tragic.

I was troubled and intrigued, but it was still a jovial tour so I didn’t say anything.

At the conclusion of the tour, we returned to the street level, and entered a comfortable pub where we sat around and chatted happily about the different sights we’d seen that night.

A few of the tourists left for their respective lodgings, and then the conversation turned serious as we discussed “real” ghosts. I offered to return to the underground area and see if I could “pick up” any extra information, since I have seen ghosts in the past.

Ms. Mann led us back underground. She encouraged me to share what I saw, heard, and felt as we revisited several rooms and passageways. She said my insights would be useful for future tours in those newly opened areas.

I was delighted to be helpful. I’m still proud of the information I provided, especially if it improved other tourists’ experiences.

Even better, we were accompanied by several tour guides-in-training, who’d joined us at the pub. It was a rich, wonderful encounter with ghosts in the abandoned vaults.

The following articles describe what happened. It was beyond what anyone expected.

Our other articles in this series:

The Duckett Family Curse in England and Ireland

If you’re looking for a surname with an unusual history – including ghosts, banshees, faeries, and curses – the Duckett family is a good place to start.

Duckett’s Grove in Ireland was featured in a March 2011 episode of Destination: Truth, but it isn’t the only odd story associated with the Duckett family.

A little paragenealogy – genealogical research related to paranormal activity – reveals an interesting history.

The Duckett family’s ancestral homes was Grayrigg Hall, a medieval manor estate in Cumbria, England.

In the 17th century, Grayrigg Hall was owned by Justice Anthony Duckett (1636 – ca. 1692).

That house fell into decay shortly before Justice Duckett’s death. Today’s Grayrigg Hall is an 18th-century house.

Duckett was known for being a persecutor of the Quakers a very new and controversial religion in that era.

One legal case involved Francis Howgill, a Quaker who’d refused to take an oath of allegiance (to King Charles II) and was sent to prison.

Anthony Duckett was one of the magistrates when Howgill was sentenced to jail.

The Origin of the Duckett Family Curse

During Howgill’s imprisonment, he was released for a couple of days to attend to some business at home. While there, he visited Justice Duckett at Grayrigg Hall.

After the magistrate expressed surprise on seeing the prisoner, Mr. Howgill delivered this curse:

“…I am come with a message from the Lord. Thou hast persecuted the Lord’s people, but His hand is now against thee, and He will send a blast upon all that thou hast, and thy name shall rot out of the earth, and this thy dwelling shall become desolate, and a habitation for owls and jackdaws.”

Shortly after that, the Duckett family began to have problems. All of Anthony Duckett’s male children died without heirs. The estate failed and it was sold, around 1685, to a neighbor and family friend, Sir John Lowther.

The Duckett Family’s Irish Connection

That was around the time Anthony Duckett’s cousins began acquiring land at Duckett’s Grove in Ireland.

Both the Duckett family and Grayrigg Hall itself were equally cursed. In the 1777 book, The history and antiquities of the counties of Westmorland and Cumberland, here’s how Grayrigg Hall was described:

Grayrigg Hall being the ancient manor house, was a strong old building, in a quadrangular form, adapted for defence more than for convenience. It is now totally in ruins, most of the lead and timber thereof having been removed to Lowther.

So, the original (and possibly cursed) Grayrigg Hall is now gone. If you’re looking for its precise location, here are the coordinates: Latitude 54.3711, Longitude -2.6496

Another Grayrigg Hall was built near the church. (Don’t confuse it with the old, reputedly haunted Grayrigg.)

If you’re looking for the remnants of the haunted Grayrigg Hall, visit Lowther Castle. As described in the 1777 book, timber and lead from Grayrigg were used to expand Lowther Castle.

The "lost castle" of Lowther is in this YouTube video at: https://youtu.be/YvMy3kUwZnI

The Duckett Curse Continues… with a Ghost

According to Simon Marsden’s website, Lowther Castle was inherited in 1784 by Sir James Lowther, the 1st Earl of Lonsdale, also known as “Wicked Jimmy.”

By the time of his death in 1802, Lowther’s young wife had died, he had no children, and depression had driven him to madness. His ghost has been reported at Lowther Castle.

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To learn far more about Duckett’s Grove Castle (Ireland) and its ghosts, see Duckett’s Grove Castle, Ireland – Ghost Hunting Tips.

The Curse – A Historical Account

Here’s the full text of the Grayrigg Hall story and curse, from The Haunted Homes and Family Traditions of Great Britain, by John Henry Ingram, published in 1884.

GRAYRIGG HALL

In Ducketiana it is stated by Sir G. B. Duckett, that not a vestige remains of those extensive foundations which, a hundred years ago, attested the solidity and importance of the Westmoreland Ducketts’ residence, the Manor House known formerly as Grayrigg Hall.

A strange story is told of the last member of this opulent family, who inhabited this fine old English mansion ere it was dismantled.

The narrative has been detailed with great similarity in various works, such as Ferguson’s Early Cumberland and Westmoreland Friends, and Backhouse’s Life of Howgill, and is popularly known as “The Quaker’s Curse and its Fulfilment.”

Francis Howgill, a noted member of the Society of Friends, resided at Todthorne, near Grayrigg, in Westmoreland, about the middle of the seventeenth century.

At one time he travelled about the south of England preaching, and when he visited Bristol, in company with his compatriot, John Camm, his preaching was made the occasion of great rioting.

In 1663 he returned to his own neighbourhood, whither his reputation had apparently preceded him, for, upon arriving at the market-place of Kendal, he was summoned to appear before the Justices, who were holding a court in a tavern.

They tendered Howgill the oath of allegiance when he came before them, and as he refused to take it they committed him to confinement in Appleby jail.

It may be pointed out, as a matter of history, that in the earliest days of the brotherhood, members of the Society of Friends were often subjected to severe penalties and much persecution for their refusal to conform to the taking of judicial oaths.

At Appleby the judges of Assizes also tendered Howgill the same oath and, on his refusal to swear it, ordered him to be indicted at the next Assizes. Meanwhile they offered to release him from custody if he would give a bond for his good behaviour in the interim, but this he refused to do, and therefore was re-committed to prison.

During his imprisonment a curious incident happened. Howgill was allowed by the magistrates to go home to Grayrigg for a few days on private affairs, and in the course of the time he was at liberty the Quaker felt himself compelled to visit a justice of the name of Duckett, residing at Grayrigg Hall, who was a great persecutor of the Quakers, and was, also, one of the magistrates concerned in committing him to prison.

Francis Howgill, on this occasion, was accompanied by a friend who, over the initials “J. D.” would appear to have left a written report of the interview.

Justice Duckett expressed much surprise at seeing Howgill, and said to him, ” What is your wish now, Francis? I thought you had been in Appleby jail.”

Howgill replied to this effect, “No, I am not, but I am come with a message from the Lord. Thou hast persecuted the Lord’s people, but His hand is now against thee, and He will send a blast upon all that thou hast, and thy name shall rot out of the earth, and this thy dwelling shall become desolate, and a habitation for owls and jackdaws.”

When Howgill had delivered this message, the Justice trembled, and said, “Francis, are you in earnest?” To which Howgill responded, “Yes, I am in earnest, it is the word of the Lord to thee, and there are many now living who will see it.”

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Were the Ghosts of Dickens’ Christmas Carol Real?

Charles Dickens’ story, A Christmas Carol, is a favorite among many people. But how realistic are the ghosts in the story?

Marley’s ghost rattled his chains as he appeared to Scrooge.

-Dickens, “A Christmas Carol”

Ghosts in chains

Today, we rarely hear of a ghost rattling chains. In fact, apparitions are very rare, and most of them are silent. More often, invisible ghosts are the ones that knock, rattle objects (including chains), and whisper or shout.

However, there are exceptions. In the first century CE, Pliny the Younger documented a ghost who was seen and heard by Athenodorus, at a villa in Athens. The ghost wore chains, and pointed to a spot in the garden before vanishing. The next day, Athenodorus had that spot in the garden dug up, and a skeleton in chains was found buried. They re-buried him in a proper cemetery, and the ghost never appeared again.

But ghosts in chains are not entirely in the past. Even today, a tall, evil-looking man appears on back roads and highways in Yorkshire, England, and jumps out to frighten late-night travelers. He’s known as “Jack in Irons.” Most people who’ve seen him comment that the ghost appears wrapped in chains.

Of course, Marley is not the only ghost in Dickens’ famous tale. There are the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future.

Shadows without consciousness

As Scrooge is led through scenes of his past, his ghostly companion informs him, “These are but shadows of the things that have been…They have no consciousness of us.”

That’s a superb description of paranormal phenomena we call “residual energy hauntings.”

These hauntings are like a hologram or video, played on a continuous loop.

Events from the past appear to be played like a movie, over and over again. Most are probably mere images of people who took part in the events, many years ago.

One of the best examples of residual energy hauntings is the visions of war seen in the United States, at Civil War battlegrounds.

Another might be the ghost of Anne Boleyn and companions, in the Chapel Royal at London’s Tower. Some suggest that her spectre that roams the Tower is residual energy, but when she leads a procession up the center aisle of the chapel, she’s a sentient ghost.

At Christmas, she appears at Hever Castle and – according to first-person descriptions – she appears to be alive and well and very real.

But, the clarity of the images in Dickens’ story – as well as reports of Anne Boleyn’s raise an interesting question: Are these really hauntings, or perhaps time slips… and is there a difference?

More residual energy hauntings

Regardless of what causes them, residual energy hauntings are a ghost hunter’s best opportunity to see a “ghost” that appears in human-like form.

Keep in mind, you’re only likely to see them. Some also report sounds with the imagery, but many don’t.

However, these forms rarely react to or interact with people viewing them. In fact, most ghost hunters believe that these hauntings are just energy imprints on the environment, replaying the events on a repeating and regular schedule.

That fits Dickens’ story, because – though Scrooge feels like he’s in the scene – he’s not able to interact with the people in them.

However, A Christmas Carol, is fiction, even if it matches many genuine ghost encounters.

The question this raises is: Did Dickens make up the story from whole cloth, or had he experienced something similar, himself?

Recent research suggests Dickens was intrigued by ghosts, and perhaps fearful of them. As a member of the Ghost Club, he seemed obsessed with debunking every ghost story and seance he could. That level of preoccupation suggests a greater fear: that ghosts are real, after all.

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Resources

Exhibition tells how Charles Dickens was spooked by ghost tale doppelganger, from The Guardian

Charles Dickens Was A Real Life Ghost Buster, by Bustle

Folklore on Friday: Chained Ghosts, by Hypnogoria

The Ghost of Anne Boleyn, from On the Tudor Trail

Athens and Ghosts, in Strange History

Photo credits: Lion face door knocker image courtesy of Sasha Davas.

Photo of Tudor-style house courtesy of Steve Knight.

Bath, England – An Abundance of Ghosts and Apparitions

If you’re looking for a city with more reliable ghosts and apparitions than most, Bath, England may be ideal.

In fact, the biggest challenge may be how real Bath’s ghosts seem. Many look exactly like everyday, living people… in costumes.

Bath is one of the loveliest cities in the United Kingdom. It features winding streets, superb museums, fabulous shopping, and a history including Roman ruins.

If you’re a tourist and a fan of ‘Pride and Prejudice,’ you’ll enjoy the famous Regency-era Pump Room as well as the Jane Austen Centre.

However, Bath’s colorful history is documented by more than museums and plaques.

Its ghosts tell Bath’s story, too.

Around the city of Bath, ghostly figures and apparitions so commonplace, locals often take them for granted.

That’s why, especially for ghost hunters, Bath is a perfect destination for an extended holiday or vacation.

Here are a few of Bath’s most famous ghosts:

The Man in the Black Hat

Easily Bath’s most famous and most-seen ghost, the man in the black hat is dressed in late 18th-century attire and sometimes wears a billowing black cloak. He’s regularly seen around the Assembly Rooms.

For the best results, look for him at Saville Row and Bennett Street. [ map ]

Note: That isn’t the infamous “Hat Man” of popular folklore.

Freezing Hill

Several ghosts have appeared in the vicinity of Freezing Hill, just outside Bath. Most of these phantoms are from the 17th century, when this hill was the site of the bloody Battle of Lansdown.

The best opportunity to see these ghosts is from The Park, a 240 acre estate featuring a Jacobean mansion that is now an hotel. You can also enjoy a fine meal at The Oakwood Restaurant, and play golf at their Crown and Cromwell courses. [ map ]

The Royal Crescent [ map ]

It’s not a movie that’s being filmed at the Royal Crescent when you see an elegant coach drawn by four horses.

Instead, you’re witnessing a residual haunting, repeating the elopement of Elizabeth Linley of No. 11, with Irish playwright and politician Richard Brinsley Sheridan.

Sheridan was not Miss Linley’s only suitor. Captain Thomas Mathews (a married man) and Lord Sheridan fought two duels – with swords – over the lovely Miss Linley.

Sheridan may have won her hand in marriage, but he later proved unfaithful.

Elizabeth contracted tuberculosis and died at age 38. A bronze plaque at number 11 Royal Crescent marks the address from which she eloped.

The Theatre Royal and Garrick’s Head Pub

These sites are next door to each other at St. John’s Place and Saw Close [ map ] Their ghost stories seem to be interwoven, and the ghosts congenially wander from one building to the other.

At least two ghosts appear in this area, and the site also reports what may be a cryptid.

One is an unfaithful wife and the other is her lover, from the 18th century. The lover was killed by the husband, and the wife committed suicide. Look for a woman (some say there are at least two) in a grey dress. The lover is handsome and well-dressed.
A second anomaly is noted at the Theatre Royal: A tortoiseshell butterfly appears there during the pantomime run each year, which is not butterfly season.

The Garrick’s Head pub offers both smoking and non-smoking sections, and is less than a half mile from Bath Spa rail station. (It’s also near Popjoy’s Restaurant, listed below.)

For more info: Call the Garrick’s Head, tel. 01225 318368, or visit the website of the Theatre Royal.

Popjoy’s Restaurant

This haunted site is at Saw Close, tel. 01225 460494

Many visit this former home of Richard “Beau” Nash for the fine food. However, the restaurant hosts at least two ghosts, both of them women.

One is Juliana Popjoy, the 18th-century mistress of Beau Nash.

The other ghost is Janice (or perhaps Janet). She is more modern, dressed in attire best suited to the 1960’s. She dines alone and looks perfectly normal until she vanishes.

The Beehive Public House

You’ll find this quirky haunt at 3 Belvedere – Lansdowne Road, at the corner of Julian Road

‘Bunty’, a serving girl from the Victorian Era or slightly earlier, appears in the kitchen of The Beehive, a popular Bath public house.

Crystal Palace Tavern

Less haunted than most, it’s still worth investigating. The tavern is at 10-11 Abbey Green, tel. 0870 3305191 [ map ]

A hooded figure – perhaps a monk – appears at this tavern when he is concerned that the structure may change, such as during repairs or redecorating.

He appears briefly and is fairly transparent. Except that his appearances coincide with events in our time-space, I’d wonder if he was a time-slip.

Julia, of Queens Square

This jilted bride has been seen strolling around the Square in her white gown. The white wedding gown would mean she probably lived (and died) in the Victorian Era.

References and recommended sites:

Ghost Walks of Bath, fast-paced information-filled tour sets off from near Garricks Head pub many evenings at 8 p.m. Call for details: +44 (0)1225 350512 Read review.

Join Haunting Breaks for real, paranormal investigations. They’re among the UK’s premiere ghost hunters.

For more ghost information, visit Mystical WWW’s Ghosts Today, and the Paranormal Database.

Bath travel info at Bath.co.uk and VisitBritain.com.

Not sure what to expect? Here’s a one-minute video about apparitions:

(See more ghost-related videos at my YouTube channel: Ghost Hunting with Fiona Broome.)

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