GHOSTS OF RUSHDEN AND OTHER TALES

GHOSTS

Several ghosts have been sited in Rushden over the years, so we thought it might be a good idea to introduce you to a few of them. If you have any interesting, amusing or just plain scary stories to tell about Rushden and its inhabitants get in touch with the Webmaster. 

The sculptor, Percy Portsmouth, has been seen in his garden, recognisable by his artist's smock and side whiskers. During the war he kept a biplane in pieces in his barn intending to assemble it and fly to Ireland should the Germans invade.

We are told that the Vicarage was the setting for an exorcism many years ago after the Rev Roxburgh's daughter was troubled by a ghost. Who or what no-one seems to know. If you do, please let us know.

I'm not sure how many other people dislike driving past the telephone exchange at Offley Green at night and worrying about a skeletal hand descending on their shoulder, but when the exchange was being built bones started to appear and it was discovered to be the sight of a plague pit. A small boy's ghost is also supposed to haunt the road near here, but from a
later murder.

if you should find yourself at the site of Broadfield Church don't go digging or disturbing the land. Local legend has it that anyone who does so will die within the year.

Barberry Cottage, in the middle of the village, used to have a ghost. An old lady was regularly seen leaning over the gate at the front of the cottage, but when this was removed and the entrance changed she disappeared, never to be seen again.

Repairers to the Village Hall had a bit of a fright when they were enjoying themselves at the old piano during a lunch break. A lady, carrying a trug, appeared at the doorway and smiled at them before slowly vanishing.

Most pubs have ghosts, but the Moon and Stars can boast a real ale ghost. It regularly turns off the beer pump in the cellar so that only hand pulled beer can be served.

One of Rushden's best known twentieth century personages was Tommy Chapman and stories about him are legion. The time when he was delivering milk round Baldock and his motorbike and sidecar parted company at a corner is just one. He was also the source of many Rushden tales. It is suspected that several of these were apocryphal. For many years he was the village gravedigger and whenever there was a funeral he would be seen sitting on the bench by the phone box on the Green. When a close friend of his was being buried, I was walking up the road to the Church and saw him sitting in his usual place. I looked again and he was no longer there. it was then that I remembered that he had died several months previously.