We thought it was about time we showcased another fascinating item from our Archives... We’ve three surviving letters dated 1717 - 1718 by Professor Ockley (Professor of Arabic). He boarded the Castle Prison (at our HQ the Shire Hall site!) for a short while & during his stay wrote letters concerning his experience of a malevolent spirit. Here’s one extract: “…one night about nine o’clock men all were a bed and still I sent the keeper down for something that I wanted and kept my candle light by my bedside. Whilst he was absent I heard exactly such a rapping upon the wall between the two windows and I heard before in hand-alley; for though it was a naked wall in both places, yet it sounded as if it had been upon a hollow board or wainscot. I took this alarm immediately and prepared myself for the conflict, which I was very well assured I must be engaged in. Most of the disturbances I met with from that spirit having happened in the night”. The letters appear in the archives as part of the Palmer-Barnard collection (in 1928-29, two local historians, W.M. Palmer and E.A. Barnard were invited to list and report the borough archives - hence the name). It appears that even after Dr Ockley leaves the prison the malicious spirit has followed him to his new home in Swavesey. The letters are currently available to view in our small showcase in room 001 of Shire Hall
Posted on: Fri, 16 Jan 2015 09:44:05 +0000
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