|
White's Farmhouse lies immediately opposite to
Bartlett's Farmhouse on
Swallowfield Road. Both were owned by the
Swallowfield Park Estate. The barn
seen in this 1994 photograph has now been converted
into a separate dwelling.
By 1963, when the following aerial photo was taken,
White's and Bartlett's Farms
were operated as one unit. White's is on the left. In
the 1990's, the barn at White's
Farm was converted into a dwelling, and it has now
been extended into an 'L' shape.
THE GHOST OF WHITE’S FARM
According to legend, this farm was once haunted by the
ghost of
the farmer’s wife. She lived in the 18th century, and
was thought
hereabouts to be a witch. Soon after she died several
local people
claimed to have seen a prowling figure, wringing its hands and
groaning, nearby, on the dark, lonely stretch of road. The ghostly
figure would then
disappear into a pond by the roadside.
Such was the disquiet caused by this phenomenon that
seven
clergymen were called upon to keep vigil. When the ghostly figure
next arose from the depths, they began to chant in unison and
continued to do so until the figure once again descended into the
deep, murky waters of the pond. At this point the frightened villagers
lowered a huge, flat stone into the pond,
exactly where the figure
had last been seen. The appearance of the ghost on the road then ceased.
Time passed, and about one hundred years later some
labourers
were directed to clean out the old pond. This they did and during
their labours discovered a large, flat stone right at the bottom of the
pond. They, unaware of the old story, were about to remove it, when
their foreman, undoubtedly a local, insisted that they leave the stone
exactly where they had found it. This
they did.
In the 20th century, the pond was finally filled in,
with the stone left
undisturbed. Long may it remain so!
Back to Properties Page
|
