‘Fovant’
‘oakhangerbarn’
3rd November 1962
Dear Dr Clay
My house, which we first occupied in December 1956, was previously divided into two cottages. The present sitting room at the NW end was originally the old farm kitchen, the other half of the house on the ground floor is now the dining room, with the kitchen at SE end.
My wife and I both saw the ghost on four or five occasions each, from shortly after we moved in until we had been in occupation for about two years. We are agreed that the ghost appeared to be benign, an elderly woman, small and dressed in grey with a full skirt and possibly a scarf or shawl. We both felt, when she no longer appeared, she had been satisfied that all was well with us and her house.
I saw her only when I was sitting with my back to the central chimney in the sitting room. On each occasion I saw her out of the corner of my eye as she walked past the front window from behind me, going towards the kitchen end of the house, i.e. the SE. I have been told that in the days before piped water, water was dipped from the stream near the yew tree about fifteen yards upstream from the east corner of the house.
My wife once saw her outside the front windows of the sitting room, and on three or four occasions inside the house. On each occasion when my wife came from the dining room across the hall to the sitting room, the ghost appeared to come through the front door and turn right into the sitting room in front of my wife. She disappeared on entering the sitting room. On one occasion the ghost turned and made way for my wife to enter.
Yours sincerely W. Clapp.
PS Edna Coombs once told my wife that her mother-in-law, Mrs John Coombs, who was the last occupier of the cottage forming the NW half of the house before it fell vacant and remained empty until we rebuilt it, would not stay alone on the ground floor of her cottage if she could help it.
Note by R.C.C.Clay.
Many years ago Mr Alfred Lever, the carpenter, told me that when he was repairing the roof of these cottages he saw a ghost in the roof. He either threw his hammer at it, or told the ghost that he would do so if it did not leave him alone. He said the ghost went away and he never saw it again.
About 5 years after the episode with Alfred Lever I attended a young woman, later Mrs Edna Coombs, suffering from Influenza in Oakhanger Barn house. One morning she told me that, the evening before, a ghost had come up to her bedside. I thought it was a delusion caused by her high temperature. Years later, when she heard that Mrs Clapp the new occupier, had seen a ghost, she said to Mrs Clapp, “Don’t tell me what your ghost was like. Let me tell you first what my ghost was like”. Both ghosts were identical.
On 24th August 1967 my cousin Betty Northover of Newton Abbott went with my wife to have morning coffee with Mrs Clapp. While they were sitting and talking, my cousin said to Mrs Clapp “I think someone wants you. I have just seen through the window an old woman go from your front door to the end of the house”. In answer to Mrs Clapp’s query, Betty said “I only saw the upper half of her” and described her dress. “That is our ghost” said Mrs Clapp.
Copyright © Robert M. Snow.
My wife and I both saw the ghost on four or five occasions each, from shortly after we moved in until we had been in occupation for about two years. We are agreed that the ghost appeared to be benign, an elderly woman, small and dressed in grey with a full skirt and possibly a scarf or shawl. We both felt, when she no longer appeared, she had been satisfied that all was well with us and her house.
I saw her only when I was sitting with my back to the central chimney in the sitting room. On each occasion I saw her out of the corner of my eye as she walked past the front window from behind me, going towards the kitchen end of the house, i.e. the SE. I have been told that in the days before piped water, water was dipped from the stream near the yew tree about fifteen yards upstream from the east corner of the house.
My wife once saw her outside the front windows of the sitting room, and on three or four occasions inside the house. On each occasion when my wife came from the dining room across the hall to the sitting room, the ghost appeared to come through the front door and turn right into the sitting room in front of my wife. She disappeared on entering the sitting room. On one occasion the ghost turned and made way for my wife to enter.
PS Edna Coombs once told my wife that her mother-in-law, Mrs John Coombs, who was the last occupier of the cottage forming the NW half of the house before it fell vacant and remained empty until we rebuilt it, would not stay alone on the ground floor of her cottage if she could help it.
Note by R.C.C.Clay.
About 5 years after the episode with Alfred Lever I attended a young woman, later Mrs Edna Coombs, suffering from Influenza in Oakhanger Barn house. One morning she told me that, the evening before, a ghost had come up to her bedside. I thought it was a delusion caused by her high temperature. Years later, when she heard that Mrs Clapp the new occupier, had seen a ghost, she said to Mrs Clapp, “Don’t tell me what your ghost was like. Let me tell you first what my ghost was like”. Both ghosts were identical.
On 24th August 1967 my cousin Betty Northover of Newton Abbott went with my wife to have morning coffee with Mrs Clapp. While they were sitting and talking, my cousin said to Mrs Clapp “I think someone wants you. I have just seen through the window an old woman go from your front door to the end of the house”. In answer to Mrs Clapp’s query, Betty said “I only saw the upper half of her” and described her dress. “That is our ghost” said Mrs Clapp.
Copyright © Robert M. Snow.
Are you experiencing something strange in your home from the sound of footsteps, knockings or some other unexplained phenomenon.
Have you seen a ghost in your home.
Are you experiencing Smells or oders in the home, that can not be explained, for example pipe tobacco smells, perfume or aftershave.
Do you ever get a feeling that you are not alone in the home.
Have you seen objects moving around by unseen hands in your home or work place.
Many of these experiences are never reported because people don’t want to feel weird and odd.
People are frightened to talk because of skepticism (it’s all in your head, it’s only your eye’s playing tricks, you’re hallucinating, its a misinterpretation of something natural or some other reply) and are talked out of what may of been a real paranormal experience.
So if you are witnessing events and need someone to talk too, please post your comment below or If you prefer that you and your experience to stay private from public eyes then thats not a problem.
Please contact me on email or mobile.
I’m also available 24/7 on mobile, Tel. 07814299892
Administrator(Quote)
It was the old Doctors house and I was going there visiting they told me it was haunted and I was petrified thats all I really have to say but that was when I was a young boy
chas(Quote)
Thanks Chas, its a shame that is all you have.
Do you know of this story? please post any updates regarded to this haunting of the ‘Old Doctors House’ or others from Fovant.
Administrator(Quote)