West Midlands Ghost Club

Wednesday 16th February 2022

On Sunday, February 6th, 2022, John Chance (of 'Ghostcallers UK') kindly invited me to visit the picturesque ruin of St. Mary's Church, Colston Bassett, Nottinghamshire...  As always, I am so greatly indebted to John, for his unwavering generosity in involving me in such thoroughly ripping adventures...!

While this was my first ever visit to this location, John tells me that he has been here a number of times, over the years... on one occasion arranging to meet up with veteran, ghost investigator, Peter Crawley.  (*I've personally 'known of' Peter since the late 1980's / early 90's, when I'd come across his name - more than once - in the old 'Psychic News' Spiritualist newspaper!)  While I believe John was only visiting for the day on the occasion concerned, the stoic Peter had traveled down to the site by train and was intending to spend the night there, alone, and entirely at the mercy of the British weather, before making his way back home again, by rail, the next morning!  Lol!

With regards to the history of this beautiful site - situated in equally stunning countryside - the older parts of the existing church itself are said to be from Norman times, but it is suggested by many to date from the even earlier Saxon period, probably.  (Saxon-age stonework has been found in the area).  The structure was added to over the following centuries... a factor that may well have contributed to it's unstable condition, in the end?  By the mid-18th Century, the building is already recorded as being in a 'ruinous state' and, in the early 1890's, the roof was purposefully removed - along with much of the interior of the site - on the construction of a new church (St. John The Divine) in the vicinity.  Bells from St. Mary's were transferred to the newer structure, in the nearby village itself.

What can be seen of the church today is supported by English Heritage and the site is a scheduled Ancient Monument with Grade I listed status.

 

 

Interestingly, the surrounding graveyard is still consecrated and contains numerous, fascinating and beautiful grave markers.  Many of these are made from 'slate' and date from the 18th Century, onward.  (See images above - but I'm afraid my photography doesn't do justice to the examples concerned!).  The incredibly intricate detail that can be seen on these particular gravestones reveals what a thoroughly superior material slate actually was for this purpose... most of the sophisticated artwork concerned being literally 'as new' today, even after the space of up to 300 years or so!  In comparison, most of the more common 'stone' memorials - from exactly the same time period and much later too - are now worn 'blank', by simple erosion / weathering...

With regards to the alleged 'haunted history' of this location, I did search my bookshelves for references, prior to our visit, but - somewhat surprisingly - found no mention at all anywhere(?)  This included more general volumes on British haunting's, as well as the likes of 'Haunted Churches' by the late, great Elliott O' Donnell (publ. 1939) and 'Haunted Churches of England' by Graham J. McEwan, etc.

 

Quickly turning to 'Google' for guidance, it seems that literally every reference to be found had been copied from 'The Paranormal Database' (or, at least, from the same reference material the website drew it's data from?)  The latter reports that the sound of bells have been heard, gently ringing out from the site (despite the fact that they were transferred to St. John The Divine, around a kilometer distant, over a century ago).  The sound of hymns being sung in the ruins has also been reported, it seems.  Candlelight has seemingly been witnessed within the structure, but, when investigated, the building is found to be dark and empty.  A strange 'moaning noise' has been noted here by some... the suggestion being that it comes from underground; perhaps from a concealed tunnel?  (*On the latter, I've not found any mention of a crypt at St. Mary's Church, but how unusual would this be for such a location of this antiquity, we cannot help but wonder?  There is a hefty, stone slab, situated in the floor of a side-chapel within the ruin, that is cracked... and the sheer thickness of the slab itself, as indicated by the depth of the crack concerned, is considerable!  When viewing the stone - which once carried some text on it's surface, but it now appears to be too worn to actually make out - I did wonder whether this, because of it's sheer dimensions, may have been used to 'cap' an entrance to a crypt, maybe?)

 

Looking at the position of the ruin itself - set alone in fields, perched on a hillock - the old cliche' of saying that 'it looks like something from a ghost story' just couldn't be applied more fittingly to a place!  Of course, this appraisal is taken from a visit in the middle of a lovely, bright (if terribly windy) day... so I could only imagine what shivers a night-time view of the same location might conjure up in visitors!?  (At this point, I think back to our intrepid friend Peter Crawley once more!  Lol!)  In viewing the overall location - a roughly circular 'enclosure', the shape of which follows the roundish hill on which it stands - you cannot help but get a rather primal and / or archaic feeling... and I believe I indicated to the graveyard border itself, at the time, and said to John that I'd imagine some ghostly, black dog to 'patrol' such a boundary after darkness fell...!?

 

 

Ghosts aside - this is a very pretty and wonderfully atmospheric location indeed and, as with many such places visited, we'd thoroughly advise anyone thinking of touring the region to place this spot on their itinerary!  St. Mary's is, obviously, a highly popular port of call... clearly appealing to ramblers and dog walkers - the ruin lies amid a network of cross-country footpaths - as well as 'paranormal enthusiasts' too.  However, if you do decide to stopover here, please do exercise a degree of care and attention for your surroundings.  Sadly, the popularity of the site has sometimes had a negative effect (at least in recent times, anyway), in the form of acts of blatant vandalism.  Such activity has been covered by the Nottinghamshire media, with articles being found HERE and HERE....

Once again, I should just like to extend my considerable gratitude to John Chance ('Ghostcallers UK') for his kindness in inviting me to accompany him on such a lovely outing!  MANY THANKS matey!