West Midlands Ghost Club

Friday 11th August 2023

Towards the end of January, 2023, John Chance told me that he had booked a place on a forthcoming investigation at a site in Leicestershire.  He said that he wished to go and take a look at the area concerned before the event… so asked if I might be interested in going for a ride?

In checking out the locality – a matter of only a few minutes – I was told that we were literally a stones-throw from the historic ruin of Grace Dieu Priory… a place that I’d been itching to visit for many years now!  In times past, I’d even mentioned the location to members of the West Midlands Ghost Club, as a potential site for investigation, but we had never got round to actually visiting.

The site itself – a typical picturesque ruin, in the middle of the Leics. Countryside – is all that remains of an Augustinian nunnery, that was founded around 1235 and, as with many such sites, fell victim to Henry VIII’s ‘Dissolution Of The Monasteries’ in the 1530’s.  It’s associated ghostlore is quite legendary… so well-known as to command a mention in most official documentation about the site, online and otherwise.

The respected ghost researcher, Andrew James Wright, has studied the location to considerable length, both academically and in a hands-on, investigative capacity.  The front cover of his 2006 volume ‘Ghosts And Hauntings In And Around Leicestershire’ carries a photograph of part of the ruin on its front cover and the book discusses the case to some depth.

The associated stories are said to go back almost a century and pretty-much all reported sightings there feature a figure – sometimes ‘figures’ – dressed in pale coloured attire.  Some people have spoken of witnessing a more ‘white lady’ style apparition, while others a ‘Nun’.  In what appears to be the first-ever ghost sighting recorded here – back in 1926 – witnesses mention seeing ‘6 figures’ moving towards the ruins, but, in this instance, A.J. Wright neglects to mention any visible sex in his notes?

 

With regards to ‘where they might roam…’ the Grace Dieu ghost seems to have reasonable ‘free reign’ in the locality, being seen not only within the confines of the priory itself, but also on the nearby A512… particularly associating with a lonely ‘bus stop’ on the thoroughfare!  In that position, she has caused at least 2 passing bus drivers to stop or slow down, only to discover that there was no one there!

A few, other, people have reportedly seen her traveling in the opposite direction entirely… approaching – and even within the grounds of – a nearby Roman Catholic School.  In passing across to this particular location, the ghost would have to navigate a raised, former railway line, that cuts across the landscape in that direction… (Now a charming, popular walkway). One witness, situated on the rise, reports having seen a pale-clad figure ‘approach the track’ – disappear – and then simply ‘reappear on the opposite side’… as if there was no obstruction present at all!

Dipping back to speak of the ‘bus stop’ feature momentarily, one fascinating, potential ‘spanner in the works’ is introduced to the overall case by the late, respected ghost authority, Andrew Green, in his book ‘Phantom Ladies’.  In it, he seemingly describes the ghost as: ‘Old and bent, carrying a shopping bag… seen shuffling along the road some 50 feet from the bus stop…’  She is also ‘white from head to toe… and wears a conical hat’!?    It is suggested that the ghost is actually that of a woman who was killed in a motor accident – struck by a car – and now haunts the area as a consequence?

 

 

Green suggests that, because she is dressed in light colours, people are simply ‘taking her to be a Nun’, because of the close proximity to the priory ruins…?

But… really… how seriously can this account be considered?  Of course, it is all-too-easy for an identity to be ‘placed upon’ an alleged ghost, because of the flimsiest of associations – something we’ve seen time and again, throughout ghostlore – but, as Wright reports in his book, there is no record of an elderly, female pedestrian being killed in this region, it seems?  Also, given that the associated sightings appear to have started as early as the mid-1920’s (at least?), this naturally throws the ‘motoring accident’ story into something of a time-sensitive spin?  Needless to say, the crux of the situation is ‘where did Green actually get this reference from?’  (Unfortunately, I don’t own a copy of ‘Phantom Ladies’ to be able to check the entry).

Just sticking with the vexed topic of ‘ascribing identities with no real evidence’ momentarily, Wright actually cites a magnificent example of this in his Grace Dieu entry, in mentioning a supposedly inexplicable ‘male figure’ that was apparently photographed here… (Below)

 

In brief: a ‘group’ of people had visited the ruins in 2005, for a twilight walk, and, during the visit, this snapshot was taken.  Apparently, the man (?) visible in the pic – described as wearing black, with a white cravat (?) – was not recognised as a member of the group involved and, therefore, assumed to be potentially ‘ghostly’ in nature?  Furthermore, the pic was subsequently shown to 3, separate ‘mediums’, who all suggested both the ‘19^th Century’ and the letter ‘W’….  

The final piece to the puzzle was revealed in later research, where it was discovered that the poet William Wordsworth had apparently visited the ruins and, in 1811, wrote a poem about the site…  Under the heavy weight of such compelling evidence, it was apparently suggested that the ghost in the picture was that of Wordsworth himself!!  Tah Dah!!

I shall refrain from purposefully ‘picking apart’ the latter mentioned account / suggestion and just leave it to the intelligence and common sense of the reader to note the sheer stupidity of the scenario involved…  From a ridiculously blurry picture of someone in a group ‘not recognised’… to the apparition of William Wordsworth in one fell swoop!  We would, of course, like to imagine that ‘reasoning’ and ‘research’ of this mind-boggling nature was rare in this field, but – sad to say – this… and much, much worse… is not only expected from the bulk of the field, but continually delivered, by the bucket-load!