Monday 14th August 2023
In March of this year, John Chance had contacted me with word of a book entitled ‘Chicksands Priory – Englands Most Haunted House’, by one Daniel O’Dell. He said he’d not heard of the matter previously and while the name of the location certainly rang a bell with yours truly (from somewhere?), I could only presume that this may have potentially been as far back as general ‘Haunted Britain’ reading matter from childhood, possibly? (In later looking up the site in older volumes from the bookshelves, it is certainly mentioned enough - in different books, over years gone by - to have indelibly registered, probably!?)
In checking out the location, John had revealed that – even though it is now part of a tightly protected, military base – some ‘tours’ were still allowed there, at certain times. Such visits are organised by the ‘Friends Of Chicksands Priory’ group, which was founded in 1975 by U.S.A.F. personnel and British employees at R.A.F. Chicksands. This association was later expanded to include local people who were interested in the history of the location.
I guess it should probably go without saying at this juncture that John had soon booked 2 places for us on a forthcoming tour! As a consequence, in early April, we traveled down to Bedfordshire and what would be, by far, the most generally ‘peculiar' visit that I’d come to make in all of my ‘ghost hunting’ years!
Unfortunately – but quite understandably – security is of paramount importance at Chicksands, so the taking of photographs by visitors is strictly forbidden. As a consequence, all images shown in this particular post are dated photographs taken from the internet…
The priory building itself was built around 1150 and used by the Gilbertine Order, unusually housing both canons and nuns within the same, general, complex. Needless to say, these inhabitants were kept strictly segregated! As with many such sites, the priory was dissolved in 1538, some 12 generations of the Osbourne family being associated with the property from 1576, right up to the present day.
Military usage began in 1940, when Chicksands was requisitioned by the Royal Navy. The R.A.F. were soon to take over control of the site… followed by the U.S.A.F. from 1950 to 1995. The priory is now on the campus of ‘Joint Forces Command’ (J.F.C.) and serves as the Officers Mess of J.F.C. Chicksands.
As far as the associated ghostlore is concerned, our guides were not – thankfully – shy in relating relevant data! The visit literally began with a mention of one of the key legends associated with the property… that of the nun, ‘Rosetta’, who was allegedly ‘made pregnant’ by one of the canons here! Upon discovery of this affair, she, it is said, was ‘walled-up alive’ in an alcove, in the entrance area of the property! Prior to the few, final stones being cemented in place, however, she was allowed to see her lover being 'killed in front of her', it is claimed…
While a wonderful snippet of folklore, the tale was pointed out as being all-too-clearly fake… as, just practically speaking, the external wall of this section of the building is far-too-thin to accommodate a body… let alone a pregnant one! Despite this, a lovely verse was painted onto the wall at the spot of the poor womans alleged incarceration: ‘Moribus Ornata Jacet Hic Bona Berta Rosata…’ which translates as: ‘By Virtues Guarded And By Manners Graced Here Alas Is Fair Rosata Placed…’
Moving into the body of the building, it was mentioned that the 2nd floor – used for accommodation – was out of bounds to the tour. It was revealed, however, that ‘Room 3’ on this level was regarded as, by far, ‘the most haunted chamber’ in the site. It is noted that big, burly, officer-types – staying the night here – had sometimes been known to ‘flee the room in terror’, it seemed!?
Entering one of the 1st floor corridors, we were told that an inexplicable ‘light’ had been witnessed here one night? A group of people had been situated in the corridor at the time, with another on the floor immediately above. The latter had supposedly spotted the unusual lighting effect ‘vanish through the floor’ of their landing… In a state of amazement, they had used a radio, to contact a base room in the building, immediately reporting what they had seen… only to later discover that those directly below had ALSO radioed the base to say they had just seen a light too, seemingly ‘appearing through the ceiling’ of their floor!? The testimony of both groups weren’t the only data to attest to this effect, as the light had also, been caught on video footage too!
Outside of the main body of the priory, there is an attached courtyard, surrounded by former stable blocks now used as accommodation. In passing through this area, the windows of a specific room were pointed out and we were told that a gentleman once staying the night in the chamber concerned had woke, during the early hours, to discover a mysterious woman standing over him! This was the section of the site formerly given over to occupation by nuns…
In his book ‘Our Haunted Kingdom’, Andrew Green opens the volume with a reasonable section dedicated to Chicksands Priory, the ‘fallen nun’ legend being discussed… as well as an erroneous reference to someone actually ‘dying’ after seeing the resident ghost!? It is also noted that, in the 60’s, the figure of a woman, dressed in black, was seen disappearing through a wall in the picture gallery next to the King James Room. The figure had long hair covering it’s features… hardly that of – Green rightly posits – the ‘normal’ appearance of a nun?
Another reference mentions a female staff member seeing a ‘fascinating woman, dressed in white’ gliding past them! The rustle of her dress could be heard and a long, white train seen as the apparition moved by…
In the early 50’s, an officer staying in the building saw a woman situated at the side of his bed. He described the figure as having a ruddy face and untidy hair, wearing a dark dress with white, lace collar. Strangely, she seemed to be ‘holding a note pad’ and completely vanished after moving to the foot of the bed…
The late 50’s saw a report from another officer, who claimed to have seen the motionless head and shoulders of a middle-aged woman, in the aforementioned picture gallery. He said that she was wearing upper-garments usually associated with nuns and appeared to be looking past the witness in a state of serious though.
Interestingly, Green points out that the notion of a ‘ghostly nun’ only really seems to cover a small proportion of descriptions of the ghost / ghosts actually seen here?
One, online link that I found moderately interesting, about the alleged haunting, was this account found on the 'Bedford Borough Council' site, penned by Arnold W. Sutcliffe - LINK
Whatever the truth behind the ghosts that allegedly haunt Chicksands Priory, the site stands as one of the most superb – and 'unusual to visit' – locations that we’ve personally ever seen! At the time of tapping out this post – a blog entry terribly overdue, unfortunately, as with most stuff I record here! – I believe I am correct in stating that tours of Chicksands are organised for the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month, between April and October. The official site for the ‘Friends Of Chicksands Priory’, a most lovely and friendly group of people, can be reached by this link HERE.
As always, I
am greatly indebted to my old friend, John Chance, for so kindly taking me with him on so
many of his ‘haunted outings’… Always a
fascinating experience in wonderful, warm company!
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