Barsham's main claim to fame is that Lord Nelson's mother, Catherine Suckling, was born here in 1725. It can also claim a haunted church!
Footsteps have been heard in the chancel and the apparition of a lady dressed in Georgian clothes has been seen in the building. Lights have also been known to switch themselves on and off by themselves. Some claim the phantom to be the ghost of Nelson's mother. Why she should haunt the church - if it is indeed her - has yet to be explained. The churchyard is also haunted by the figures of people in medieval dress. A nearby plague pit is held to be the reason why these spirits still linger here. The nearby rectory has a room with a priest hole. It is claimed to be haunted by ghostly lights and footsteps. A poltergeist also moves objects in other parts of the rectory. Finally, a phantom coach and horses - headless of course - is said to appear in the village every Christmas Eve. It makes for Hassets Tower in Norwich and is said to carry members of the Blennerhassett family. The coach returns to the village before sunrise.
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AuthorJohn is a producer, TV/Radio presenter and writer living in Suffolk Archives
January 2021
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