Bispham Hall

Bispham Hall

There is NOTHING which gives a Ghost Story more of a cashet than when the Storyteller can say with hand on heart: “This is a TRUE story. I know, because I WAS THERE”

Bispham Hall Scout Camp is near Billinge Hospital, not far from St. Helens.

It has been a handy ‘alternative’ to Liverpool’s Tawd Vale camp site (which is a bit further to travel, and not easily accessed by public transport). Especially popular with Cub Scouts!

***

Eighteen young heads sat around the camp fire, exchanging murmured whispers and private, excited thoughts while Bagheera poured late-night cocoa. Not that any of the Cub Scouts were likely to sleep much that night: not after what they'd witnessed at camp that Hallowe'en weekend. Paul, Grey Six leader and by a matter of days the oldest Cub present, looked left and right, nodded to acknowledge Bagheera’s tacit permission and began the tale.

“When we finished the Wide Game, we were a long way from our camp site. We’d just trapped the last of Green Six and we were down close to the Entry gates.”

"One of the Camp Crew must have locked the gates after sunset: there was a large padlock and a heavy chain across the gates."

"We all saw the same thing, all at the same time! We were on our way back to our camp site. We were spread out, not on the road itself but three on each side, in the bushes. trying to hide from each other.

              "Suddenly we all saw this strange light which appeared at the bottom of the hill, and  it was coming up towards us, moving pretty fast. Hardest to explain:  there was no sound: none whatsoever! And it was moving real fast: there was no sound of a motor, nothing!"

              "It went right past us without stopping: though we were all stood up and not trying to hide ourselves, it was as if we weren't even there as far as he was concerned."

           “He? You’re sure it was a man you saw?” Bagheera asked.

Paul and Tom both nodded like Churchill dogs.

              "I say 'He' because it was definitely a bloke.” Paul confirmed, automatically holding his right hand in the officially-approved Scout’s Honour gesture.

“It was someone dressed in the sort of old-fashioned gear that you see in pictures of knights in armour. Even the horse he was riding had some sort of armour protection on it. And his shield had the St. George cross of England on it."

"Which dates it to before King James, and the Unity with Scotland!" interrupted Paul's second, Tom, who loved historical details more than any other nine-year-old Bagheera had ever encountered.

              Far from cross at this interruption, Paul nodded his thanks to Tom. It seemed that the historical accuracy offered by his cousin served, in his opinion, as corroboration of the truth of the tale which was still being told.

              "Of course, we followed whoever (or whatever) it was up the path, though there was only one place he could possibly be going from there. We fair legged it along the path, and got to the main Car Park just as he rode through the Hall doors even though they were closed!"

              "But we all saw horse and rider disappear, and there was still no sound. When we ran up to the doors they were still locked and bolted, and there was no sign of any damage done to them!"

              "We went to look in the windows on both sides of the door, and we saw the figure, still riding his horse, disappear at the top of the stairs. He seemed to enter a room on the left…"

              "Which would have been the main bedroom." Bagheera added, as Paul had evidently recounted as much of the tale as he knew. Nods all round, and a tense, expectant silence.

              "I'll tell you now what I know of how the tale ends" he promised.

“Sir Rodric fought with valour and was never far from Richard’s side” Bagheera told them.

“He remained true to the end, but was forced to flee.

              "What happened when he . . . I mean, what did we just see, Bagheera?"

History geek Tom just managed to ask the question before Paul did.

              "It means that, between us, we've seen a scene from history, re-enacted." replied the Leader, as he collected the empty cocoa cups.

              "Lord Bispham was indeed a strong supporter of the King, and rode off to fight in the Crusades: remember, Lancashire was particularly loyal to the King, and always has been!"

              "The story is that he came home unexpectedly, after many years, when everybody thought he had been killed in battle. Indeed, Lady Bispham believed him to be dead and had re-married. Lord Bispham knew nothing of this, and was so eager to greet his wife that he didn't even dismount at the doors but rode his horse up the stairs to her bedroom. Tradition says, he had a song on his lips and his heart was bursting with love.”"

              "Hearing her husband's voice, Lady Bispham panicked. Leaping from her bed, which she was sharing with her new husband, she ran across the room and cast herself out of the window, breaking her neck in the fall."

              "Now Lady Bispham had a pet, a faithful hound named Dash, who slept at the foot of her bed to protect her from intruders. When he saw his mistress fling herself through the window, he immediately followed her without question. He also died instantly where he fell."

              "Lord Bispham refused to forgive his wife, and she was buried in an unmarked grave." 

              "On the other hand, he understood why Dash felt compelled to follow where his mistress led, and had a headstone cast which stands outside the Hall to this day. It has been there for over eight hundred years, but the engraved epitaph can still be clearly read"

Bagheera led the Cub Pack to the side of the Hall and showed them the stone. It said:

“Alas, poor faithful Dash”

Word Count:  1014