Hypnogoria: Hypnogoria Halloween Advent Calendar - Door 16

Transcript from the Into The Night radio show, broadcast on Radio Redvale, Monday 16th October 2023

And that was a golden oldie for you there, all the way from 1968, Down in the Woods by Hollyfoot, who hailed from this area! And if you have a copy of that on 7 inch, I am reliably informed it goes for a pretty penny now! Very collectible are old folk rock records from that era!

Anyhow, on with the show, you’re listening to Into the Night with me Mike Nelson and I’ll be with you into the wee small hours! What’s that Producer Raquel? Oh yes, before I forget, we do have a message from the boys in the blue. As you all know I’m sure a teen has gone missing, and obviously we are all trying to find him. Raymond Montague was last seen around 8 PM on Monday night, in the vicinity of Barrow Lane and the Chapel Hill Cemetery. Were you in that area at any time on Monday evening? If so, please, please, please, do get in touch with the police.

Also Inspector Caldecot is appealing for a potential witness to come forward - a young lady with long dark hair, wearing a long coat which was either black or brown. If you know her, or you are here, again please get in touch with the station. You may not have seen Ray, but anything you can remember seeing in that area that night could help the search. And that goes for anyone who was out and about on Chapel Hill on Monday evening too! Right on with the show!

So then, it’s that time again gang! Time to open the GHOST BAG!

* Ghost Bag jingle plays *

Now then, we are on a quest to become the most haunted village in Britain, and so far we are up to eight! Over the last few nights we have been hanging out at the beautiful Haining Hall, which seems to be hogging all spectral nightlife! You’ve told us about the phantom friar who is seen on the main stairs, the Blue Lady who often surprises guests in bedrooms, and the old gardener who is still out and about and tending the grounds but from the other side!

And we aren’t done with Haining Hall just yet either! Over to you, Mr Simon Broughton! He writes -

Dear Mike, a few years ago, we took the guided tour of the house and gardens of Haining Hall that they operate in the summer months. It was a lovely day out. But while on the tour of the house itself, as we were going through the old servants’ quarters, I happened to glance inside one of the rooms and saw a small, scruffy looking little man lying down on a bed, staring at the ceiling and muttering softly to himself. I assumed it was one of the staff having a furtive break and I didn’t think it was very appropriate behaviour. And hence I went and reported him to the tour guide. She went to investigate immediately I am glad to say but when we turned round and looked in the room again, there was no one there. Furthermore the steward at the other end of the corridor affirmed that no one had come by him of that description. I have since learned that this odd looking little man has been seen previously by other visitors.

Well thank you sir! A ghost lying down on the job perhaps? Well, funnily enough we have another letter that I think is an encounter with the same little guy! Mrs Marion Crawford writes -

Dear Mike, I was interested to hear about the ghosts of Haining Hall but I think you might have missed one. Last month we went for lunch at the new carvery at Haining Hall and while we were there, we did take the tour of the house too. While passing through the library I distinctly heard a soft voice say “he must remain forgotten!”. I looked round and saw a funny looking little man dressed in a shabby black suit looking out one of the windows. And just as I was about to ask what he meant, he turned and smiled sadly and then just vanished. Winked out like he was a candle someone blew out. I am afraid to say I had a bit of a funny turn then, but the staff were lovely and reassured me that apparently this little fellow is often seen, but while he is prone to saying odd things, he doesn’t seem to mean any harm. Does anyone know who he is, or was?

Well, that’s very intriguing! And I can confirm after a couple of chats with the good folks at Haining Hall that this guy does appear regularly and often in the autumn it seems. You heard the lady folks, do any of you have any ideas who our mystery mutterer is? If so, do write in! But for now I can tell you, he’s most definitely our Number Nine Ghost!

So then, moving on! I’ve had a couple of letters from folks telling me that there's a legend that on certain nights of the year - St Mark’s Eve, Hallowe’en, and New Year’s Eve, the dragon carving on the door of the St Bartolph’s Church at Fring, comes to life and goes for a drink in Mordyke’s Beck. Well, certainly a colourful tale, and while it's a commonly told tale, I don’t think we can include the stone beastie. I mean, look folks, I’m a local radio DJ and therefore very gullible I admit, but even I don’t believe stonework goes walking about! And sadly, no one has reported actually seeing it happen! So I’m afraid the dragon of Fring doesn’t make it onto our list! We need rock solid phantoms folks! IF that’s not a contradiction in terms!

So then, let’s have one more letter before another tune! And this one comes for a lady who has asked to remain anonymous, so we will just call her Angie. And that is completely fine - remember you can give us your stories in confidence! Anyhow this lady has a very terrifying encounter to relate! Now Producer Raquel has asked to warn you all that this one is a very spooky one! Actually I’ve not read this one myself yet, so let’s see how scary it is! So then, Angie writes -

Dear Mike, I want to tell you about something that happened to me when I was a child back in the 1980s. I’m sure listeners of my vintage will remember that very cold winter we had over 1981 and 1982. Well, during that snowy winter, our pipes froze and burst causing tons of damage. And we had to move out of our house for a bit while it was all repaired and what not.

Dad rented us a house in the middle of town. It was old and a bit dingy but it wasn’t going to be for long at least. I had a huge bedroom which I thought was marvellous. At least at first. The first night I woke up thinking I could hear something moving about in the room. I put on the bedside light but there was nothing.

The next night I was awoken again, and I could most definitely hear something creeping about, something that made an odd clicking noise on the floor. I reached for the light and again I couldn’t see anything.

The third night, I was too anxious to sleep and lay awake listening. I’m not sure what time it was, but after several long hours, I heard a sound. And one I recognised. It was the door of the big old wooden wardrobe that came with the room slowly opening. Then I heard, what I can only describe as, strange footsteps clicking across the floor boards.

I pretended to be asleep and lay listening to whatever it was slowly moving around the room. The footsteps sounded like they were heading towards the window, so I decided to take a peek. The room was very dark, but there was some light coming in from the street lamps outside, enough for me to see a tall ragged figure standing by the curtains. It was dressed in a grey tattered robe and was very very tall, very nearly touching the ceiling. As for its face, well it didn't have one. There was just bare bone, but there were pinpoints of red light in the eye sockets like little flickering candles.

But the worst thing though, was that I could see that it was watching me, and it nodded its head, its shoulder jiggling like it was laughing to itself, and I knew it was delighted that I could see it.

Now I was always told that if you thought you saw something scary, if you just shut your eyes it would go away. And so I did. I lay there in the dark, not daring to move or even breathe for what seemed like ages. I waited and waited, all the time listening. But I didn’t hear any more sounds. So I waited some more to be sure, and then after a bit, decided to open my eyes again.

And it was no longer by the window. Now it was bending right over my bed, with that ghastly skull face just inches from mine.

Oh fucking hell Angie! Oh sorry folks, sorry! Oh my word! But anyhow, she continues...

Naturally I did the only sensible thing. I screamed the house down.

Well I’m not surprised! I’m sure we would have all done the same Angie!

I slept with Mum and Dad that night, and they convinced me it must have just been a dream. However, the next night, again I heard the wardrobe door slowly open, and bony footsteps click clacking on the floor. I was terrified but I just put my head under the blankets and ignored it. I could hear it clicking and clacking around the room but I refused to look. At some point I fell asleep. But every night it would keep happening, but I never dared look again. Thankfully at the end of the week, the builders said we could move back home.

Talking it over with my Dad, many years later, he told me that he found that the old wardrobe was a bit damp and had some nasty little mushrooms growing on it. Perhaps their spores had some sort of effect on me? I am sure I didn’t imagine any of it though. And I swear there were little scratches on the floor boards where it walked about the room. But I wonder what it was, and if anyone else has seen it?

Well folks, does that ring any bells for you. To be honest, I am a bit torn on this one, I would love to get to the bottom of this very creepy mystery, but on the other hand, I sincerely hope no one else has been terrorised like that!

Anyway folks, I think we will wrap up Ghost Bag there for tonight. Once again I deeply apologise for my little outburst there. But that’s live radio for you! And that was a very spooky story! So then after that I think we need something very calming, so then here’s one I find very relaxing, a little tune called Some Other Autumn…