A spooky cold clear evening was the setting for our Ghost Tour of Oswestry. Billy, Aaron & I started the tour at the Heritage Centre which is sited within the church grave yard in Oswestry. We sat down in a candle lite room in the centre when the tales began to be told.Shivers went down the spine as the past of the heritage centre was brought to life by the actors.
The centre was originally the towns work house were the poor came to work. It was extremely cramped and lit by only candles. As you can imagine with so many people and candle there was a risk.
The old lady in charge of all the women and children at this time told the tale of girls catching fire one poor girl was burnt quite badly and to this day haunts the building. The old lady wasn't very nice and hated the children. Food barrels were sent to the work house to feed the poor. The wicked old lady struck a deal so not all the food got the the right people. The site was also the old grammar school to the town it is said some of the children still appear in the building from time to time and when renovated there shoes were found within the walls ?? During the 17Th century a young girl was murdered and her body hidden in the cellars of the property she is also said to roam around walking through walls late at night.
The tour then took us outside into the church yard. Lead by a ghoul like lady wearing a black clock. By this time we were all holding hands. White breath from open mouths filled the frosty air in the night sky. The tales went on this time told by an old signal man from the Cambrian railways.He told the tale of the Rednal rail crash how a lone figure darted up the track to tell of the accident to the signal box at Corney green near the old station. The figure just vanished. How a ghost train is heard from time to time running along were the old tracks used to be. How a train from Manchester crashed killing many children on a Sunday school outing. These children can still be heard to this day screaming and crying as the night falls into the dark.
We travelled around the town. Another old lady popped out from the shadows. She told the tale of how she was murdered after taking here pig to market. As she travelled back to her home across the Fields she was struck over the head and robbed of her money from the sale of the pig. She later died from her injury's. The man who struck here was arrested and taken to Shrewsbury but was released due to lack of evidence. He boarded a train to return to Oswestry but was alerted to a Lynch mob waiting for him. They intended to hang him upon his return as they didn't want to live in fear of there lives. Being alerted the man jumped from the train and was never seen again. The old lady though is said to walk the town searching for her killer trying to bring him to justice.
The tour also told of the prisoners being brought thought the black town gates along Salop road which is said to be the most haunted road within the town. They were then taken to there fate upon the gallows. This now is the home of the Highway Man Pub.
Along the boulevard is a cobbled area it is said the victims of the plague were buried at this spot. We all felt a strange shiver along this point near to the towns park. It was extremely cold hairs stood up on your neck and a cold shiver ran down your spine.
We entered St Davids grave yard to then hear the tales of the local witches. To be accused of being a witch in the medieval times came with horrific consequences. Stripped and searched the accusers looked for blemishes and birth marks. when found the so called witches were tortured till they confessed. Was the confession was made they were burnt alive at the stake. Other ways of deciding if you were a witch or not was to be thrown into a local pond or the moat at Whittington castle. The accused were bound leaving them with little chance of survival either way. It they sank they were Innocent, if they floated they were a witch. Death would have been a blessing once you had been accused.
The tour then headed back to the heritage centre were the final tale was told by the grave digger. Bodies were only allowed to be buried if covered in wool during medieval times. Guards who be appointed as during this time grave robbing was rampant.
We all enjoyed the tour. Listening to the old tales of the town. Hope you have enjoyed the extracts from Oswestry Ghost Tour.
To learn more about Oswestry Ghost Tours visit
No comments:
Post a Comment