Hooded Monk - St Peter's church - Hereford, Herefordshire - Ghosts and Hauntings on Waymarking.com

It is said that during December a monk is seen to move from the area of St Peter's church/square to the Cathedral, vanishing at the oak door.

"Back in 1926, two policemen were on foot patrol - the day before Christmas Eve - and happened to be passing the church when they saw something which almost frightened the life out of them. Their attention was drawn to a strange figure, dressed in a hooded cloak, who seemed to be floating past the iron railings which surrounded the church. Being good bobbies, they decided to check out this mysterious character. However, they were flabbergasted when he - or it - simply passed through the closed iron gates and headed towards the porch of St. Peters.

Before either of them could react, the phantom then floated through the stout oak door into the pouch and disappeared! A former organist at the church heard the tale - which spread through Hereford quicker than the ghost passed through the church door- and mentioned it to his father.

“You know, it’s strange", said the elderly gentleman. “I’ve always felt there was something eerie about that church, particularly in December - I don't know why. You know, I've seen the ghost of St. Peter's myself.”

The man went on to explain to his son that, on several occasions, he’d witnessed the cowled phantom pass through the closed church doors himself. Once, whilst inside the church, the man had watched incredulously as the cowled figure walked up the aisle and, just before reaching the pulpit, seemed to “fall through the floor".

As word spread about the policemen's sighting, some locals suggested possible explanations. One ventured that it was the ghost of a monk who, centuries earlier, had been murdered at the altar by a “rampaging Welshmen". Another said it was probably the ghost of Walter de Lacy, who had fallen from the church tower in the thirteenth century. Ironically, it was de Lacy who had funded the building of the tower for the local monks.

Things then went quiet until 1934, when the ghost suddenly started to appear again. Numerous locals claimed to have spotted the hooded figure, normally in the early hours of the morning just around dawn.

Groups of locals started to hold vigils on the green outside of the church in the hope of catching a glimpse of the phantom. On one occasion over 200 people gathered in eager anticipation. Alas, other, more cynical souls complained about the noise. In response, the cathedral authorities declared that a practical joker had been responsible and asked the would-be ghost-hunters to desist. They did - after a while. But the ghost didn’t go away completely. Many years later he was still being seen, complete with cloak and hood.

Who the phantom was we may never know, but with so many witnesses it’s difficult to conclude that they were all imagining things.

From time to time reports still come in of the cowled ghost of Hereford, although the appearance of curious crowds on the nearby green has tailed off.

By all accounts the phantom never harmed anyone; he’d simply drift through the gate, up the path and float through the closed doors like any half-decent spectre would. Perhaps he was walking a well-trodden route that he once took when he was alive, who knows."

SOURCE - 'Christmas Ghost Stories' Michael J. Hallowell
ISBN 9781445611396

Public access?: No restrictions Website about the location and/or story: [Web Link] Visting hours: Not listed

Visit Instructions:

• Please submit a photo(s) taken by you of your visit to the location (non-copyrighted photos only). GPS photos are also accepted with the location in the background, and old vacation photos are accepted. Photos you took of paranormal activity are great. If you are not able to provide a photo, then please describe your visit or give a story about the visit
• Tell your story if you saw, felt, or smelled anything unusual. Post pictures of what you saw.
• Add any information you may have about the location. If your information is important about the location, please contact the waymark owner to see if it can be added to the description.
• Be careful and do not enter areas which are off limits or look dangerous. No waymark is worth harm. Use your 6th sense, because sometimes there are unseen things which are telling you to stay out.
• Use care when using your camera flash so you do not disrupt any possible nearby residents. Time lapse can be the best tool on your camera in many circumstances.

 

Recent Visits/Logs:

There are no logs for this waymark yet.