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Britain
in the 1870's - Thomas Hardy was busy penning another classic,
Alexander Graham Bell was about to dial up his first call, and a
bizarre religious sect was setting up camp in the New Forest.
The
sect was led by Mary Ann Girling - a self-proclaimed prophet and
religious leader who, because of her public shows of religious fervour
soon attracted the attention of the national media.
"They
were a sensation", said Philip Hoare - author of England's
Lost England - a book about Girling and her mission. "They
were on the front page of every newspaper for a whole year.... the
Victorians loved a story like that."
Originally
from Suffolk, Girling was married at 16, and seemed to have a fairly
routine life until a momentous event appeared to change her life
for ever.
"On
Christmas Day in 1858 Christ appeared to her in her bedroomin Ipswich",
said Philip. "She
believed she had been given this mission to lead The Children of
God - as she called her sect - to the Promised Land which turned
out to be the New Forest."
Girling
abandoned her Suffolk home and
set up camp in Hordle - at the time a tiny New Forest village with
a population of no more that of 300.
"Just
imagine 164 shaking, dancing, religious nutters arrive on your
doorstep", said Philip. "The effect must have been extraordinary.
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| Author
Philip Hoare |
"No
one could believe the fact that sane people believed what Mary
Ann Girling was saying - which was that the second coming was
imminent and that anyone who believed in her would live for ever."
Accused
of witchcraft and hypnotising her followers, Girling's unauthordox
message
attracted support from all walks of life - perhaps most memorably
from local judge Andrew Thomas Turton Peterson.
His
fascination with the Victorian new age inspired him - albeit in
a rather eccentric way - to build a lasting monument.
"He
was inspired by Mary Ann Girding to get into mesmerism and spiritualism",
said Philip. "During
a seance the spirit of Sir Christopher Wren gave him the plans
of this building - and he built it!"
The
tower near Sway - commonly known as Peterson's Tower - still stands
as a monument to the short but remarkable residence of the New
Forest Shakers and their charismatic leader.
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An
Evening with Philip Hoare
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