The Hidden Box

"In 1780 a Methodist preacher by the name of Mr John Hampson relayed a story to a Mr Wright, whose grandson recorded the tale in his autobiography.

Mr Hampson had recently returned from a visit to Wales and had heard the locals in one area talk of a ghost that had appeared to a local woman. As the lady was herself a Methodist, Mr Hampson sought her out to hear the tale for himself.

The lady was unmarried and at the time of the incident had been fairly poor and had gone from house to house enquiring about any yarns that needed spinning. In return for her work she was usually given a little money or food and lodgings if she had travelled too far from home.

One day she called at Powis Castle in search of work. The Earl and his family were staying at their London residence and the steward and his wife who were left in charge gave the old lady a fair bit of work to do.

As the work was probably going to take more than a day, they insisted that she spend the night at the castle. As night-time drew near two or three servants each with a candle led her to her room for the night.

When they had showed her into the room and left the old lady looked around in great surprise. The room was wonderfully furnished and a fire was roaring in the grate, she wondered at such a lowly person as herself being given such grand quarters and the luxury of a splendid fire and candles. She settled herself and took out her bible to read a chapter before bed.

After a while, the door opened and she turned to see the figure of a gentleman wearing a gold laced hat, waistcoat and matching apparel. He walked over to the window and rested his elbow on the sill and his hand under his chin as if deep in thought. After quite a long interval he finally left the room.

The old lady began to feel alarmed as she realised that the gentleman had been a ghost. She soon came to the conclusion that this was the reason she had been given this fine room to sleep in and she was correct.

The room had been disturbed for a long time so that nobody could sleep peacefully in it. As the lady was known to be of good character and sensible, they put her in the room to see what would occur if she saw the spirit.

Whilst she was praying, the gentleman appeared to her again and although scared she summoned up the courage to speak to him, "Pray Sir, who are you and what do you want?". He replied "Take up the candle and follow me, and I will show you".

He led her down a long panelled corridor until they came to a door that he opened and then walked into a small room. He instructed the old lady to walk in as well reassuring her that he meant her no harm. She followed him in and he spoke saying, "Now observe what I do".

He stooped and tore up one of the floorboards and showed her a box that had been hidden underneath. He then showed her a crevice in the wall where he said the key was hidden.

He asked the old lady, "to see that the key and box was sent to the Earl in London", adding that if this was done he would trouble the household no more. He then walked from the room and disappeared.

After the old lady had got over some of the shock, she ran down the corridor shouting for the steward and his wife who soon came to see if she was all right. She relayed what had happened to her and showed the box and key to them.

The steward was very wary but his wife and the servants heaved the box out from the floor and had it put in a safe room. The old lady then was escorted back to her room and managed to get a good nights sleep after her ordeal.

The steward sent the box and key to London the next day. When the Earl received the items he was overjoyed and left instructions for the old lady to be well provided for for the rest of her days. These orders were carried out and the lady spent the remainder of her life in comfort.

Here are some ghost sightings and strange occurrences that have happened more recently and have been reported by visitors, staff and volunteers."

By Margaret Gary, House Manager at Powis Castle

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