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Post by dem bones on Jul 2, 2021 11:51:03 GMT
Phantom Cavaliers and Spectral Roundheads, they saved Cromwell's head, ghostly battle reenactment, contemporary witch persecution, etc. Have listed some short fiction to get ball rolling, but novels, true/'true' ghost stories equally welcome.  Boris Dolgov: ( Another Grey Ghost Book, 1914). A. M. Burrage - The Green Scarf: ( The London Magazine, Aug. 1926: Bryan A. Netherwood [ed.], Medley Macabre, 1966). Manly Wade Wellman - The Liers In Wait: ( Weird Tales, Nov. 1941: Peter Haining (ed.) - The Black Magic Omnibus, 1977) Ann Pilling - Gibson's: (Mary Danby [ed], Armada Ghost Book 14, 1982) Patricia Moynehan - The Old Rectory Well: (R. Chetwynd-Hayes [ed], 18th Fontana Book of Great Ghost Stories, 1982) John Whitbourn - No Truce With Kings: ( Biscombe Tales, 1989). Paul Finch - The Merry Makers: ( The Christmas You Deserve, 2020). |
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Post by cauldronbrewer on Jul 2, 2021 12:40:03 GMT
Phantom Cavaliers and Spectral Roundheads, they saved Cromwell's head, ghostly battle reenactment, contemporary witch persecution, etc. Have listed some short fiction to get ball rolling, but novels, true/'true' ghost stories equally welcome. I liked The Hole of the Pit, a novella by Adrian Ross that Ramsey Campbell revived in Uncanny Banquet. |
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Post by šrincess šµuvstarr on Jul 2, 2021 13:02:08 GMT
This doesn't use ghosts from that time as such, but is linked to it in period.
Sir Walter Scott's novel Woodstock, set during the English Civil War, uses the supposed hauntings of the royal palace at Woodstock as a plot device.
As they entered the Park, the Colonel asked his companions, "What is this you say of apparitions being seen amongst them?"
" Why, Colonel," said the clergyman, "you know yourself that Woodstock was always haunted?"
" I have lived therein many a day," said the Colonel; "and I know that I never saw the least sign of it, although idle people spoke of the house as they do of all old mansions, and gave the apartments ghosts and spectres to fill up the places of as many of the deceased great, as had ever dwelt there."
" Nay, but, good Colonel," said the clergyman, "I trust you have not reached the prevailing sin of the times, and become indifferent to the testimony in favour of apparitions, which appears so conclusive to all but atheists and advocates for witches?''
"I would not absolutely disbelieve what is so generally affirmed," said the Colonel; "but my reason leads me to doubt most of the stories which I have heard of this sort, and my own experience never went to confirm any of them."
"Ay, but trust me," said Holdenough, " there was always a demon of one or the other species about this Woodstock. Not a man or woman in the town but has heard stories of apparitions in the forest, or about the old castle. Sometimes it is a pack of hounds that sweep along, and the whoops and hollows of the huntsmen, and the winding of horns and the galloping of horse, which is heard as if first more distant, and then close around you ā and then anon it is a solitary huntsman, who asks if you can tell him which way the stag has gone. He is always dressed in green; but the fashion of his clothes is some five hundred years old. This is what we call Demon Meridianum ā the noonday spectre."
This sounds like the legend of Herne the Hunter doesn't it. I'm reminded that he appears in Harrison Ainsworth's novel Windsor Castle.
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Post by šrincess šµuvstarr on Jul 2, 2021 13:10:25 GMT
Herne described in Ainsworth's Windsor Castle.
After awhile, they arrived at a hill side, at the foot of which lay the lake, whose darkling waters were just distinguishable through an opening in the trees. As the duke was debating with himself whether to go on, or retrace his course, the trampling of a horse was heard behind them, and looking in the direction of the sound, they beheld Herne the hunter, mounted on his swarthy steed, and accompanied only by his two black hounds, galloping furiously down the declivity. Before him flew the owl, whooping as it sailed along the air.
The demon hunter was so close to them, that they could perfectly discern his horrible lineaments, the chain depending from his neck, and his antlered helm. Richmond shouted to him, but the rider continued his headlong course towards the lake, heedless of the call.
The two beholders rushed forward, but by this time the huntsman had gained the edge of the lake. One of his sable hounds plunged into it, and the owl skimmed over its surface. Even in the hasty view which the duke caught of the flying figure, he fancied he perceived that it was attended by a fantastic shadow, whether cast by itself, or arising from some supernatural cause, he could not determine.
But what followed was equally marvellous and incomprehensible. As the wild huntsman reached the brink of the lake, he placed a horn to his mouth, and blew from it a bright blue flame, which illumined his own dusky and hideous features, and shed a wild and unearthly glimmer over the surrounding objects.
While enveloped in this flame, the demon plunged into the lake, and apparently descended to its abysses, for as soon as the duke could muster courage to approach its brink, nothing could be seen of him, his steed, or his hounds.
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Post by andydecker on Jul 2, 2021 13:37:43 GMT
This one sounds great! I hope I have one or two unread tales somewhere buried on the shelf.
Just this week I discovered a British Civil War docu on Youtube, after bingewatching The Great War Week by Week with Indy Neidell. The former is a bit costume and fog in the morning heavy and a bit weak on background facts, but the later is so unbelievable good and addictive. Pity I didn't discover this earlier.
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Post by šrincess šµuvstarr on Jul 2, 2021 14:02:54 GMT
How about some music to go along with it. Composer came to a sad end. Shot dead at The Battle of Rowton Heath.   |
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Post by ropardoe on Jul 3, 2021 9:21:58 GMT
I donāt think anyone yet has mentioned Clive (C.E.) Wardās stories revolving around ghosts from this period. Clive is something of a Civil War expert (and an ex member of the Sealed Knot), so his historical background is always dead on. Iāll suggest a couple to start with, once I've got my head in gear (if that ever happens!).
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Post by ropardoe on Jul 3, 2021 9:43:50 GMT
Here are three, anyway:
āThe Particularā, Ghosts & Scholars 32 (reprinted in The Ghosts & Scholars Book of Mazes)
āOld Martinā (G&S 22)
āAutumn Harvestā (G&S 34)
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Post by dem bones on Jul 3, 2021 10:41:49 GMT
Thank you, Ro! This is proving tougher than anticipated. Unsurprising really, much of the horror fiction set during the Civil War concerns the exploits of Matthew Hopkins and his tribute acts. Frederick Cowles - The Witch Finder: ( The Night Wind Howls, 1938: Michel Parry [ed.], 2nd Mayflower Book of Black Magic Stories, 1976). Disciple of Hopkins receives supernaturally-enabled just desserts. J. C. Moore - Proof: (Don Congdon [ed.], Stories for the Dead of Night, 1957). Hopkins at his despicable worst. Randomly selected covers of James Darke's Witches series (no, they really are). The Battlefields of Edge Hill, Marston Moor and Naseby are - or were - famously haunted, several persons claiming to have witnessed spectral reenactments of the bloody conflict. |
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Post by šrincess šµuvstarr on Jul 3, 2021 13:05:22 GMT
Randomly selected covers of James Darke's Witches series (no, they really are). I'm afraid you have form on this. And although it is possible that 90% of all book covers in the '70s had scantily clad women on the covers, often in distress ( after all the '70s gave us the beyond awful British sex comedy, with the romance of amorous milkmen and window cleaners, and a terrible series called On the Buses, where some of the most unattractive men in human history lust after dolly birds, as they were called, and actually use their buses for dates) I find it highly unlikely. What is much more likely is the following, that you are in fact: A Beast! A veritable Beast! |
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Post by ropardoe on Jul 3, 2021 13:40:19 GMT
Told you my brain wasnāt in gear yet - and probably wonāt be today. If it had been, I'd have remembered that one of my own, Jane Bradshaw, stories is based around a Civil War artefact (a genuine one incidentally): the title is "Hold Fastā.
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Post by dem bones on Jul 3, 2021 14:04:56 GMT
Told you my brain wasnāt in gear yet - and probably wonāt be today. If it had been, I'd have remembered that one of my own, Jane Bradshaw, stories is based around a Civil War artefact (a genuine one incidentally): the title is "Hold Fastā. Thank you. Ro. I really should have got that one. |
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Post by dem bones on Jul 3, 2021 14:08:18 GMT
.... and a terrible series called On the Buses Do .... Do my eyes deceive me? " Terrible"? *faints* |
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Post by šrincess šµuvstarr on Jul 3, 2021 14:14:34 GMT
Told you my brain wasnāt in gear yet - and probably wonāt be today. If it had been, I'd have remembered that one of my own, Jane Bradshaw, stories is based around a Civil War artefact (a genuine one incidentally): the title is "Hold Fastā. What is the artefact? |
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Post by šrincess šµuvstarr on Jul 3, 2021 14:35:47 GMT
.... and a terrible series called OmniOn the Buses Do .... Do my eyes deceive me? " Terrible"? *faints* It's set during the Marxist '70s. When not on strike they use the council (I assume, as authorities controlled almost everything) buses to pick up "birds". A man who resembles Adolf Hitler rages at the two awful men who play the leads a lot. Their is a disgusting works canteen where they go to prey on women, and they lust after female "clippies". In the film the child is always on the potty. Even during meals. Please share is you ever used council bus/van/car/motorbike/refuse truck to pick up dolly birds around this time. Thank you. |
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