If you are heading to the Malsters at Ranworth for the New Years Eve celebrations then keep a watchful eye on the surrounding marshes, for legend has it that a fearful apparition on horseback appears and gallops across the Broad on the evening of the 31st December every year! The tale of Colonel Thomas Sidney is just one of many ghostly offerings which were presented in the book “Ghosts of the Broads”, written by Dr Charles Sampson in the 1930s (since republished by Jarrolds). From lonely monks to Roman Soldiers, from ill-fated lovers to wicked wherryman, Dr Sampson claimed to have gathered the ghost stories over several years of research and told us that he had himself witnessed many of the alleged hauntings whilst sat atop his boat in the still of a Broadland night. Whether you are a believer of things that go bump in the night, or sceptical of all things supernatural, the book is quite an entertaining read when taken with a large pinch of salt!
Ranworth Old Hall - The remains of the 16th century manor house, photographed before demolition in the late 1980s. © Copyright Gareth Hughes (see below).
The New Years Eve story is set at the Old Hall, Ranworth and revolves around former resident, Colonel Thomas Sidney who was, Charles Sampson told us, a very cruel, drunken and lecherous philanderer. The lengths to which he would go to achieve his aims and get his own way knew no bounds ….. it was only a matter of time before his misdeeds caught up with him! On the 31st December 1770 a hunt was held at the hall, Colonel Sidney challenging one fellow rider to a race on the way home. The race was won by the Colonel, who ensured victory by shooting dead the horse of his rival as they galloped along – the poor rider was killed instantly, breaking his neck as he fell to the ground. The Colonel left him where he lay and headed back to the hall for the evening’s celebrations at the hunt ball. During the evening, a skeletal figure, dressed all in black burst in to the hall and dragged Colonel Sidney from his chair, leaving a trail of burning brimstone in his wake …. it was believed to be the devil himself! Once outside, the devil jumped onto a large, black, flaming hooved horse and, still clutching the screaming Colonel under his arm, galloped off down the drive and across the broad. This scene, we were told, had been replayed every New Years Eve since!
The photograph of Ranworth Old Hall above shows the 16th century manor house prior to demolition in the late 1980s – © Copyright Gareth Hughes and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence. You can see more of Gareth’s photographs of Ranworth Old Hall on this page of the www.geograph.org.uk website. Copies of Charles Sampson’s “Ghosts of the Broads” regularly crop up on Ebay or can be purchased through some online bookstores.
