The Voices of Hinton Ampner
In a Hampshire manor house, a family heard footsteps, rustling silk, groans and voices arguing in empty rooms, until they could stand it no longer.
What was reported
In the 1760s, Mary Ricketts, the wife of a wealthy planter, lived at the old manor house of Hinton Ampner in Hampshire. She and her servants reported doors slamming at night, footsteps, the rustle of silk dresses, groans, and voices, including a woman's and two men's, apparently arguing, in rooms where no one was.
She kept a careful written record of what happened. In 1771, after years of disturbance, the family left the house. It was pulled down in the 1790s, and a new house was built nearby.
Explanations offered
Sceptics have suggested pranks by servants or neighbours, rats, or the sounds of an old house. Mary Ricketts's account is considered one of the best-documented early reports of its kind, because she wrote it at the time and was regarded as a reliable witness. The estate is now cared for by the National Trust.
- When
- 1765–1771
- Where
- Hinton Ampner, Hampshire, England, UK
- Witnesses
- Mary Ricketts, her family and servants
- Status
- Unexplained
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.
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