Oxford's Haunted Streets

Speaker A: Hi, everyone. Welcome back to another episode of haunted history chronicles. I'm very lucky that where I live in Oxford that I'm surrounded by locations with the rich tapestry of history and folklore woven into its streets, ruins and architecture. In the play Hamlet, Hamlet said to Horatio, there are many things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in your philosophy. This quote is a wonderful quote to live by, to question, explore, look beyond what you can see for a deeper connection and understanding. What better way to start exploring the question of what may happen after death than by exploring some of the history, locations, legends and folk stories of your local community. You may just be surprised at some of what you uncover along the way. And if you can watch and listen, you may be surprised at what speaks back. In today's episode, you will have the opportunity to explore and wander some of Oxford streets and stories with me to uncover what may be hidden in some of the shadows. The library of st. John's college in Oxford is home to more than just collections of books. It is here that the headless spirit of archbishop William lord has often been seen by students immersed in study. Lord was born in reading in 1573 and would go on in 1589 to matriculate from st. John's college, where he would shortly after become a fellow. Lord quickly ascended to positions of influence under king Charles I. At the age of almost 60, he would finally ascend to the position of archbishop and at this point in his life was no longer willing to compromise on his policies, namely to bring uniformity to the church of England. Lord was a determined and headstrong man, something that would earn him many enemies. In 1640, parliament would accuse him of treason and called for his imprisonment in the tower of London at the age of 68. At the time, and with little actual evidence of treason having been committed, most members of parliament would have preferred him to succumb and die to old age. In 1644, he would be brought to trial, which ended with no verdict, as it proved impossible to point to any specific action. Seen as treasonable, lord should have been a free man. Parliament, however, disagreed and would pass a bill of attainder, which was an active legislature declaring that a person or persons could be found guilty of a crime, punished, often without trial or without a trial guilty verdict. Parliament's actions nullified lord's civil rights and as a result he was taken to tower hill on 10 January 1645 and beheaded. His body would be transported to the chapel of st. John's college, Oxford, his alma mater. And so it is that archbishop William lord is often seen displaced and wandering the quiet, peaceful library, carrying a candle in his hand and kicking his head along the floor. The lack of a head is a strong trend amongst spirits, as are ghosts from particular periods in history. There are many theories about this, some of which may prove to be a useful topic of conversation in a future podcast. In essence, though, you had a period of time when fear of death and what would come after was a concern. Fears driven by religion meant that people believed that your material resurrection on the Day of Judgment was dependent upon your body being whole and intact. Without this, you would be damned to an eternity in hell. It's plausible to believe that many in this position, fearing what may come after death, would choose to remain on earth, frightened and tormented by those ideas of where their soul could end up. Further theories for this might be to do with executions of the day, which were designed by the Church to deny souls to heaven. The process of hanging, drawing and quartering for treason is a perfect example of this, with the person being dragged unnaturally backwards to their execution because treason was unnatural and heinous. From there, they were hung between heaven and earth, not fit to inhabit either near death, they would be removed from their noose and disemboweled the removal of their guts and organs. A physical way of removing their inner treachery, severing their head. Next was to remove the source of those treacherous thoughts from the body. In a final act, the body would be courted with the head and each part sent to different parts of the town or country so as to prevent those parts coming together and therefore denying that person entry into heaven. In 1649, just four years after Lord was beheaded, king Charles I was found guilty of treason and also beheaded. Now, Charles was God's appointed King, a son of kings, that was the belief. Whilst many wanted his death in life, as God's appointed figure, they feared for his soul in the afterlife. So in an act unheard of, his head was stitched back to his body, so his material resurrection was guaranteed. Wandering souls of executed people are common. Lord is just one of many, and Oxford has other similar stories. A man called Napier, for example, was punished for his crime by being cut up into pieces and scattered around the perimeter of the city. According to legend, his spirit managed to put himself back together, but he was unable to find his head. Now, he supposedly endures riding up and down the Banbury Road in eternity trying to search for it. Colleges across Oxfordshire have their own stories to share, similar to that of Lord. In fact, the library of Merton College is also resident to a ghostly figure in here. The spirit of Colonel Francis Winderbank, a man believed to have been shot in 1645 after surrendering to Oliver Cromwell, is seen walking on his knees across the library floor. It is in fact more likely, given that the original flooring was lower than it is now, and that what he is actually walking on is not the raised floor of present. One of my favorite ghostly walks and tales is one slightly closer to home for me and is possibly the most tragic tale of an Oxford ghost. The story of Rosamond de Clifford, or Fair Rosamond as she was often known, is shrouded in legend after Eleanor of Aquitain. She is the woman most associated with King Henry II, the King of England. Henry was never a faithful husband and his relationship with his wife soured considerably in the 1170s. In fact, in 1174, he would condemn her to 15 years imprisonment. In the same year. Henry's relationship with Rosamond became common knowledge. Rosamond resided at the Royal Palace of Woodstock, which had been extensively refurbished. It was said that Henry had made a labyrinth made of Daedalian design, and in this labyrinth was a secret bower where Henry and Rosamond would meet, and a well where Rosamond would bathe. Rosamond's well can still be seen in the grounds of Blenheim Palace, which now stands where Woodstock Palace once stood. The story may seem like a love story, but we know very little as to Rosamond's actual feelings, or if indeed she wanted to be in the position of King's mistress. She was lambasted by the chroniclers of the time, painted as the Fallen woman, seductress and adulterous. Her name. Rosamond became Rosa imunda the unclean rose or Rosa imundai the unchaste rose. Her portrayal was a sign of the times and her early death further indication that she was being punished for her lascivious lifestyle. After her death, Henry would pay for a lavish burial tomb where daily floral tributes were left by nuns. Stories have been woven since of Eleanor's revenge, that it was she who found Rosamond whilst bathing and stabbed her, or came upon her in the secret bower by a way of a thread and gave her the choice of death by poisoned cup or blade. All of which makes for a good story, especially if you're walking the grounds where she once lived and stopping to take a look at where she bathed. Maybe though, if you're lucky when sitting for a drink at the nearby Trout Pub in Wolvercott, you will spy her shadowy figure late at night, often seen sneaking around the awnings. Thank you for taking this journey around some of the places I love. It's amazing the stories that can reside in the everyday places we often overlook, such as an overgrown and abandoned well.

Speaker B: All the corners of a quiet library.

Speaker A: I challenge you to look beyond the everyday that you see. Maybe there are more truths there, hidden and voices ready to be heard. Bye for now, everyone.

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