Borley
Encyclopedia
Borley is a village
and civil parish
in Essex
, England
. It is located on the River Stour
, approximately 3 km (1.9 mi) northwest of Sudbury, Suffolk
and is 39km (24 miles) north-northeast from the county town of Chelmsford
. The village is in the district of Braintree
and in the parliamentary constituency of Saffron Walden
. The parish is part of the Stour Valley South parish cluster. It consists of two hamlets, Borley around the church, and Borley Green, to the east. A smaller parish, Borley Parva, was joined with Foxearth in the Middle Ages. The name Borley is compounded of the Saxon words "Bap" and "Ley", that is "Boar's Pasture".
The church (dedication unknown) is a small building of stone originally in the Romanesque/Early English style of the late 12th and early 13th centuries. Later renovations have resulted in the mainly perpendicular style of the mid 14th to 16th centuries. The church as it now stands consists of chancel, nave, south porch and a crenellated western tower containing bells. The chancel contains a brass monument to John Durham of Norfolk (died 1601). Several tombs of the Waldegrave family are found within the structure, including a monument 14 feet high with a cornice supported by six pillars of the Corinthian order, beneath which lie full length figures of Sir Edward Waldegrave (knighted in 1553, at the coronation of Queen Mary, died in the Tower of London on 1st September 1561) and his wife Lady Frances Waldegrave née Neville (died 1599). Both tombs bear a marginal inscription in Latin and a record of other alliances of this family. The church contains memorials to two 19th century rectors - William Herringham and his son John Philip Herringham.
Borley is most famous for the survival of a document from 1308 listing the 'Extent' of the manor, listing the main occupants and the rental income.
Affair', involving the supposed haunting of a newer rectory (now demolished). Beginning in 1929, psychical researcher Harry Price
generated a story that captured the attention of the nation and convinced many of the proof of the permanence of the spirit after death. His supposed activities were reported widely by the press of that time, and Price published several popular books on the subject that brought him considerable fame. After Price's death, the story began to unravel under the scrutiny of experts from the Society for Psychical Research
. The Society went through the records with great tenacity, suspecting that Price had exaggerated evidence to sensationalise events and to suggest supernatural causes for mundane phenomena. Any possible evidence of ghosts was irredeemably contaminated by Price's behaviour and the manipulation of the facts in his two books, The Most Haunted House in England and The End of Borley Rectory, produced during and immediately after the Second World War
. A few reported phenomena were said to have existed before Price was called to the scene but most of these stories seem to have originated from one of the residents of the rectory, Ethel Bull. Most former residents of the rectory claimed never to have seen anything unusual whilst they lived there.
More recently, the first full-length independent biography of Harry Price appeared, Harry Price: The Psychic Detective by former national newspaper journalist Richard Morris
. Locally-based Morris unearthed a mass of previously-hidden information about Price which included the fact that he was a conman who left school at 16, and lived a double-life as a paper-bag salesman and as an expert on psychic matters rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous. Before settling on the subject of spiritualism, he had unsuccessfully attempted to pose as an archaeologist and as an expert on stamps. This has led all recent investigators of Borley Rectory to treat Harry Price's book with great caution.
The place still attracts 'psychic tourists' who believe that the ghost of a nun
will one day re-appear, and who occasionally desecrate the graveyard during Halloween
.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
and civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is located on the River Stour
River Stour, Suffolk
The River Stour is a river in East Anglia, England. It is 76 km long and forms most of the county boundary between Suffolk to the north, and Essex to the south. It rises in eastern Cambridgeshire, passes to the east of Haverhill, through Cavendish, Sudbury and the Dedham Vale, and joins the...
, approximately 3 km (1.9 mi) northwest of Sudbury, Suffolk
Sudbury, Suffolk
Sudbury is a small, ancient market town in the county of Suffolk, England, on the River Stour, from Colchester and from London.-Early history:...
and is 39km (24 miles) north-northeast from the county town of Chelmsford
Chelmsford
Chelmsford is the county town of Essex, England and the principal settlement of the borough of Chelmsford. It is located in the London commuter belt, approximately northeast of Charing Cross, London, and approximately the same distance from the once provincial Roman capital at Colchester...
. The village is in the district of Braintree
Braintree (district)
Braintree is a local government district in the English county of Essex. Its main town is Braintree.The main centres of population are Braintree, Witham and Halstead....
and in the parliamentary constituency of Saffron Walden
Saffron Walden (UK Parliament constituency)
Saffron Walden is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
. The parish is part of the Stour Valley South parish cluster. It consists of two hamlets, Borley around the church, and Borley Green, to the east. A smaller parish, Borley Parva, was joined with Foxearth in the Middle Ages. The name Borley is compounded of the Saxon words "Bap" and "Ley", that is "Boar's Pasture".
Landmarks
There are several old buildings including Borley Hall, the fragment of a once much larger house, and Borley Place, at one time the rectory.The church (dedication unknown) is a small building of stone originally in the Romanesque/Early English style of the late 12th and early 13th centuries. Later renovations have resulted in the mainly perpendicular style of the mid 14th to 16th centuries. The church as it now stands consists of chancel, nave, south porch and a crenellated western tower containing bells. The chancel contains a brass monument to John Durham of Norfolk (died 1601). Several tombs of the Waldegrave family are found within the structure, including a monument 14 feet high with a cornice supported by six pillars of the Corinthian order, beneath which lie full length figures of Sir Edward Waldegrave (knighted in 1553, at the coronation of Queen Mary, died in the Tower of London on 1st September 1561) and his wife Lady Frances Waldegrave née Neville (died 1599). Both tombs bear a marginal inscription in Latin and a record of other alliances of this family. The church contains memorials to two 19th century rectors - William Herringham and his son John Philip Herringham.
Borley is most famous for the survival of a document from 1308 listing the 'Extent' of the manor, listing the main occupants and the rental income.
Borley Rectory
Borley is notorious for the 'Borley RectoryBorley Rectory
Borley Rectory was a Victorian era mansion located in the village of Borley, Essex, England. It was constructed in 1863, on the site of a previous rectory, and destroyed by fire in 1939....
Affair', involving the supposed haunting of a newer rectory (now demolished). Beginning in 1929, psychical researcher Harry Price
Harry Price
Harry Price was a British psychic researcher and author.-Early life:Although Price claimed his birth was in Shropshire, he was actually born in London in Red Lion Square on the site of the South Place Ethical Society's Conway Hall. He was educated in New Cross, first at Waller Road Infants School...
generated a story that captured the attention of the nation and convinced many of the proof of the permanence of the spirit after death. His supposed activities were reported widely by the press of that time, and Price published several popular books on the subject that brought him considerable fame. After Price's death, the story began to unravel under the scrutiny of experts from the Society for Psychical Research
Society for Psychical Research
The Society for Psychical Research is a non-profit organisation in the United Kingdom. Its stated purpose is to understand "events and abilities commonly described as psychic or paranormal by promoting and supporting important research in this area" and to "examine allegedly paranormal phenomena...
. The Society went through the records with great tenacity, suspecting that Price had exaggerated evidence to sensationalise events and to suggest supernatural causes for mundane phenomena. Any possible evidence of ghosts was irredeemably contaminated by Price's behaviour and the manipulation of the facts in his two books, The Most Haunted House in England and The End of Borley Rectory, produced during and immediately after the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. A few reported phenomena were said to have existed before Price was called to the scene but most of these stories seem to have originated from one of the residents of the rectory, Ethel Bull. Most former residents of the rectory claimed never to have seen anything unusual whilst they lived there.
More recently, the first full-length independent biography of Harry Price appeared, Harry Price: The Psychic Detective by former national newspaper journalist Richard Morris
Richard Morris
Richard Morris may refer to:* Richard Morris * Richard Morris * Richard Morris Welsh international footballer who played for Plymouth Argyle...
. Locally-based Morris unearthed a mass of previously-hidden information about Price which included the fact that he was a conman who left school at 16, and lived a double-life as a paper-bag salesman and as an expert on psychic matters rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous. Before settling on the subject of spiritualism, he had unsuccessfully attempted to pose as an archaeologist and as an expert on stamps. This has led all recent investigators of Borley Rectory to treat Harry Price's book with great caution.
The place still attracts 'psychic tourists' who believe that the ghost of a nun
Nun
A nun is a woman who has taken vows committing her to live a spiritual life. She may be an ascetic who voluntarily chooses to leave mainstream society and live her life in prayer and contemplation in a monastery or convent...
will one day re-appear, and who occasionally desecrate the graveyard during Halloween
Halloween
Hallowe'en , also known as Halloween or All Hallows' Eve, is a yearly holiday observed around the world on October 31, the night before All Saints' Day...
.