Minsden Chapel
Encyclopedia
Minsden Chapel is an isolated ruined chapel
in the fields above the hamlet of Chapelfoot, near Preston
, Hertfordshire
. Today it is a roofless shell, partly surrounded by a small wood, and accessible only by footpath.
It was built in the 14th century, and by the 17th century had
fallen into disrepair. Marriages continued here into the 18th century, until the crumbling masonry became too dangerous.
One story says that a piece of falling stonework knocked the prayer-book out of a curate
's hand during the marriage ceremony of Enoch West and Mary Horn in 1738.
In the 20th century the chapel was closely associated with the historian Reginald L Hine from nearby Hitchin
. He frequently visited here, and eventually obtained a lifetime lease of the building from the vicars of Hitchin. So fond of the chapel was he, that he even bid "trespassers and sacrilegious persons take warning, for I will proceed against them with the utmost rigour of the law, and, after my death and burial, I will endeavour, in all ghostly ways, to protect and haunt its hallowed walls". Contrary to popular belief Hine is not buried at Minsden. His body was cremated at Golders Green
(London) and his ashes were subsequently scattered at the chapel. His family erected a memorial stone at the site, which was subsequently re-laid in its current grave-like horizontal position by them after it was damaged by vandals in the early 1980s.
In 1907, T.W. Latchmore, a local professional photographer and friend of Hine, took a photograph of a ghost
ly monk at the Chapel.
Rumours of paranormal activity first appeared around this time.
The haunting most frequently reported is that of a single monk climbing stairs (which no longer exist) to the north-east area of the chapel; this is said to occur at midnight on Halloween
.
Other reported experiences include the sighting of a glowing cross on the wall, and the hearing of distant music or the ringing of the stolen bells. Legends also exist of a lost tunnel and of a murdered nun.
Despite the many reports, very little evidence exists to support the validity of any of these stories.
In an interview given in 1930 to Eugene O'Donnell, a well-known contemporary writer on occult matters, Latchmore finally admitted that his 'Minsden Ghost' photograph was a hoax. He explained that the picture was the deliberate result of an experiment in the techniques of double exposures
, a subject that interested him greatly at the time. Although Latchmore refused to disclose the identity of the individual who had posed as the ghostly figure, it seems likely that it was a young man well known for practical jokes, Latchmore's good friend Reggie Hine. Hine re-published the photograph in 1929 in his History of Hitchin but never admitted it was a fake nor his own part in it.
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
in the fields above the hamlet of Chapelfoot, near Preston
Preston, Hertfordshire
Preston is a village and civil parish about south of Hitchin in Hertfordshire, England.The village grew up around the Templar holdings at Temple Dinsley, and Princess Helena College is now on the site...
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
. Today it is a roofless shell, partly surrounded by a small wood, and accessible only by footpath.
It was built in the 14th century, and by the 17th century had
fallen into disrepair. Marriages continued here into the 18th century, until the crumbling masonry became too dangerous.
One story says that a piece of falling stonework knocked the prayer-book out of a curate
Curate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
's hand during the marriage ceremony of Enoch West and Mary Horn in 1738.
In the 20th century the chapel was closely associated with the historian Reginald L Hine from nearby Hitchin
Hitchin
Hitchin is a town in Hertfordshire, England, with an estimated population of 30,360.-History:Hitchin is first noted as the central place of the Hicce people mentioned in a 7th century document, the Tribal Hidage. The tribal name is Brittonic rather than Old English and derives from *siccā, meaning...
. He frequently visited here, and eventually obtained a lifetime lease of the building from the vicars of Hitchin. So fond of the chapel was he, that he even bid "trespassers and sacrilegious persons take warning, for I will proceed against them with the utmost rigour of the law, and, after my death and burial, I will endeavour, in all ghostly ways, to protect and haunt its hallowed walls". Contrary to popular belief Hine is not buried at Minsden. His body was cremated at Golders Green
Golders Green Crematorium
Golders Green Crematorium and Mausoleum was the first crematorium to be opened in London, and one of the oldest crematoria in Britain. The land for the crematorium was purchased in 1900, costing £6,000, and was opened in 1902 by Sir Henry Thompson....
(London) and his ashes were subsequently scattered at the chapel. His family erected a memorial stone at the site, which was subsequently re-laid in its current grave-like horizontal position by them after it was damaged by vandals in the early 1980s.
In 1907, T.W. Latchmore, a local professional photographer and friend of Hine, took a photograph of a ghost
Ghost
In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to...
ly monk at the Chapel.
Rumours of paranormal activity first appeared around this time.
The haunting most frequently reported is that of a single monk climbing stairs (which no longer exist) to the north-east area of the chapel; this is said to occur at midnight on 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...
.
Other reported experiences include the sighting of a glowing cross on the wall, and the hearing of distant music or the ringing of the stolen bells. Legends also exist of a lost tunnel and of a murdered nun.
Despite the many reports, very little evidence exists to support the validity of any of these stories.
In an interview given in 1930 to Eugene O'Donnell, a well-known contemporary writer on occult matters, Latchmore finally admitted that his 'Minsden Ghost' photograph was a hoax. He explained that the picture was the deliberate result of an experiment in the techniques of double exposures
Multiple exposure
In photography, a multiple exposure is the superimposition of two or more individual exposures to create a single photograph. The exposure values may or may not be identical to each other.-Overview:...
, a subject that interested him greatly at the time. Although Latchmore refused to disclose the identity of the individual who had posed as the ghostly figure, it seems likely that it was a young man well known for practical jokes, Latchmore's good friend Reggie Hine. Hine re-published the photograph in 1929 in his History of Hitchin but never admitted it was a fake nor his own part in it.