THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE - The Findon Huntsman's Ghost

THIS IS FINDON VILLAGE — these Findon Chronicles are created by Valerie Martin and contain scenes from her home village of Findon,
West Sussex, U.K. Everyday stories about real people.

THE FINDON HUNTSMAN'S GHOST

Huntsmans House early in the twentieth century.

Huntsman's House on the Long Furlong Road (A280) was built by William Richardson, the famous hunting squire and Lord of the Manor. This was sometime between 1803 and 1837, along with extensive hunting stables at the Manor of Findon. The property was later referred to by Nimrod, the famous 19th century sports writer in his "Hunting Tours" of 1835.

Long Furlong from Patching Hill by Maurice Braley

Game abounded in the parish in the 1800s and c. 1835 a pack of harriers was kept by William Westbrooke Richardson of the Manor of Findon at Huntsman's House. I have heard that these hounds were of the greyhound variety and their speciality was hunting hares.

The fearful din at feeding time at the kennels also echoed all over Findon. Just over the wall at the edge of the wood on the Long Furlong road, stood the hideous Gibbet. No Findon felons were ever hanged here though. This was a gruesome wooden structure on which the shocking sight of carcasses of old horses were strung whilst being skinned. The great slabs of grisly horseflesh were chopped up for hound meat and brought across the road to the kennels to the waiting inmates to devour.

click to enlarge

Huntsman's House and Long Furlong (A280) from the Findon Gallops in November 2005

In August 2003 I heard from the then owner of the property on the Long Furlong Road that many years ago (date unconfirmed but perhaps 1900s) the huntsman had entered the hound yard and was not wearing his customary coat for feeding the animals. He was torn to pieces. His macabre ghostly form is said to forever more inhabit the place where he met his untimely death. Another supernatural tale to be added to our list.

Continue to read about The Ghost of Grey Point in The Square, Findon

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This is Findon Village — www.findonvillage.com is a continually growing record created by Valerie Martin exclusively for documenting life in Findon and beyond.

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Do let me know of anything you hear about Findon - not too controversial. Please note that opinions expressed in the Findon Chronicles are not necessarily reflective of my own thoughts.... but sometimes they are!