Hartley Mauditt is a haunted village in Hampshire with tales of haunted carriages, haunted choirs and a mysterious, spooky past, writes JOHN S TANTALON
While I was researching my third book ‘The haunted realms of Surrey and Hampshire‘I was informed of an interesting place to visit. My good friend Dan Hill had recently attended an investigation into what he best described as ‘A Ghost Town’. Having already visited some incredible locations with Dan, the sound of this forgotten location intrigued me.
We had previously visited the charming village of Bramshott. The village of Bramshott in Hampshire is said to be home to 27 different ghosts. This figure alone can explain an astonishing amount of supposed paranormal activity. The small village is exactly this ‘A Small Village’. But given the connections I would discover, it should come as no surprise that Bramshott rightly deserves the title of ‘The Most Haunted Village in England’.
At the end of a long and winding path lies the beginning of the village. The view offers a grand display of many of its beautiful features.
Between Tunbridge Lane and Church Lane stands a house with an impressive history. The attractive cottage that stands on the corner was the former residence of a certain William Henry Pratt. For those interested in cinema and especially black and white era classics, the previous resident is better known as Boris Karloff.
Karloff and Ghosts in Bramshott
The legendary actor and star of many of the classic Universal horror films moved to Bramshott in 1967. The star of the famous Frankenstein films would only take a few more pictures during his time in the village, including the brilliant Targets in 1968.
Karloff is said to have bought the house because of its location in such a haunted village. He would report to established author Peter Underwood that a tall figure is haunting the house. Although Boris Karloff himself never witnessed the ghost, it is reported that he haunts the building today. There is an interesting sculpture on the back wall of the house. The white bust stands on adjacent Church Lane and resembles the late actor. It’s almost as if he never left his last home.
The village of Hartley Mauditt is located a mile south of neighboring East Worldham and two and a half miles south east of Alton. The attractive village of Hampshire is situated in pleasant and peaceful surroundings. The only dividing factor here is that Hartley Mauditt sits completely abandoned and has done so for hundreds of years.
A drive through nearby Selborne leads to a stretch of narrow, winding country lanes. When entering an open space, the village presents itself. All that remains of the once great location is a small church and a pond.
Hartley Mauditt’s Church
The church was built between 1150 and 1200 and had a fascinating history. There are a series of memorials on display within the Stuart family, whose country house stood next to the church before it was demolished. According to local tradition, the landlord, Nicholas Stuart, defended the house during the English Civil War.
Roundheads, who were fighting a pack of Roundheads around the nearby town of Alton, came and destroyed it. Whether this is true or not, after the restoration of Charles II as monarch, Nicholas Stuart received his lands back and became Hartley Mauditt’s first baronet. There is evidence that the story is true, and because of his loyalty, the king gave him his land back. He returned and rebuilt the house.
The Stuarts continued to own the property for generations until it passed into the hands of the Stawell family. Another local story tells us of Lord Stawell, who loved city life, but his country-loving wife preferred to live in the country, near Hartley Mauditt. In anger, it is said, he demolished the house to prevent her from living there.
Whatever the case, the stairs found their way to Alton Town Hall, floor tiles ended up in the floors of Colmore Rectory, and it is thought that the round tower, attached to a nearby cottage, was also once part of this ancient building . There are still remains of the cellars, wooded, and stories of a passage connecting the house to Selborne Priory. Many local stories are rich in ghost stories.
The name of the settlement’s origin is disputed. The family that initially held title to the land was considered French and was called ‘Maldnott’. The village near the church was deserted for a long time. The outline of buildings can be seen at certain times of the year. A large village pond remains to remind us that the truth about the church and the land surrounding it remains a mystery.
The village exudes a pleasant atmosphere even on the darkest days. The still waters of the pond rest peacefully as the distant sound of birds echoes across the Hampshire countryside. When night comes in Hartley Mauditt, so do the ghosts.
Over the years, witnesses have claimed to have seen a surprising sight. The ghostly appearance of a ghost horse and carriage has been recorded several times. The ghost is seen traveling at insane speed up the driveway to the former location of the mansion, before bypassing the pond and then disappearing from view.
Visitors have also reported the sound of enchanting singing emanating from the church boundaries. The sounds of a choir singing day and night have been reported. Occasionally, the sound of a full complement of singers has startled those passing through the area, only to be met with silence upon entering the long-abandoned church.
Whether the bizarre sights and sounds are related to the Stawell family is unknown. The manor house, now long gone, and the once active community of Hartley Mauditt now exist purely as a ghost village. Another echo of the haunted realms of Hampshire.
Have you seen a ghost at Hartley Mauditt in Hampshire? Tell us about it in the comments below!
The Haunted Realms of Surrey and Hampshire is available from Amazon.
