Old Rectory, Epworth facts for kids
The Old Rectory in Epworth, Lincolnshire, is a special old house. It was rebuilt in 1709 in a style called Queen Anne. This means it has a classic English look from that time. Today, it's owned by the Methodist Church of Great Britain. They have turned it into a museum for everyone to visit.
This house was once home to the Reverend Samuel Wesley, who was the local church leader, or rector. He lived here from 1697 to 1735 with his wife, Susanna Wesley, and their 19 children! One of their children, John Wesley, grew up to become a very important person. He helped start a Christian movement called Methodism.
A big fire burned down the original wooden rectory on February 9, 1709. The Wesley family was living there at the time. Luckily, they rebuilt it using strong bricks. The Old Rectory is now a Grade I listed building. This means it's a very important historical building that must be protected.
In 1954, the Church of England sold the rectory to the British Methodist Church. They got help from the World Methodist Council to buy it. The building was carefully restored by Thomas Rayson. Some parts of the outside were changed back to how they looked when the Wesleys lived there. A group of trustees now manages the Old Rectory.
The Mystery of Old Jeffrey
The Epworth Rectory is also famous for some strange events. People say a poltergeist haunted the house in 1716. A poltergeist is a spirit that is said to make loud noises and move things around. These events are sometimes called the "Wesley poltergeist" or the "Epworth Rectory haunting."
From December 1716 to January 1717, the family reported many loud noises. They heard knocking sounds and footsteps. John Wesley's sister, Hetty, even gave the spirit a nickname: "Old Jeffrey."
Mrs. Wesley described a time on Christmas Day 1716. She said, "there was such a noise in the room over our heads, as if several people were walking, then running up and down stairs." She thought the children would be scared. She and her husband searched the house, but found no one. "Old Jeffrey" supposedly kept making noises. He even blew an "invisible horn" very loudly. Just as suddenly as he appeared, "Old Jeffrey" was said to disappear in January 1717.
Some people have tried to explain these strange events. Addington Bruce, who wrote about these things in 1908, looked at the oldest records. He found that early reports described only small noises. These included creaking, knocks, footsteps, or groans. Bruce thought that people's memories might have made the stories bigger over time. He even suggested that Hetty might have made some of the noises herself.
Later, in 1965, Trevor H. Hall wrote a book called New Light on Old Ghosts. He also offered natural explanations for what happened at the Rectory. This means that the strange events might have had simple, non-supernatural causes.
