GhostHidden
The Canvey Goblin
Five nights of rocking chairs and rustling, empty petticoats.
Stand where it happened
- What's there
- Dutch settler cottage museum as stand-in
- Legend from
- Queen Anne era
- Tone
- Eerie
Canvey Island, where in 1709 one Dutch household endured five nights of rocking chairs and rustling petticoats.
In 1709 a pamphlet told of the wonderful adventures of Mr Jan Smagge and his household on Canvey Island. Their house had belonged to an old couple who grew rich by fraud, and after the husband died a wandering spirit was seen. Tradition said it would be laid after twenty-one years. That time ran out in September 1709, and over five nights the house went wild. Doors opened and shut, chairs rocked, latches lifted, lights shone with no candle, and petticoats rustled with no woman nearby. The curate, Mr Lord, gathered neighbours to investigate, and the only ghost seen was a pale old man in a short grey coat.
One sourceOnly one written account of this legend has been found so far.