Ghost
The Tedworth Drummer
Rat-a-tat, all night long.
Stand where it happened
- What's there
- Modern garrison town
- Legend from
- Glanvill, Saducismus Triumphatus
- Tone
- Eerie
They took his drum away. It kept on beating anyway.
In March 1661 John Mompesson of Tedworth heard a drum in Ludgershall and found a vagrant drummer, William Drury, begging with a dubious pass. Mompesson had the drum taken from him. Once the drum reached his house, the family was plagued by night-time drumming, knocking and other disturbances. People said the drummer had sent them by witchcraft. Joseph Glanvill visited in 1663 and made the case famous in Saducismus Triumphatus. It became one of England's best-known poltergeist stories. Glanvill claimed to have heard the noises himself.