The Storyteller: The Ghosts of Cockington

As we draw closer to the festive season, I’m trying to think of ways to keep it spooky. After my successful summer on Dartmoor, I'm offering my services, either walks or talks, to bring a touch of the traditional Christmas ghost story to people’s pre-holiday celebrations. 

When my advert came to the attention of the Cockington What's On page via Facebook, they said if I ever did plan on holding any events in the area, they would happily help promote them. 

So, rising to that challenge, as I’m never one to waste an opportunity, I began to think of stories I could add to such a venture...

Cockington Court itself is best known for the ghost of a cavalier, looking out across the grounds from one of the windows. 

This is said to be Sir Henry Cary, the last of his family to own the Court, before being forced to sell the property to the Mallock family after being fined for his part in supporting the return of the monarchy after the English Civil War. 

He had the land taken from him, in the immediate aftermath, for fighting for his king, but he pleaded that the impetuousness of youth had allowed others to force him to become a Royalist. 

His remorse secured him the return of his property, but with hefty fines imposed on him instead. 

However, his continued support of the rightful king of England brought with it more crippling fines, which he couldn’t afford to pay without selling the family estate. And so there he stands, surveying his pride and joy, one final time...

When we made enquiries with current staff members about any ongoing ghostly activity, the response we got was that whatever is there is benign and is continuously looking out for the well-being of the building and all who work there. 

I will never forget the day I first met the ladies in charge and the reaction I got when I first proposed doing something there for Halloween several years ago on the very day that they had been discussing plans for the spooky season, expressing how funny it would be if someone into ghost hunting were to turn up. 

Shortly afterwards, I walked through their doors, enquiring about the very same thing...sadly, we haven’t as yet been able to work together, but I live in hope...

Upon one of my recent visits to Cockington with David Hammond, where we often go to make recordings for his radio show, he introduced me to some of his friends who run a business out of one of the old stable blocks. 

Above: Part of the allegedly haunted stable block behind Cockington Court 

They told us that they definitely feel a presence in their workshop, but again it’s benign, just possibly a bit mischievous by moving things around. 

They even admitted to having something similar in their house, probably not the same thing, but it’s not unknown for dead spirits to follow the living home. 

Whatever it is, it has now made them firm believers in the paranormal. Other workshop owners have told them that they have also experienced unusual activity in their workspaces. So, if I ever get the chance to hold events around the grounds, I definitely have to include the stable blocks.

Other sightings we’ve been told about include monks seen scurrying around near the church, which is quite feasible from an historical point of view, as, before the upheaval of the Reformation, they would have been around overseeing its construction as it was part of their patch, so to speak.

Talking of Cockington Church, we once had a visit to one of our TIP (Torbay Investigators of the Paranormal) Monday night meetings from the resident organist, who wanted to share a spooky experience with us. 

Having the keys to the church, he was in the habit of practising on the organ during the evenings, and on certain nights a friend of his would come and fetch him to go for a pint at The Drum. 

On the particular day in question, whilst in full flow, he heard a loud tapping on the window panes nearest him. Taking this as a sign from his friend that he was here, he stopped playing, turned off the lights, and locked up, heading out to greet his friend...but no one was there. 

Taking a turn around the church, there was still no sign of his friend, so he was forced to conclude he was either playing a joke on him or he’d headed off to the pub, which he then did himself. 

Above: Cockington Court preparing for an open air production of Hound of the Baskervilles 

Upon reaching The Drum, there was still no sign so he ordered a pint, and whilst he drank, his friend turned up... adamant that he hadn’t visited the church previously that evening but passing it on his way to the pub now he realised it was empty as the lights were off, so hadn’t had to call for him. 

The next time the organist was at the church, he noticed the height of the window he had heard the tapping on and realised that it was too high up the wall for anyone to reach to do so... which begged the question, who or what had been trying to get his attention that other evening?

Then we come to The Drum itself, which would make a great venue for one of my pre-Christmas storytelling evenings as it contains the most famous Cockington haunting of all, thanks to Michael Aspel and his Strange But True TV programme, from back in the day. 

It’s haunted by the ghost of a local motorcyclist, tragically killed in an accident that severed his head. He had connections to the pub and was captured on CCTV walking around the cellar area. This footage was shown on national television. Fortunately for the audience, the biker chose to appear with his helmet on, so you can’t see his head is missing...

When David and I visited recently to enquire about the possibility of an evening there, the current staff had no unusual activity to report and had only heard vague tales of their resident ghost from customers, but those of us of a certain age know he exists, because Michael told us about him...

If you would like to find out about my plans for walks and talks or storytelling evenings before Christmas or into the New Year, then please contact me directly on my email address davidtiptrips@gmail.com 

Next week, and throughout Advent, it’s my second favourite time of the year when I get to let my imagination run riot to bring you some offerings of a more spooky nature, ghost stories loosely based on my own experiences meant for sharing around the fireside at Christmas... prepare to be scared...ish!