BUSHEYGATE

Battle Road, Robertsbridge, Sussex. On A21

 

Built about 1725 as a pair of tied farm cottages on the Egerton estate, this rather attractive cottage was practically rebuilt in 1971 when the conversion was made into a single building. A rear wall built with stones from the mediaeval villa known as Glottenham Castle,the site of which is about two miles away, had to be removed and reconstructed with modern brick. The stones, however, have been retained in the garden.

 

Within three feet of the pair of privies in the back garden a copper powder flask was found which suggests that at some time flintlocks were used to defend the privacy of the occupier, though part of a Roman glass bottle was also found in the area.

 

Whilst working in the garden early in 1972 ,the owner felt that he was being watched by a pair of 'old characters' standing on what had been, up to 1934, a public footpath leading across the fields to Brown's Farm. On another occasion a 'vague shape like a white dress hurriedly "flitted" past a hall window.

 

Three local residents have stated that the property was haunted by a 'woman in white'. Experienced by visitors, however, is the occasional smell of strong pipe tobacco which wafts around the dining room, close to the inglenook fireplace.

 

The building had been derelict from 1968 to 1970 and neither the owner nor any of the visitors since it has been re-occupied smoke a pipe, but the phenomenon suggests that someone there did once.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Story by Andrew Green: 'Our Haunted Kingdom'

 

 

 

 

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