In this month’s Looking Back column, Roger Guttridge questions the spooky stories that have long been associated with Sandford Orcas Manor
Sandford Orcas Manor near Sherborne has, since the 1960s, had a reputation as one of the UK’s most haunted buildings
As Dorset manor houses go, mid-16th century Sandford Orcas Manor near Sherborne is among the most exquisite in the county. Google it, however, and it’s not its fine Tudor architecture that makes the headlines but its reputation as a haven for ghosts and poltergeists. Top hit from my search took me to the Haunted Britain and Ireland website, which describes Sandford Orcas as ‘an eerie-looking building, the grey stone walls of which give the appearance of being every inch the haunted house of tradition’. ‘Indeed,’ the site adds, ‘so many ghostly tales swirl around it that many people consider it the most haunted house in England. Intrepid ghost-hunters really have their work cut out with the 14 ghosts that are said to reside there.’ Around 40 years ago, I was privileged to attend committee meetings of the Somerset and Dorset Family History Society at Sandford Orcas Manor, whose future owner, Sir Mervyn Medlycott, happened to be our founder and chairman.
Sandford Orcas Manor’s gatehouse, where tenant farmer James Davidge was supposed to have hanged himself
A modern history It was from him that I learned that there was a rather more down-to-Earth story behind the house’s reputation as ‘the most haunted house in Britain’. The tale dates back to the period from 1965 to 1978, when Mervyn’s uncle Sir Christopher Medlycott, the eighth baronet, leased the house to Colonel and Mrs Francis Claridge. From the start, the Claridges claimed to have heard the sounds of ‘beautiful music’ from a spinet or harpsichord and the noise of footsteps, voices and moving furniture. They described various ghostly figures, including one lady in red and another in white, a young woman in black, a farmer in a white smock, a young man looking at a stained-glass window, a screaming sea cadet, an Elizabethan walker … and a fox terrier! As time went on, the spooky sightings became ever more bizarre. There was the story of the ghostly priest who tried to smother guests with his cloak. Even more sinister was the tale of a lanky Georgian footman, who had allegedly preyed on serving wenches when alive but in death smelt of decaying flesh and would not appear to any woman who was not a virgin. To support these stories, Colonel Claridge produced a succession of witnesses and back-up stories. The man in the smock was said to be the ghost of James Davidge, a tenant farmer, who allegedly hanged himself under the gatehouse arch. The young screaming sea cadet was said to have been confined to his room for life after killing a fellow cadet while at Dartmouth Naval College. Former owner Sir Hubert Medlycott was also said to return to haunt his one-time abode.
Sandford Orcas Manor as it was in the 60s, the time of Colonel Claridge. Image: Barry Cuff collection.
Paying guests The Claridges’ claims attracted national headlines, which in turn lured an ever-growing stream of paying visitors to Sandford Orcas. The tenants said they were raising money to build a cancer research laboratory. The visitors included Britain’s most famous ghost-hunter, Peter Underwood, founder of the Ghost Club, who led a coach party to Dorset in 1975. ‘Colonel Claridge and his wife entertained the party with some fantastic stories,’ Underwood reported. ‘The huge gargoyles on each gable laughed in the moonlight; there was the sound of rattling chains every night; there was a room in which it was impossible to take a photograph; there was a phantom that appeared regularly seven nights running each year; a room that screamed; a room where “every night a man parades up and down, his footsteps heavy and clear…”’ In his next sentence, Underwood got to the point. ‘Unfortunately,’ he wrote, ‘the ghosts multiplied to such an extent that credulity was stretched beyond breaking point; erroneous dates and “facts” were paraded; dubious photographs were exhibited; publicity was welcomed …’ The Ghost Club’s president was one of a growing army of sceptics, among whom were the Medlycotts themselves. In 2009, when I interviewed Sir Mervyn for my book Paranormal Dorset, he made it clear he was tired of the whole business and I promised to try and put the record straight. ‘People keep asking if they can hold all-night vigils here but the whole thing was made up,’ the ninth baronet told me. ‘I think some apparitions are genuine and I wrote in my history of the village about the figure of a woman seen at the Mitre Inn. ‘But the stories of the Manor started and finished with the Claridges, and there have been further stories made up by journalists since to keep the ball rolling. ‘Claridge needed to get more visitors to the house and this was a nice, cheap way of doing it.’ Sir Mervyn humorously added that Colonel Claridge, who died more than 30 years ago, was ‘six feet under in the churchyard and hasn’t appeared himself yet’. Sir Mervyn himself sadly died in 2021, aged 74.
Prices may be falling and mortgage lenders nervous – but house hunters are still looking to move. Local experts take a look at the Dorset housing market in 2023
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Mortgage rates have risen to levels that were unimaginable just 12 months ago, a cost-of-living crisis rages on, and there is a widespread belief that house prices will continue to fall. It’s worth pointing out that mortgage rates have been falling since they peaked in October (though staying much higher than for many years). The top five-year fixes come in just under 4.5 per cent now – compared with 2.5 per cent a year ago. Sellers may have to accept that buyers simply cannot afford to pay 2022 prices for their home in 2023, but the flip side of that is that their own new home should be cheaper, too. Spring is traditionally the best time to sell your house – but if that’s going to be you in 2023, then right now is the time to start thinking about it. If you’re a seller, then perhaps start considering getting your house on the market to get ahead of the spring competition. But it’s a big decision – and with the economy in turmoil, is now a good time? Is the market even moving at the moment? Or is it still moving too fast? Fear not – we’ve rounded up some of the most experienced local experts to help with their top insider tips on how to sell or buy a house with as little stress as possible this year …
Tell us about the property market over the last year – are house prices falling in Dorset? Is availability increasing? Is there still a national move to the country? ‘No one could have predicted the exceptional demand for property over the last few years, nor that it would continue long after the last lockdown.’ said James McKillop, head of residential sales at Savills Salisbury. ‘However, it was inevitable that the associated price growth would need to return to a less frenetic pace in the long term and we are starting to see that. The legacy of the pandemic is buyers driven by lifestyle choices – it now seems to be ingrained in the UK buyer’s psyche. In a recent Savills survey of 1,500 prospective buyers and sellers of prime property, when asked what type of location is most attractive, the majority opted for small towns, villages and countryside over cities and their suburbs. Sarah Cull, senior associate director at Strutt & Parker Salisbury, added: ‘The property market has certainly been “eventful” over the past year! For the first quarter there was very little stock; this eased and we had another busy and successful summer. The mini-budget brought about uncertainty and a rise in interest rates, which encouraged buyers with good mortgage offers to press on to conclude their purchase and lock in the rate. The end of the year was quieter as per usual.’ ‘The market in the first half of 2022 was the strongest we have ever seen,’ said Harry José, branch manager of Roderick Thomas Castle Cary, agreeing with Sarah and James. ‘Asking prices were at their highest and we were still achieving two to three per cent above those prices on average. Since then we have of course seen a slow down, exacerbated by the autumn Mini-budget. Properties are now sticking around for longer, meaning a larger number of properties appear to be on the market at any given time – I’d say that agents on average have around twice as many properties available as they did this time last year. This isn’t because more properties are coming to the market, it’s because fewer are selling. Due to that slow-down, I am seeing many prices reduce, which of course contributes to an overall fall in house prices. However, buyers are still moving and good properties are still selling at strong prices – we are fortunate enough to sell some lovely houses, many to cash buyers who haven’t been impacted to the same extent by increasing interest rates. Others, especially the first and second-time purchase properties, are being impacted by apprehensive mortgage valuers, even when strong prices are offered by still-confident buyers.’
What do you see 2023 bringing in terms of the property market? Harry José feels we may finally be on the other side of the COVID effect: ‘I strongly feel that we are really just seeing a return to the traditional cyclical nature of the property market which was normal pre-COVID. The spring booms and then the market tails off again in the winter.’ Sarah Cull agrees: ‘We feel that 2023 will bring about a more traditional market where properties take slightly longer to sell, but still change hands. It is widely expected that interest rates will settle in the later spring and the good weather always brings buyers back to the market.’ James McKillop commented on the longer financial view of the market: ‘Savills researchers anticipate slight downward pressure on values in 2023, but less pronounced than in the mainstream markets. There is still strong demand for the right property; the area remains hugely popular and while 2023 activity won’t be as high – or as frenzied – as it has been. We are still seeing the effect of a significant stock shortage. Good homes in good locations will always see strong demand and, if priced correctly, will sell well. Taking a longer view, Savills researchers are forecasting a return to positive growth as early as 2024, with prices over the next five years seeing increases of up to 11.6 per cent.
A presentable but busy family home gets two hours notice of a viewing – what should they do? Harry continued: ‘As I said, the house doesn’t have to be perfect all the time. House viewers really aren’t expecting daffodils on the window sill and freshly baked bread in the oven. I’d recommend making all the beds, giving the house a quick vacuum and washing up any dishes. Also – another tip from personal experience – make sure you stay out of the bathroom just before!’ Sarah had similar advice: ‘Air the house, light the fire (if it’s cold out), get some flowers on the table, clear the surfaces, make the beds, put the loo seats down and run the vacuum around. ‘Also, if you have dogs, do take them out for a walk during the viewing. We all love our pets, but not everyone sees them as man’s best friend.’ James also said that first impressions count, and that clutter is never good. ‘We would always try and give more than 24 hours’ notice, but it can be difficult in a challenging market, as you don’t want to lose any opportunity to show a good potential buyer around. ‘The key thing is first impressions, so de-clutter, put all the lights on and open the windows; a fresh, light-filled house will always do the trick. Buyers are very understanding about family homes, especially if it is a last minute request. Most just appreciate the opportunity to view.’
Are there any real life ‘do NOT do this’ bloopers you can share? Sarah recalled one client who carried out their own viewing and they referred to the village as “the village of feuds and floods.” She said: ’The viewer did not buy and we took over the viewings!’ Harry has seen some things too. ‘We have certainly had some worse than others, but hygiene and cleanliness are vital in all walks of life and house selling is no different. From minor things like not washing up before a viewing to real eye-openers like dog mess in the house, we have seen it all. It doesn’t have to be a show home, but please do make it feel welcoming!’
When you can see a glaring issue which you know may put buyers off, do you tell the vendor? Sarah was comfortable with being truthful: ‘I will always mention it gently and constructively and come up with solutions – hopefully without causing offence! Often it is as simple as a bookshelf narrowing a hallway, or a sofa that could do with moving by a few degrees.’ James is also keen to work any issues through. ‘If I see something I know is going to be a problem, I will always try and discuss it with the owners and see what options are available. If there are remedial works required, I often think it is better to get them done. But if they are subjective (e.g. a bathroom needs updating), I would say to leave it, as many buyers like the chance to put their own mark on a house and will often change a kitchen or bathroom to suit their style.’ Harry pointed out that this is part of an estate agents’ job: ‘It’s an important but difficult conversation to have and one which requires some diplomacy. I always go ahead and inform the sellers, but open the conversation by asking them if they would like some advice on how best to present the house. The answer will always be yes, and thus you have the platform to go ahead and advise. After all, a seller is using an agent for their professional experience and advice.’
What unexpected features make a house easier to sell? James didn’t hesitate: ‘With the cost of living affecting everyone, energy efficient homes are starting to attract premium prices. It doesn’t matter what age of house you have, if the heating system is modern and efficient, ideally with some form of renewable energy, buyers will see a significant upside. It is also the hassle factor of upgrading an older system that many buyers don’t want to face.’ Harry said ‘Houses with a light and airy feel are always easy, but also those that flow well. When a house has simple-to-access rooms and a layout that makes sense, it often just clicks instantly with the buyers.’ Sarah suggested it was simple attraction. ‘I always feel that the basic charm of a house is underestimated. I visited a wonderful house last week, oozing with period features and it had a lovely atmosphere; I am sure that when this comes to the market, buyers will be enchanted by it.
Do you have any tips for those who are finding the market difficult? Harry suggested staying in touch was the top priority: ‘As much as I’d like for buyers to only be registered with me, I’d recommend they cast their net to all corners of their search area. It is also important to stay in touch with the estate agents, in the same way you expect them to stay in touch with you. You’ll increase the chances of an agent calling you directly before a property hits the shelves.’ James said buyers must keep the bigger picture in mind. ‘Even with a slight nervousness in the market, the best houses will likely have more than one potential buyer. You have to be front of the queue, and that means having your mortgage in place and/or being chain-free. Otherwise, you will probably have to offer more to be competitive.’ Sarah had some advice for sellers: ‘I’d say “Work with your agent”! Do you need new photographs, or a re-arrangement of the images online? Is the price right, can any additional press exposure be secured, is there anything that can be done to enhance the first impressions? All of these are sensible questions.’
Are there any specifically desirable locations within the area? James said: ‘Shaftesbury – it has always been a popular spot and any of the villages surrounding it are consistently sought after, particularly those with amenities such as a village shop. Places like Manston and Stour Provost are also popular.’ ‘The Chalke Valley is perennially popular,’ Sarah added, ‘as is Tisbury and its surrounding villages. People have always been drawn here for the excellent countryside and coast, the access to London and the West Country, not to mention fantastic schools.’
A new nature reserve in Blandford will extend the Milldown and create a wildlife reserve for one of Europe’s rarest bats
Fields and woodland which adjoin Blandford’s Milldown Nature Reserve and the North Dorset Trailway have been bought by Dorset Council to create a new wildlife haven. The 13 acres will extend the Green Flag award-winning site, creating new wildlife corridors to support the survival of one of the rarest bats in Europe, the Greater Horseshoe. The new nature reserve will provide crucial habitat for adults and juvenile bats from the nearby Bryanston Site of Special Scientific Interest roost, whilst also supporting other bat species and a host of other wildlife. The project will see hedgerows restored, a wildflower meadow established and more trees planted. Cllr Ray Bryan, Dorset Council’s portfolio holder for highways, travel and environment, said: ‘This recent land purchase is an excellent opportunity to create much-needed habitat for Dorset’s wildlife.’ The purchase has been made possible through the council’s Habitat Compensation Fund, using money secured through developer contributions and extra funding for the project from Defra’s Farming in Protected Landscapes programme (administered by Cranborne Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), Blandford Forum Town Council and Dorset Council. ‘Protecting and restoring Dorset’s natural environment is one of the council’s key priorities.’ said Cllr Bryan, ‘We are determined to work with partners to promote the recovery of nature and tackle the ecological emergency.’
Come and plant a tree To launch the nature reserve, the council will be holding a volunteer tree and hedge planting event on the weekend of 21st and 22nd January. Members of the public are invited to come along from 10am on either or both days to help with the planting. Volunteers will need to wear stout shoes or boots and bring their own spades! To find the event, follow signs from the Milldown car park (DT11 7FU); council rangers will be on site to guide you.
• Donations of £40 (+vat) for the 70 trees being planted are being taken by Blandford Forum Town Council. Contributions can be made via their online form.
Some clear skies towards the end of December meant astrophotographer Rob Nolan finally managed to capture a much-wanted Christmas tree
NGC 2264 Cone Nebula, also known as the Christmas Tree Cluster.
A belated Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year to all you avid astronomers out there – and congratulations on another successful full orbit around our Sun! Did you know, it takes 365 days for our Earth to orbit our Sun (a calendar year), but that a galactic year (the time it takes for our Sun to complete one full orbit around the galactic centre of our Milky Way galaxy) takes 250 million years. This means the last time our solar system was hurtling at 514,000 mph through this exact part of space, the dinosaurs walked the Earth. I find that mind-blowing! I had hoped to share this month’s image in the build up to Christmas, but alas, I was only able to capture it a week before Christmas Day. This is the very aptly named NGC 2264 Cone Nebula, also known as the Christmas Tree Cluster. For the very obvious reason that it looks quite like a Christmas Tree in certain orientations. For this image I chose to deviate from any standard colour palettes, so please forgive the artistic licence with these green and brown tones. But for the festive season I really wanted to isolate the tree structure from the rest of the nebula. All of the objects within this cluster are located in the Monoceros constellation around 2,300 light years from Earth. Due to its relative proximity and large size, it has been extremely well studied. Astronomer William Herschel discovered the cluster itself in January 1784, and then went on to locate a section of the glowing cloud about two years later at Christmas time. This image was captured with the Skywatcher 190-MN Maksutov Newtonian Telescope and the ZWO asi2600mm Pro Astro camera with narrowband filters. That’s right, folks (look away now, anyone who’s not already in the hobby), I’ve gone mono! Its been quite a learning curve with the very few clear skies we’ve enjoyed since I acquired the camera, but its already producing fantastic results!
The night sky, January 2023 – Rob’s guide for your stargazing this month:
There is only one object that everyone is excited about this month – a brand new comet for us to observe in the night sky for the next few months. There’s talk of it being visible with the naked eye! It might not be quite as spectacular as Comet Neowise back in 2020, but it will pass us by much closer and it will have a tail we can see. Initial observations identified the object as an asteroid but subsequent observations revealed a very condensed coma. This indicated that the object was in fact a comet. Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) was spotted as a very faint 17.3 magnitude smudge in the constellation of Aquilla. The 1.2m telescope at Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF) is ordained with the comet’s discovery. What is remarkable about this comet is that it last appeared in our skies 50,000 years ago, when Neanderthals roamed the Earth. If our ancestors did see it, I wonder what they thought it might be – this strange new object above their heads? C/2022 E3 will pass within 26 million miles of Earth on 1st February, at which point it should be visible to the naked eye. Look towards the constellations Draco and Ursa Minor for a faint smudge as it transits across the sky. No prizes for guessing what I’ll be trying to capture for next month’s edition!
In other planetary news… Orion, one of my favourite constellations, stands out this month as it’s been steadily rising earlier and higher in our night sky throughout December. Orion’s Belt is easy to spot, made up of the bright stars Alnitak, Alnilam and Mintaka, which are more than 1,200 light years away. Despite the large distance, these stars appear so bright to us because they outshine our own Sun by 200,000 times. Look carefully below the Belt to spot a faint patch of light representing Orion’s sword. This is the great Orion Nebula, a hugely beautiful structure of incandescent gas, 24 light years in diameter. At the heart of the nebula is a birth-place of new stars, created from a dark cloud of dust and gas. Other spectacular shows in our night sky this month include the planets Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. If you are keen on spying the planets in our local neighbourhood, take a stroll out at dusk on 23rd January and look low towards the south west to see the thinnest crescent Moon in formation with Venus, the evening star, and fainter Saturn. On 25th January, Jupiter appears above the crescent Moon, superceded by Mars on the 30th which will lie above the Moon with the star Aldebaran to the left and the beautiful Pleiades (The Seven Sisters) to the lower right.
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Luke Humphrey Peter Turner on 11th December 2022, aged 38 years. A much loved son, brother, father and uncle who will be truly missed. Funeral service has already taken place in Wimborne.
Are you looking to use your office and people skills to help others? We are looking for an enthusiastic person to join the Mosaic team. The successful candidate will be responsible for the administration and support of training and study days, both on-line and face-to-face, and the Mosaic Conference.
Requirements:
Experience of using on-line platforms (Zoom, Teams)
Excellent organisational skills and time management
Good, accurate, administrative skills
Good telephone manner
Excellent knowledge of Microsoft 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
Closing date: 27/01/2023
Full job description and application form available from:
SNADS next Panto will be a traditional style version of ‘Red Riding Hood and the Three Little Pigs’. Based on the two well-known stories, with of course the Big Bad Wolf, an outrageous dame and a host of other hilarious characters and eccentric villagers. Plenty of booing and hissing and fun for all the family – oh yes there is!
Please note a change to our performance schedule this year:
Thursday 16th February, Relaxed Performance at 6pm. Specifically aimed at people with additional needs, low house-lighting will be on throughout and an inclusive environment guaranteed. Accompanying carer/parent free entry.
Friday 17th and Saturday 18th evening performances at 7.30pm.
