The Green Dragon
At the start of 2009 I was invited to join an investigation in Higham Ferrers in Northamptonshire. The location for the investigation was The Green Dragon, a 17th century coaching inn on Higham high street. As investigations go it had more than its fare share of activity, voices, physical contact from spirits, and a ghost in the bar that hated unruly behavior and would throw full pints of beer across the room.
I decided to delve a little more into the history of the inn and after many weeks of research compiled a history of the place covering 1802 to 1951, who lived there and what they did.
Is the pub haunted? Yes it is!
For the history fans among you here is what I found out.
History of The Green Dragon Hotel and Coaching Inn Collage Street
Higham Ferrers
1802 –1951
Researched by Adrian Perkins
© April 2009. The Earl Fitzwilliam owned the Green Dragon Hotel with surrounding outbuildings and adjoining land. Proprietors of the Inn and dates are listed below.
Along with notes about the Inn. Spaces between dates are still to be investigated.
1802 John. Mee, GREEN-DRAGON INN, HIGHAM-FERRERS. Deeply impressed with a sense of the many obligations conferred on him by his friends and the public in general, since his having entered on the above Inn, begs leave to return his most grateful acknowledgements for the same. And humbly solicits the continuance of their favours, which it shall be his unremitting study to merit, by a due attention to their accommodation; for which purpose he has provided a variety of the choicest WINES and LIQUORS, of the first quality, and several neat POST-CHAISES, with able HORSES and careful DRIVERS, which he is determined to furnish on the most liberal terms.
Higham-Ferrers, Nov.5th, 1802.
1805 2nd of December The Green Dragon was the home of John Mee. Meetings were held there on the first Monday in every month by the Friendly Society. There was a strictly upheld code of conduct that was to be observed by all 82 members during meetings, no laying of curses, swearing, gambling, quarreling, fighting, or drinking during meetings. One pint was paid for by the society before or after the meeting. Breeches of the rules meant expulsion and or a fine. There were also additional quarterly meetings on annual feast days, Monday in Whitsun week and so forth. Failure to attend the meetings meant a penalty of 2 shillings paid or expulsion. To qualify for membership you had to live within three miles of Higham Ferrers and be male.
The aim of the society was to raise £200 a year through subscriptions from members. Money would then be paid out to members who fell on hard times, or to pay funeral expenses and sums of money to the widow. It was an early form of social fund. Members who were sick got 7 shillings a week for one year, falling to 3 shillings a week thereafter.
Adrian has a full list of members that can be looked at. He is unable to copy the list due to restrictions put in place by the County Records Office.
1830 Mrs. Frances Mee occupied the Green Dragon Hotel.
1836 Mrs. Frances Mee is shown as a widow and the leaseholder of the Green Dragon. The late John Wright’s executors had recently past buildings and land to her. Here is a list of property she had leasehold on. Farmhouse and yard, Dovecote, house at Turnpike, Wild Mill Cover, Cherry Orchard, Chichelyn, plus 12 other fields.
1839 Mrs Frances Mee is shown as leasing a larger estate. The Green Dragon Inn yard and garden, Pig Balk, Rick yard, Berry Close, farm buildings and yard, Castle Yard, Wharf Close, Vine Hill, Oxcer Bed Wood, Church Close, Sergeants Piece, Kings Meadow, plus four other fields. Frances paid the sum of £250 per year for these.
By this time she seems to have sold the leases for the Dovecote, farm buildings, Orchard and the adjacent meadow, and Turnpike to Edmund Lamb.
Adrian has a list of the lasing held by Frances Mee that you can look at. Again do to restrictions by the County Records Office no copies can be made.
1847- 1854 William Chapman was the proprietor of The Green Dragon Inn. He was also a farmer of 182 acres and a wines and spirits merchant. Interestingly the Inn seems to have also been the post office. Apparently as it was a coaching Inn the London & Northwest parcels a post used the inn for regular deliveries.
Listed below are people living and working at the Green Dragon in 1851.
William Chapman age 51, Wife’s name was Anne age 50, Daughter Elisabeth age 21, Daughter Ursula age 16, Son William age 20 , Son John age 19, Rebecca Dayton age 20 Housemaid, Mary Cottingham age 20 Cook.
1861-1881 John Knighton was the proprietor. John Knighton was a publican and a farmer of 200 acres, employing 3 men and 1 boy. Listed below are people living and working at the Green Dragon in 1881. John Knighton age 45, Wife not mentioned, Son George age 11, Daughter Mary age 8, Mary Shelton age 38 housekeeper, Sanders Perkins age 58 farm servant (Shepherd)
1891-1903 James Affleck was the proprietor. Listed below are people living and working at the Green Dragon in 1891. James Affleck age 35, Wife Rose age 26, Son Thomas age 5, Son Harry age 2, Isabella Clark age 20 Barmaid. William Williamson age 27 Groom, David Quincey age 13 house boy / groom, Percy Ward age 22 shoe operator..
Listed below are people living and working at the Green Dragon in 1901. James Affleck age 45, Wife Rose age 36, Son Arthur age 15. Son Harry age 12, Daughter Evelyn age 10, Daughter Mabel age 7, Daughter Ella age 5, Florence Newman age 22 Barmaid, William Childs age 38 master groom, Alfred Green age 20 worker,
Footnote, Harry was killed in action at Ypres on the 23-02-1916 aged 28.
1906-1914 Albert Clifton was the proprietor. Interestingly in 1910 the Inn is advertised as having a Billiard Saloon. Listed below are people living and working at the Green Dragon in 1906. Albert Clifton aged 43, Adela (wife) aged 41, Albert (son) aged 15, George (son) aged 13, Lawrence (son) aged 7.
1920-1931 Mrs. Adela Clifton is the proprietor of the Inn. It is possible that her husband had died or was unable to run the business. 1940 Lawrence Clifton had taken on the job as proprietor. There is no mention of a post office at this date.
1951 Dick Faulkner.
Rugby is played at Manor Park, the home of Rushden & Higham RUFC. The club was created in October 1951, and set up by two people new to the area - the then landlord of The Green Dragon, Higham Ferrers, Dick Faulkner and head of Rushden Secondary Modern School for Boys, Jack Wilce. In January 1952, the fledgling team played its first game on ground near The Hedges and although it ended as a 3-14 defeat it did not stop the club progressing. Over the years the club has played at Chamberlain's Field, near the old Higham railway station, Saffron Meadows, (in 1959 when the club's historian Geoff Wiggins joined) and the John White's ground Rushden and now it plays at Manor Park, Rushden, on pitches rented weekly from the town council which owns the ground.
During the late eighties structural changes around the bar and ground floor opened the area up considerably and it is difficult to picture how the pub once looked. The rooms were smaller and intimate, unlike our taste today for open plan living.
What you need to remember when visiting the pub is how many people have lived out their lives within its walls. Born, lived, loved, and died. Is it any wonder their spirits linger on, watching, and occasionally joining in.
The Old Black Lion
As you come into Northampton from the train station you climb a hill that takes its name from a pub that stands to the right of St Peters church. The Old Black Lion is an ancient alehouse that is first listed in the 1700s. At the coming of the railway it briefly changed its name to the Railway Tavern and gave shelter to workers building the nearby rail line. The name change was brief and soon reverted to the Lion. Over the years rumors grew of tunnels leading to the Castle and to St Peters. In fact this is what sparked me into investigating the pub in the first place. The atmosphere is, as with all pubs of a certain age, interesting. Generations of people passing through have left stories of strange happenings. Here is a list of a few things reported over the years.
Bedclothes being pulled off unsuspecting guests as they lay sleeping.
Voices and footsteps heard along corridors that look deserted.
Unseen dogs barking and scratching.
Phantom figures seen walking across the bar and glasses being thrown and smashed.
But the most active place within the pub walls is far below the revelers enjoying a drink in the bar. Go down into the cellar. There you will find another door, beyond which you will find stairs leading down into a dark and foreboding room with a vaulted roof and red brick floor. Now stand in the middle of the room switch off your torch and have someone shut the door at the top of the stairs, see how long you last alone.
People think this cavernous room was part of a tunnel that once ran beneath the pub.
I have done extensive research into this, and can now tell you……… Well, I will let you find out for yourself. The pub is well worth a visit.
Apethorp Hall near Oundle 
Well known in the neighbourhood for her generosity, Lady Mildmay's ghost was said to step from the portrait of her that hung in the long gallery. She would drift along the corridors of Apethorpe dropping money as she went. The last reported sighting of her ghost was when the house was being used as a boy’s school some years ago. She was seen floating down the white staircase . Sadly her portrait was burnet in a fire a long time ago.
The triangular Lodge at Rushton
Gayton village is to the south of Northampton.
People have witnessed the floating figure of a monk wandering across the road from the church to the Manor house. Many people have almost crashed thinking they have driven into the figure. Well worth a visit.
Links to Other paranormal sites
www.angelsghosts.com
www.hauntedairfields.co.uk
www.ghostwear.com
www.realghostbuster.comwww.northantshaunted.co.uk
www.through-the-veil.wetpaint.com
www.dorsetparanormal.co.uk
