“ave ye ‘eard the news about them strange goin’s on over Tudda way!”
Michael Hugh Shyte Esq
*Pell Mell: very fast and not organized
Please allow me to explain…
In the latter part of the 1700’s, a group of farmhands were celebrating the harvest at a local farm. When their booze ran out, they sent a mentally deficient man to procure more.
As a prank one of the men disguised himself as a ghost to frighten the poor lad upon his return to the village. The prankster never returned nor, did the boy…
At dawn, the trembling simpleton returned saying he saw the disguised man’s white ghost “be chased and carried off by a black ghost after the white ghost tried to flee”. Only fragments of the sheet used in the disguise were ever found in the field.
Several years later in 1786, the village miller was walking home from Durham after dark. He spotted a man ahead on the road but couldn’t catch up no matter how hard he tried. Upon arriving at Nicky-Nack Bridge, the stranger had disappeared completely and without trace.
Origins
The origin story/myth of the Nicky-Nack ghost, (growing up as bairns) was that it was the ghost of an old miner who’s decrepit hob nailed boots had seen better days. “nicky-nack, nicky-nack…” the flapping heal would sound as the miner slowly trudged to the bowels of hell each night for his shift! Some say the ghost is the devil himself!
When digging around I happened upon this!
The Tudhoe Village Ghosts
Tudhoe Village is reputed to be one of the most haunted places in England…they have in no particular order and as well as the above:
The Green Lady of Tudhoe Old Hall and her giant pet mouse!
The Black Horse which, would rise up out of the pond and pace up and down the village when someone in the village was about to die.
The devil himself would also make a guest appearance from time to time at the blasted oak near Oak Tree House. I have no clue as to what house they are referring to or whether it even exists now?
Please leave a comment below if you have any clues?
Cheers.
Thanks to the Tudhoe & Spennymoor Local History Society whom I ‘repurposed/enhanced’ a few of their excellent collection.
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