The home was originally owned by the Townsend family. The house was used as a base for the British during the Revolutionary War. John Andre was a British Major during the war and visited often. One day Townsend's daughter overheard Andre and John Simcoe (Commander of British Forces) talking about a payment to Benedict Arnold to surrender his troops. The Townsends relayed this information to George Washington. Benedict Arnold escaped, but Andre was captured and hanged. He has haunted the house ever since.
John Andre isnt the only ghost here. Sally Townsend, allegedly John Simcoe's lover is said to still haunt the house. Her former bedroom is always cold, even in the summer the curator wears a warm wool vest in that room! Paranormal investigators have said that whatever is in that room is not happy. An investigator heard a distinct "NO!" coming from the room after leaving.
In October of 1999 a volunteer was working on the property when the garden door opened and a man came out wearing a dark wool coat with brass buttons. First it was strange to see someone wearing that clothing, second the building was locked, and third the alarms were all on! In march another worker saw the same ghost materialize by the staircase. Once with the bottom half of his body missing, and then again full-figure. The ghost is believed to be Michael Colin, an irish immigrant who worked as a servant in the 1860's.
The former museum director Andrew Batten says he has sensed at least 5 different male entities and something in Sally Townsend's room.
(This is the person who owns the site talking)
UPDATE! I recently visited Raynham Hall and spoke to Connie, who is one of the staff members at this incredible place. She has seen a few different ghosts here. In the upstairs of the former servants quarters she has seen moving shadows when no one else is in the house. In that same area the smell of roses has mysteriously been sensed.
Connie had also seen what she believed to be the spirit of a servant woman materialize and walk into the kitchen. In that kitchen the smell of apple pie has also been present when ghosts want to make themselves known. I was extremely priveliged when I smelled the strong scent of cinnamon-apple on my way down the stairs near the kitchen. When I got down to the bottom of the stairs I could smell the strong scent of something like cinnamon rolls or what Connie thought was apple pie! It was amazing!
Another area that is said to produce some interesting smells is the front foyer. The smell of a non-existent stove has been sensed there as well as the faint smell of a smoking pipe. At one time this was the kitchen area.
The front girls bedroom (AKA Sally's room) was very cold, it was 4-5 degrees below the rest of the house. The temperature reading inside the doorway was 5 degrees below the temperature just 12 inches away in the hallway!
Last but certainly not least was the main stairway where the spirit of what is believed to be one of the male servants has materialized a few times to the staff here.
GHOSTELLER aka R@lph WiggUm
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