Ightham Mote's
"Haunted House Story"

Ightham Mote, Plaxtol, Kent, England

Ightham Mote, which was built in the 14th century, was not damaged by Cromwell’s men in spite of the fact that they tried hard enough to find it, to root out what was thought to be a hot-bed of Royalists. The Mote was owned by the Selby Family, notorious Catholics, from the time of Elizabeth I to Queen Victoria, and as was normal in such households, has it’s own priest-hole, a secret escape route hidden behind a chimney, and a secret chapel which is protected by no less than five locks.

The story of the haunting of Ightham Mote goes back to the days of the Gunpowder Plot, in November, 1605. Dame Dorothy Selby sent an anonymous letter to her cousin, Lord Monteagle, warning him of the plot and advising him to stay away from Parliament that day. The letter fell into the hands of the King and the conspirators were brought to justice.

However, friends of the conspirators, extremely angry at the failure of the plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament, realizing that the letter had been sent by Dame Dorothy, proceeded to Ightham Mote, seized her and walled her up in a small room, no larger than a large cupboard, in the tower.

In 1872, workmen, engaged to investigate the source of the coldness in that area of the tower, discovered the sealed-up room and inside found the skeleton of Dame Dorothy. However, there was nothing that could be done to rid the area of it’s coldness.

An attempt was made by the local bishop to exorcise the spirit of Dame Dorothy, but the cold sensation still persists to this day.

Source: Ghosts of the Southeast, a web site describing haunted houses in Southeastern England.