The Rerrick Poltergeist
In December 1695, a pamphlet was published revealing an extremely detailed account of a poltergeist haunting in a farmhouse called The Ring Croft of Stocking in the rural village of Rerrick near Auchencairn in Kirkcudbrightshire, Dumfries and Galloway. The pamphlet was written by Reverend Alexander Telfair, the parish minister, who was witness to many of the strange events in the farmhouse which lasted for around nine weeks.
The tenant of the farmhouse was a stonemason and farmer called Andrew Mackie, who lived there with his wife and children. |
In February 1695, his young cows were let loose in the night, when he checked, the tethers that keep them from wondering off, they had been broken. He made stronger tethers but these were broken too. After the first night, he woke the next morning to find one of the cows bound to the house, so tightly that its feet could hardly touch the floor. He kept the cows elsewhere after this night.
On another night in February, the peat used for the fire which was in a storage shed was thrown over the floor of the house and set alight. Luckily, the smoke woke the family who managed to put the fire out. |
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On the 7th of March, stones were thrown all over the house by an invisible force. This continued over the next few days, mainly during the night.
On the 10th of March, the children entered the house and saw what they thought was a person by the fireside wrapped up in the 9 year old son’s blanket. The boy approached the figure and asked,
“Why are you feared? Let us bless ourselves, and then there is no ground to fear it".
He saw that the blanket was his and while blessing himself, ran up to the figure and pulled the blanket from it saying,
“Be what it will, it hath nothing to do with my blanket".
With the removal of the blanket it revealed that it was just a four legged stool turned upside down.
“Why are you feared? Let us bless ourselves, and then there is no ground to fear it".
He saw that the blanket was his and while blessing himself, ran up to the figure and pulled the blanket from it saying,
“Be what it will, it hath nothing to do with my blanket".
With the removal of the blanket it revealed that it was just a four legged stool turned upside down.
March the 11th was a Sunday, the family searched all over the house for some kitchen utensils that were essential for cooking that had gone missing. They were finally found four days later in a loft space that had already been searched several times. That same day, the landlord of the house, Charles Macklelane, visited the property along with another man, John Cairns, who both witnessed stones being thrown as if they came from out of nowhere. The stones were hitting people and they noticed that they were less than half of there natural weight. The stones were thrown more during prayer times and more towards the person praying. That same day, Andrew Mackie went to church and after Sunday service, he told the Fever and Alexander Telfair about what had been happening in the house.
The following Tuesday, Telfair visited the house. He held prayers with nothing happening until he left the house. He stopped in the barn to talk to two men when he saw two stones just drop onto the floor, at that moment he heard shouting coming from the house. He ran over and entered the house and several small stones were thrown at him, he held more prayers and it stopped, until the following Sunday.
That Sunday it all started again but this time the stones were much larger and were thrown with much more force, hitting people more frequent. Once the Reverend Telfair heard of this, he went back to the farmhouse, this time he planned to stay over night. He stayed at the property along with the landlord, Charles Macklelane, William Mackminn and John Tait. Stones and other items including a large wooden staff were thrown at Telfair which hit him several times on the sides, shoulders and head, the people present all witnessed this. When Telfair was lay in bed, the wooden bedside was pulled off and rapping noises were heard hitting the furniture. When he was leaning on the bedside, praying, he felt something pressing against his arm, when he looked he saw a little white hand and forearm and then it vanished. Two other apparitions were seen over the nine week period, a friend of Andrew Mackie saw a red faced young man with yellow hair looking through the window and another two or three people witnessed a teenage boy aged around 14, wearing grey clothes and a bonnet but disappeared in front of them.
The trouble didn’t stop, by Thursday the 22nd of March, the stone throwing increased along with staves of wood and started attacking the neighbour's outside of the house. People visiting were forced to leave, some being attacked before they entered the house forcing them to go away. This day it threw stones that hit Andrew Mackie in the head, then, he described that it felt like someone with long fingernails grabbed him by the hair and scratched his skin. Several people were grabbed and dragged around the house by the unseen presence. Andrew Twit was witness to the happenings of this day. It grabbed John Keige, a Miller from Auchencairn. He shouted out to the neighbour's for help, crying that it was going to fear his side out.
That night, when the children were asleep, it took there bed clothes from them and beat them on the hips, as if it were a person doing it, everyone in the house could hear it.
The heavy bar that was used for securing the door and other objects were seen to be moving around the house by and invisible hand. All night it rattled objects on furniture and threw stones. This happened every night.
That night, when the children were asleep, it took there bed clothes from them and beat them on the hips, as if it were a person doing it, everyone in the house could hear it.
The heavy bar that was used for securing the door and other objects were seen to be moving around the house by and invisible hand. All night it rattled objects on furniture and threw stones. This happened every night.
On the 2nd and 3rd of April, it started to make vocal noises, usually “Wisht, wisht", which meant hush, every time someone prayed and it started to whistle. It whistled so distinctly that the dog barked and ran to the door, as if he’d been called.
On the 4th of April, Andrew Mackie and landlord Charles Macklelane, visited the minister at Buttle to give their personal account of the strange goings on at the farmhouse. They minister offered public prayers to the family and sent out two ministers, Andrew Aewart, minister of Kells and John Murdo, Minister of Carmichael, to spend the night at the house.
They spent the night fasting and praying and eventually it started to throw large and heavy stones, some weighing 7 pounds. Andrew Aewart was hit twice in the head which caused him to bleed and his wig was pulled off during prayers. When he held a napkin out, a stone was forced into it and the napkin was pulled away from him and thrown across the room. John Murdo also received a few blows from stones which caused minor bruising. That night no one was free from the poltergeist, along with the stones, it threw peat which had been set alight amongst the people present during prayers. In the morning as the sun was rising, it poured stones on everyone in the house.
They spent the night fasting and praying and eventually it started to throw large and heavy stones, some weighing 7 pounds. Andrew Aewart was hit twice in the head which caused him to bleed and his wig was pulled off during prayers. When he held a napkin out, a stone was forced into it and the napkin was pulled away from him and thrown across the room. John Murdo also received a few blows from stones which caused minor bruising. That night no one was free from the poltergeist, along with the stones, it threw peat which had been set alight amongst the people present during prayers. In the morning as the sun was rising, it poured stones on everyone in the house.
Throughout the day things kept happening. Some thatch straw which was stored in the barn was set on fire when no one was around and neighbour's will still being pelted with stones. In the evening, Mrs Mackie went outside to fetch some peat for the fire, she stepped on a loose slab which she’d never noticed was loose before, it was late and dark so she decided to investigate what was beneath it the following morning.
The next morning when she lifted the slab, she found 7 bones along with fresh blood and flesh wrapped in paper. At this horrific sight, she ran half a mile to the Landlords house in terror. During this time the disturbance in the house was worse than ever before. It was not only throwing stones but were being thrown around the house which were extinguished as soon as lit. It threw a hot stone onto the children’s bed which burnt through the bed clothes. After an hour and a half, the Mackie's eldest son, John moved the stone outside, he had to wrap the stone in cloth as it was still too hot to touch with bare hands. A staff was thrust though the wall above the children’s bed, who were still in it at the time, the bed shook and they could hear groaning. When Charles Macklelane went to the house, he went to prayer before he offered to lift the bones but as he went to pick them up, the house went silent. He sent the bones to Reverend Telfair, who after seeing them immediately went to the house. As he arrived, large stones were thrown at him. The house was quiet for the rest of the night.
The next morning, the local blacksmith, William Macminn visited the house and he was born in the back by parts of the plough which weighed around three stone along with other tools. Luckily he wasn’t injured. While he was there, he witnessed the house being set on fire twice, where neighbours rushed out to put the fire out. As the night approached, Mackie’s eldest son, John was on the way home when he saw an extraordinary light that fell about him and went before him to the house with a swift motion.
The next morning, the local blacksmith, William Macminn visited the house and he was born in the back by parts of the plough which weighed around three stone along with other tools. Luckily he wasn’t injured. While he was there, he witnessed the house being set on fire twice, where neighbours rushed out to put the fire out. As the night approached, Mackie’s eldest son, John was on the way home when he saw an extraordinary light that fell about him and went before him to the house with a swift motion.
On the 8th of April, Andrew Mackie was walking down the lane, when he found a letter birth written and sealed in blood. Written on it was the following:
“Three years thou shall have to repent a note it well"
When he opened it, the letter read:
“Wo to be to thee Scotland. Repent and tak warning for the doors of haven are all ready Bart against there, I am sent for a warning to thee to flee to God yet troublt shall this man be for twenty days repent, repent, repent Scotland or else thou shall".
“Three years thou shall have to repent a note it well"
When he opened it, the letter read:
“Wo to be to thee Scotland. Repent and tak warning for the doors of haven are all ready Bart against there, I am sent for a warning to thee to flee to God yet troublt shall this man be for twenty days repent, repent, repent Scotland or else thou shall".
At midday, the local Civil Magistrate ordered that all previous and present tenants of the farmhouse to meet at Charles Macklelane’s house. The Magistrate suspected murder so they were all ordered to touch the bones. In those days it was believed that if the bones of a murder victim were touched by the murderer, then the bones would react. There was no reaction.
The letter and the bones were sent to a meeting of ministers who sent out 5 minister to go to the house to fast and pray for as long as it takes. The ministers they sent were, John Murdo, James Monteith, John Macmillan, Samuel Spalding and William Falconer with Reverend Telfair in attendance.
The letter and the bones were sent to a meeting of ministers who sent out 5 minister to go to the house to fast and pray for as long as it takes. The ministers they sent were, John Murdo, James Monteith, John Macmillan, Samuel Spalding and William Falconer with Reverend Telfair in attendance.
On the 10th of April, the 5 ministers entered the house, as soon as Reverend Telfair started to speak, stones started to be thrown at him and then around the rest of the house. The stones hit with so much force that the house began to shake and broke a hole in the thatched roof. Large stones poured in, one weighing a quarter weight which hit John Monteith on his back. The barn door was ripped off and all people in attendance were thrown around and beaten. This went on until 10 o clock and then all was silent.
The next morning, Andrew Twit went to the house with his dog, who planned to stay the night along with three other young men. Earlier that day, Andrews dog had killed a polecat which was left outside of the house. As they started to pray, the three young men were all beat across the head with the dead polecat and then it was thrown on the floor in front of them. One of the young men, Samuel Chapman was gripped by the spirit and thrown around, he was so frightened that he had a breakdown.
The next morning, Andrew Twit went to the house with his dog, who planned to stay the night along with three other young men. Earlier that day, Andrews dog had killed a polecat which was left outside of the house. As they started to pray, the three young men were all beat across the head with the dead polecat and then it was thrown on the floor in front of them. One of the young men, Samuel Chapman was gripped by the spirit and thrown around, he was so frightened that he had a breakdown.
The next day another straw fire broke out in the barnyard along with more stones being thrown. In the evening, it threw a spade at Andrew Mackie and then the meal sieve was tossed around the house. Mackie managed to catch the sieve but the mesh from inside tore out and flew towards his visiting neighbour Thomas Robertson.
On the 15th of April, William Anderson, a driver and his son, James Patterson went to the house with Charles Macklelane to take take Mackie's son’s to help with driving the sheep. On their return, they were hit extremely hard with stones, as if the spirit was trying to break their legs. William Anderson was hit on the head, causing him to bleed. When they entered the house to pray, they heard the spirit again whistling and crying “Whist, whist".
It continued into the next day but it added in new words, “bo, bo” and “kick, cuck” as it shook people and hoisted them up, lifting them above knee height. This time the family decided to leave the house, and five neighbours decided to stay overnight to watch the property. Nothing happened overnight other than the cattle were moved to an area of danger.
It continued into the next day but it added in new words, “bo, bo” and “kick, cuck” as it shook people and hoisted them up, lifting them above knee height. This time the family decided to leave the house, and five neighbours decided to stay overnight to watch the property. Nothing happened overnight other than the cattle were moved to an area of danger.
The family returned the next day and all was quiet until the night time. The sheep which were kept in a separate barn were all coupled by the neck in pairs with straw ropes that were taken from the loft in the stable.
Over the next few days, the spirit carried on throwing stones and setting fires but it started to become more vocal. Every time someone was hit by a stone it would say, “Take you that till you get more" or, “Take you that". Things started to get worse and it didn’t stop, it went on all day and all throughout the night.
Over the next few days, the spirit carried on throwing stones and setting fires but it started to become more vocal. Every time someone was hit by a stone it would say, “Take you that till you get more" or, “Take you that". Things started to get worse and it didn’t stop, it went on all day and all throughout the night.
On the 26th of April, it started talking more, it insulted everyone by calling them “witches” and “rakes", and saying it would take them to hell.
Andrew Mackie was woken up that night by the voice, telling him,
“Thou shalt be troubled till Tuesday”, when he asked “Who gave the commission?”, it answered, “God gave me a commission; and I’m sent to warn the land to repent; for a judgement is to come if the land do not quickly repent. I will go to my father and get a commission to return with a hundred worse than myself, and will trouble every particular family in the land”.
Andrew Mackie was woken up that night by the voice, telling him,
“Thou shalt be troubled till Tuesday”, when he asked “Who gave the commission?”, it answered, “God gave me a commission; and I’m sent to warn the land to repent; for a judgement is to come if the land do not quickly repent. I will go to my father and get a commission to return with a hundred worse than myself, and will trouble every particular family in the land”.
Andrew Mackie said to those who were with him, “If I should tell this, I would not be believed. Then it said, “Fetch better, fetch the minister of the parish, a two honest men upon Tuesday’s night, and I shall declare before them what I have to say. Praise me, and I will whistle to you, worship me and I will trouble you no more".
Andrew replied, “The Lord who delivered the three children out of the fiery furnace, deliver me and mine this night, from temptations of Satan". Then it replied, “You might as well have said, Shadrah, Meshah and Abedpego”. In the meantime while Andrew was speaking, James Telfair said to the spirit, “You are basely bred, meddling in other men’s discourse, where in you are not concerned". It likewise said, “Remove your goods, for I will burn the house". He answered, “The Lord stop Satan’s fury, and hinder him of his designs". Then it said, “I will do it, or you shall guide well".
Andrew replied, “The Lord who delivered the three children out of the fiery furnace, deliver me and mine this night, from temptations of Satan". Then it replied, “You might as well have said, Shadrah, Meshah and Abedpego”. In the meantime while Andrew was speaking, James Telfair said to the spirit, “You are basely bred, meddling in other men’s discourse, where in you are not concerned". It likewise said, “Remove your goods, for I will burn the house". He answered, “The Lord stop Satan’s fury, and hinder him of his designs". Then it said, “I will do it, or you shall guide well".
Over the next few days the house was set on fire seven times in one day and on the next there were so many fires that as soon as one was put out another started. In the evening, the poltergeist pulled down the stone wall at the end of the house and started a fire in the stable. On the night it pulled one of the children out of bed and held him up saying, “If I had commission I would brain them".
On the 29th of April, Andrew was lying in bed when it spoke his name, which he ignored. It then said, “Be not troubled, you shall have no more trouble, except some casting of stones upon the Tuesday to fulfil the promise. And take your straw”. Reverend Telfair went to the house and it started a fire once and stones little stones dropped down the fireside.
On the 29th of April, Andrew was lying in bed when it spoke his name, which he ignored. It then said, “Be not troubled, you shall have no more trouble, except some casting of stones upon the Tuesday to fulfil the promise. And take your straw”. Reverend Telfair went to the house and it started a fire once and stones little stones dropped down the fireside.
The Tuesday came along and Charles Macklelane along with several neighbour's, were in the barn. As he was praying, he observed a ‘black thing’s in the corner of the barn. The black mass grew ‘as if it were to fill the whole house’. It didn’t have any form, just like a black cloud. Several people were thrown around, some saying that they could still feel it five days later.
The next day on the 1st of May, the sheep barn was set alight, the sheep were saved but the barn burnt to the ground.
The next day on the 1st of May, the sheep barn was set alight, the sheep were saved but the barn burnt to the ground.
That was the last of the haunting, nothing else happened again.
There were three theories that circulated around at the time that were believed to have caused the haunting.
The first theory was that when Andrew Mackie became a stonemason, he took the “mason word" and offered his first child to the devil. Reverend Telfair dismissed this by saying, “He is an outwardly moral, there is nothing known to his life and conversation, but honest, civil, and harmless, beyond many of his neighbours, doth delight In the company of the best".
The second theory was that a woman who left some clothes in the Mackie’s house, died before she had them back, and he and his wife kept some of them. Mackie said that he’d bound them all in a sack and delivered them in there entirety to her friends.
The third theory was that a previous tenant of the house, a man called Macknaught, was very ill and poor. He sent his son to seek out a “witch wife" who lived in the parish of Irongray, around 23 miles away. After meeting with the witch wife, he met some foreign soldiers and enlisted with them and went abroad to fight in Flanders, and didn't return to give his father the woman’s advice.
A few years a later, a John Redick, who met Macknaught’s son while in Flanders, had been told of the advice and upon returning, he was asked to pass it on to his father. When Redick went to the house, he found that Mr Macknaught had died. John Redick never mentioned this again until he heard of Andrew Mackie’s troubles but after the death of Macknaught and before Andrew Mackie took the on the house, a Thomas Telfair, not related to the Reverend Telfair, occupied the property for many years. He had heard the report of the witch wife and followed her instructions to dig up a tooth that was buried under the door threshold. He did this and never had any troubles with the house.
Three trees now stand near to the site of where the farmhouse once stood, known as the Ghost Trees not far from the village of Auchencairn. Some of the foundations of the house can still be seen on what is now pasture land.