A Haunted Parish

In the picturesque North Cornish parish of Goonperran, Reverend Tim Tremaine finds himself haunted by more than just his enigmatic past. As a young vicar, Tim hopes to leave behind old shadows, but they relentlessly claw their way back, threatening to unravel the life he’s building. Amidst these personal struggles, malevolent paranormal forces mount a sinister campaign against him and his fiancée, Elizabeth. The very soul of Goonperran and the neighbouring parishes he inherits hang in the balance. As Tim grapples with this chilling power play, his Cornish tenacity and the core of his character face the ultimate test. Dive into a gripping tale of faith, love, and the spectral battles that seek to determine the fate of haunted hearts and hallowed grounds.

20A Lordship Road

The house in which I was born (20A Lordship Road), had only been occupied by my future family for a few months before my birth. Coming from the London suburbs, they settled in the green-belt area of Cheshunt in Hertfordshire. Unlike the other two-storey houses in our street which were parallel to the road, ours, at three storeys, was not only bigger than all the others, it also faced at right angles to them and parallel with Cheshunt Great House.  

In the stained-glass window on our front door was a picture of Oliver Cromwell. Why Oliver Cromwell should be depicted, as he had no known attachments to Cheshunt unlike his son, Richard Cromwell, who resided, using a hidden identity in the form of John Clarke in Cheshunt around 1680, until his death in 1712, remains a mystery. Though recorded as being buried at Hursley, in Winchester, there was rumour that his real resting place was, in fact, in an unmarked tomb in the grounds of St Mary’s church, in Cheshunt.   

St Mary’s church was close to, or in part of, the former grounds of Cheshunt Great House, which was gifted to Cardinal Thomas Wolsey by Henry VIII; and, as the crow flies, St Mary’s church was less than two minutes’ walk from our house. In fact, Cheshunt Great House was only ten minutes away. Our road was a cul-de-sac; its name was ‘Lordship Road’.

Oh, I forgot to say...our house was haunted...