Phantom Felines And Other Ghostly Animals - Gerina Dunwich 2006

The Spectral Ape of Athelhampton House
Other Ghostly Animals

by Gerina Dunwich

Located near Dorchester (in Dorset, England), the Tudor manor house known as Athelhampton House was built by Sir William Martyn in the year 1485. It is reputedly haunted by several ghosts, including one of a cooper that can be heard tapping away at barrels in the wine cellar, and a Grey Lady that has been observed wandering through the bedrooms in the east wing of the house. Witnesses have reported seeing her apparition appear and then vanish through the walls.

But the most famous (and perhaps oddest) specter that inhabits this house is that of a pet ape, which belonged to Nicholas Martyn in the sixteenth century. (Interestingly, the Martyns’ family crest depicted an ape sitting on the stump of a tree, and the family motto was: “He who looks at Martyn’s ape, Martyn’s ape will look at him.”)

The story goes that when Nicholas (the last of the Martyn line) passed away in 1595, the ape wandered about the house in search of its new master until it died. According to another story, the ape somehow ended up entombed behind a wall during construction work and either suffocated or starved to death. Unexplained scratching sounds have been heard coming from a secret staircase behind the paneling in the great chamber, and many have attributed this to the phantom ape. Some also believe the animal continues to roam the house in search of its long dead master.

On a final note, Athelhampton House, which was used for filming the Michael Caine film Sleuth, was also featured on Most Haunted, a popular British television show that conducts investigations in haunted houses and other locations where paranormal activity has been reported. While filming at the house, a number of mysterious orbs were captured on video.