In the late 1980’s my daughter and I were on a Sunday drive and ended up in Woodville. After looking for my great grandfathers home, we reluctantly gave up but then found a beautiful old home down a quiet road that seemed quite uninhabited. The house was huge and seemed empty. My daughter, with her baby in her arms, peered through the window whilst I knocked on the door, expecting no reply. I was surprised when a woman answered the door wearing a long skirt with a blouse buttoned up to the neck and pinch pleats on the front. Assuming that she was someone who had restored the home and was offering tours I spoke to her. I asked her whether we were allowed to tour the home. The woman welcomed us in and invited us to explore the house at our own leisure. Her only request was, please don’t touch anything as we are expecting guests.

We entered the house and were shocked to see that it looked like it would have when first built. The furnishing seemed to be of the period at the time. Small things, such as the iron heated by coal fascinated me.
Walking through the house I could smell a meal being cooked. I followed my nose into the dining room and saw that it was laid out for a meal. In the kitchen pots were on the stove and a meal in progress. Assuming that this was for a group, I continued through.

Upstairs the house looked just as beautiful. I continued up a further set of stairs to what seemed to be a tower. At the top the the room was nothing but a wooden garden bench. Up there I got the eeriest feeling so proceeded back down. On the way I could feel what seemed to be someone or something pushing me. My daughter walking just before me tripped at the last step and hurt her ankle. At the bottom of the stairs I suddenly realised that the furnishings were gone, the meal in the kitchen gone and the woman who answered the door was nowhere to be seen. I was astounded that the house had aged almost 100 years in a matter of seconds.

We rushed out and got into the car as fast as possible. The house’s exterior now appeared older and seemed derelict.

At a local hospital where my daughter received help for her ankle, the nurse told us she had heard of strange sightings in the house. That was a Sunday drive we will never forget.