The Spooky Legend of Sir John Popham

31 Oct The Spooky Legend of Sir John Popham

Happy Halloween to all! On this, the spookiest of days, we thought we would share a local ghost story that you may already be familiar with – the story of Sir John Popham and his ghost’s slow march towards Wellington.

Sir John Popham is one of Wellington’s most famous historical figures, having held the prominent roles of Speaker of the House of Commons and Lord Chief Justice of England. Popham presided over many trials in his time but two of his most famous ones were that of Sir Walter Raleigh and Guy Fawkes. He was known to be severe in his punishments, particularly towards thieves. His career and life are thrilling but it is his death where our story begins…

Popham died on 10^th June 1607 in Wellington. Officially, he died in his bed aged 76 and was then interred in his elaborate tomb at St John’s Parish Church in Wellington. However, local legend says that he died after being thrown from his horse into “Popham’s Pit”, a deep and boggy hole in the Blackdown Hills to the west of Wellington Monument that was said to lead straight to hell. It is said that his wife prayed, begged, and pleaded for her husband’s soul and that her wish was granted, either by God or by the Devil. The deal was however not so simple. Sir John Popham’s soul could emerge from the pit which now bears his name and move towards his final resting place at St John’s, but he could only do this at the pace of “one cock’s stride” per year.

Every year, on New Year’s Day, the ghost of Sir John Popham creeps ever closer to Wellington on his slow and solemn march towards his tomb.

In June 1909 a piece published in the Wellington Weekly News describes how, at the time of writing, the ghost had recently reached Park Farm which lies directly in the path between Popham’s Pit and St John’s Church. The inhabitants of this house had been so absolutely terrified at the sounds of knocking and scraping that the farmer had employed the services of a white witch to cast the spirit out.

If we take this article into account (assuming the white witch didn’t make him restart his journey!), this means that Popham’s “cock’s stride” amounts to about 2m per year, meaning that he will reach the M5 in 306 years and St John’s Church, or whatever remains of it, in 1,580 years in the year 3604.

Thank you for reading – we hope everyone has a great Halloween!