POLLYANNA JONES says a tomb in Kington, Herefordshire, contains untold evil known as the Black Vaughan…<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kington is a Herefordshire town, found on the border of England and Wales. As you enter St Mary\u2019s church, to your right can be found an exquisite alabaster tomb, in which Ellen and Thomas Vaughan\u2019s bodies are laid to rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thomas was a 15^{th<\/sup> century lord, who fought on the Yorkist side during the War of the Roses. He was slain at the Battle of Banbury in 1469, and it was said that his headless body was returned to Kington where he was buried.<\/p>\n\n\n\n}

But death brought no rest for Thomas. Legend tells us that his spirit lingered on and terrorised the townsfolk. Thomas Vaughan became known as \u201cBlack Vaughan\u201d, and stories grew of his wicked and evil reputation in life that continued beyond the grave. This folktale describes how at last, the clergy made attempts to be rid of him once and for all.<\/p>\n\n\n

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$\"Kington-Herefordshire\"$ <\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n
Once at Kington in Herefordshire there roamed a wicked spirit known as Black Vaughan who at best was to be described as a nuisance. Worse, he was a terror, and would cause fright and alarm for everyone in Kington. This malevolent spirit took great pleasure in upsetting travellers and their animals. After nightfall he would hide behind hedges, then appear suddenly in a rush in the road to spook horses, or tip wagons loaded with goods. He would send the cattle stampeding into the river, and tip up churns in the dairy, leaving nothing for the farmer in the morning. It was as if he wanted to see the town brought to ruin, and it was working. After a time, people were too scared of Black Vaughan to come to Kington to market. Trade dwindled, and the people were afraid that the market would have to be closed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For a small rural community, such a situation was disastrous, and after Black Vaughan charged into St. Mary\u2019s church in the form of a large Hereford bull, the villagers decided that enough was enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A small group of farmers travelled into Wales to seek out a wise man that dwelt in the mountains. After hearing of what they were suffering, the old and weathered man exclaimed, \u201cAh, this be a wicked spirit, and you will get no peace from him \u2018til you lay him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The wise man then described the method that must be used in the ritual to lay the ghost:
\u201cIt isn\u2019t easy. But you must get twelve parsons, good ones and stout-hearted ones, and let them take with them a woman and an innocent baby, and let them read him down. He\u2019s a big spirit now, and I can see that he\u2019s getting bigger; but if you read to him from the Bible and pray steadily against him you\u2019ll read him down. No use dropping the book as your parson did the other day, and getting under the chair or bed. You must keep at him, and then you\u2019ll read him down and down and down \u2018til you can get him into a snuffbox. Then catch hold of him and you\u2019ll be able to bury him like a mouse.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The men returned to Kington with their news, and one autumn night, twelve parsons gathered with a candle at the church. Lighting their candles, they stood dressed in their white surplices in a wide ring in the centre of the church. A small silver snuff box was placed directly in the centre. On the outside of the ring was a woman with an infant baby, born only the day before. Many curious townsfolk also were gathered, to see what would come to pass. The quiet was broken only by the burbling coos of the child, and then with candles in left hand, and Bibles in right, the parsons began.<\/p>
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