The reasons for William Penfound's murder in December 1356 are not clear, but the Bishop of Exeter made a full account of what actually happened: "Certain satellites of Satan, names unknown, on the Feast of St John the Apostle - which makes the crime worse - broke into the Parish Church of Poundstock within our Diocese with a host of armed men, during Mass, and before Mass was scarcely completed they furiously entered the Chancel and with swords and staves cut down William Penfound, clerk. Vestments and other Church Ornaments were desecrated with human blood in contempt of the Creator, in contempt of the Church, to the subversion of ecclesiastical liberty and the disturbance of the peace of the realm. Where will we be safe from crime if the Holy Church, our Mother, the House of God and the Gateway to Heaven is thus deprived of its sanctity…"No-one was ever brought to justice for William's murder, and his ghost has been seen from that day, going into and out of St Neot's Church, moving around the graveyard, and standing by the church altar; possibly repeating his workday routine as he did in life. He has also been seen going home to Penfound Manor, where the Penfound family continued to live for another 400 years.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
ST NEOTS CHURCH
The reasons for William Penfound's murder in December 1356 are not clear, but the Bishop of Exeter made a full account of what actually happened: "Certain satellites of Satan, names unknown, on the Feast of St John the Apostle - which makes the crime worse - broke into the Parish Church of Poundstock within our Diocese with a host of armed men, during Mass, and before Mass was scarcely completed they furiously entered the Chancel and with swords and staves cut down William Penfound, clerk. Vestments and other Church Ornaments were desecrated with human blood in contempt of the Creator, in contempt of the Church, to the subversion of ecclesiastical liberty and the disturbance of the peace of the realm. Where will we be safe from crime if the Holy Church, our Mother, the House of God and the Gateway to Heaven is thus deprived of its sanctity…"No-one was ever brought to justice for William's murder, and his ghost has been seen from that day, going into and out of St Neot's Church, moving around the graveyard, and standing by the church altar; possibly repeating his workday routine as he did in life. He has also been seen going home to Penfound Manor, where the Penfound family continued to live for another 400 years.
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