Lapford

The village is said to be haunted by the spirit of the Vicar John Arundel Radford (1799 – 1867), who murdered his curate in the 1860s but was not punished for the crime as the jury consisted of his parishoners.  It is also said that in 1835 he was arrested for the murder of Jonathon May, a farmer from Moretonhampstead, though the Rev apparently gave a  false name to the magistrate.

Described as a ruffian, Radford was declared bankrupt in 1840, attacked a turnpike gatekeeper with a knife in 1846 and jailed for a month in 1855 for assaulting the Parish Constable.

When he died his body was not buried in the church chancel as he requested, but outside the vestry door. His spirit is still said to wander around the village.

According to Wikipedia, ‘Lapford is also said to be haunted by the spirit of the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket. On the anniversary of his murder he is said to gallop through the village on horseback on his way to confront Sir William de Tracey, of nearby Nymet Tracy, for his part in the brutal murder.’

Directions: Off the A377.