Old Rectory, Epworth

The Old Rectory in Epworth, Lincolnshire is a Queen Anne-style building, rebuilt in 1709, which has been restored and is now the property of the Methodist Church of Great Britain, who maintain it as a museum.

In Mrs Wesley's words, "there was such a noise in the room over our heads, as if several people were walking, then running up and down stairs that we thought the children would be frightened".

According to the tale, as she and her husband searched the house in vain for the culprit, "Old Jeffrey" continued "rattling and thundering in every room, and even blowing an invisible horn at deafening decibels".

According to Bruce, the original records from the 18th century reduce the "haunting" to nothing more than some alleged creaking noises, knocks, footsteps or groaning sounds.

Bruce commented that "we are, therefore, justified in believing that in this case, like so many others of its kind, the fallibility of human memory has played an overwhelming part in exaggerating the experiences actually undergone."