Borley Rectory anecdote and letter from Rev. Henning

The Dennis Wheatley Library of the Occult

The following anecdote was written by Wheatley on the inside of the front
cover of 'Haunted Borley' by Reverend A.C. Henning, Rector of Borley cum
Liston.
Wheatley repeats this anecdote in his introduction to 'Harry Price: Biography
of a Ghost Hunter' by Paul Tabori, number 7 in the series.
I believe, however, that Wheatley is mistaken in his assertion that the
photograph mentioned was never published.

Also, slipped into the book is a three page letter from Henning to Wheatley
which I have included.

'Kenneth Allsop, the book reviewer of the Daily Mail, told me that when Borley was in the news he was sent down to do an article on it, and with him he took a photographer. Borley was then being debunked so that had to be the tone of the article. But, when the photographer developed his photos, the figure of a nun could be quite clearly seen on one of them. He took it to Allsop, who took it to his editor, but the editor said No, I just darent print it.

Rev. Henning's Letter to Wheatley

Lyston Rectory
Sudbury
Suffolk

Nov 15

Dear Mr Wheatley,

Thank you for your letter. It is most kind of you to write to me. I enclose my modest contribution to the Borley Mystery.

So much had been written about Borley that I felt that something should be said about the church - village as well as the hauntings.

So much has happened since that I am endeavouring to write a much enlarged edition of the book. I do not know if any publisher is likely to accept it. I cannot call myself a writer but having been in such close contact with the strange things at Borley I feel these should be put on record and published if possible.

Though I have not seen the nun myself I am convinced she has been seen. I know the Misses Bull well and they saw her in the garden in daylight many years ago. She was seen as recently as 1949 by a local doctor who told me about the incident himself. He was driving past the rectory site on a warm July afternoon and saw a nun in the road. He thought nothing of it at first but, suddenly recalling the Borley story, he backed his car quickly down the hill. The nun vanished in front of his eyes.

I also know Mr. Cooper well. He was coachman to the Bull family at the rectory. He not only saw the nun but the phantom coach coming across the fields by the church. This coach has been heard by others but not seen.

Mrs. Henning and I wonder if the restoration of the stone altar has anything to do with the church haunting? It was after the altar had been moved that the organ music, steps etc. were heard.

Yours very sincerely

A.C. Henning