Madam Crowl's Ghost and the Dead Sexton

In Short

These two linked ghost stories masterfully exploit the atmosphere of remote, tradition-bound village life. The first tale explores the haunting memories of a woman who served a cruel, bedridden mistress, while the second centers on a sinister stranger who arrives in a town to claim the body of a fallen sexton. By grounding supernatural horror in the tangible details of old inns, churchyards, and decaying manor houses, the writing creates a sense of lingering, ancestral dread. These stories endure because they treat the ghost not merely as a jump-scare, but as the physical manifestation of past sins.

The Story

In the first narrative, an elderly woman named Mrs. Jolliffe recalls her youth as a servant at Applewale House, a grand, gloomy estate. She arrives as a young girl to attend to Madam Crowl, a woman of ninety-three who has long since descended into madness. The household is governed by a stern aunt and a cold maid, Mrs. Wyvern, who treat the elderly, bedridden woman with a mixture of professional care and guarded anxiety. The atmosphere is thick with prohibitions; the young narrator is warned to keep the old woman out of mischief and to never ask questions about the household’s history.

As the girl settles into her duties, she begins to hear strange, bleating sounds from the bedroom. One night, the old woman suddenly rises from her bed with an unnatural, wire-like agility, cornering the girl and accusing her of spreading rumors about the murder of a boy. Though the girl denies it, the terror of the encounter leaves a permanent mark on her psyche. After Madam Crowl eventually dies and is buried in the church vault, the narrator’s curiosity and fear collide when she witnesses a ghostly apparition—an old woman holding a brass-handled key. She reports this to the new squire, who finds the key in a hidden recess. When they pry open the space, they discover the skeletal remains of a child and a collection of personal items, confirming that the "beldame" had indeed murdered a boy decades earlier.

The second story shifts to the town of Golden Friars, where Toby Crooke, a man who returned to his village after a mysterious twelve-year absence, dies in a gruesome accident. Attempting to rob the church, he is crushed by a falling bell. The townspeople, already suspicious of his unsavory past, lock his corpse in the inn’s coach-house to await the coroner. A tall, sinister stranger arrives on a black horse, seemingly mocking the dead man’s memory and treating the townspeople to drinks while speaking in a piercing, ominous voice. The innkeeper and his hostler, terrified by the stranger’s connection to the dead man, witness a nightmare scene: the coach-house door swings open, and the stranger retrieves the corpse, slinging it across his horse and riding off into the night. A desperate attempt to shoot the rider results in the firearm exploding, leaving the witnesses shaken and the mystery of the body’s fate unsolved, hinting at a dark, vampiric pact between the stranger and the deceased villain.

How It Unfolds

The Arrival at Applewale The young narrator travels to a remote, imposing manor to serve an elderly, senile woman. She is immediately struck by the house’s dark atmosphere and the strict, secretive behavior of her aunt and the other servants.

The Spectral Confrontation While left alone, the narrator witnesses the bedridden Madam Crowl exhibit a terrifying, unnatural vitality. The old woman corners her and reveals the secret of a long-past crime, shattering the girl’s peace of mind.

The Discovery of the Bones Following the death of Madam Crowl, the narrator experiences a haunting visitation that leads to the finding of a hidden key. This key unlocks a sealed compartment containing the remains of a child, validating the old woman’s guilt.

The Sexton’s Fatal Greed In a new setting, the local sexton attempts to steal church plate but is killed by a falling bell. His body is secured in a coach-house, becoming the focus of the town’s morbid curiosity.

The Stranger’s Arrival A gaunt, commanding rider appears at the inn, demonstrating an uncanny knowledge of the dead sexton. He exerts a strange power over the witnesses, leading them into a state of paralyzed terror.

The Abduction of the Corpse The stranger enters the locked coach-house, reclaiming the sexton's body with unnatural ease. Despite a violent attempt to stop him, he vanishes into the night, leaving behind only questions and a lingering sense of demonic influence.

The People

Mrs. Jolliffe (the narrator) starts as an innocent, frightened girl whose life is marked by her encounter with the malevolence of the past. She survives by maintaining her distance from the dark secrets of Applewale House, eventually finding peace in her old age.

Madam Crowl is the embodiment of ancient, festering evil. Despite her physical frailty and advanced age, she retains a sharp, predatory malice, literally rising from her deathbed to menace the girl who stumbles upon her secret.

Toby Crooke is the "prodigal son" whose reformation is a hollow mask. Driven by greed to the very end, his attempt to loot his own church serves as the catalyst for his violent and humiliating death.

The Stranger is the most enigmatic figure in the collection. He carries the air of a supernatural agent, possessing an unnatural authority over the living and a dark, possessive interest in the remains of the dead, effectively acting as a harbinger of doom.

In Its Own Voice

Describing the unsettling, almost mechanical movement of the elderly and deranged Madam Crowl:

"And she came clatterin' after like a thing on wires, with her fingers pointing to my throat, and she makin' all the time a sound with her tongue like zizz-zizz-zizz."

Reflecting on the grim reality of the house’s history, as the narrator recalls the hidden fate of the murdered boy:

"It was the poor little boy that was missing sa lang sen, that was shut up to die thar in the dark by that wicked beldame, whar his skirls, or his prayers, or his thumpin' cud na be heard."

What It's Really About

At its core, this book argues that the past is a physical entity that cannot be permanently buried. Whether through the literal bones hidden behind wainscoting or the spectral recovery of a corpse, the narrative insists that crimes against the innocent leave a permanent stain on the landscape. The stories explore the thin membrane between the domestic and the uncanny, suggesting that the "good old days" of quiet villages were often built upon foundations of hidden cruelty. The characters must contend with the unsettling truth that morality is not always rewarded, and that the dead—when fueled by malice or dark pacts—may yet exert a terrible influence on the world of the living.

Why Read It Today

Readers who appreciate the atmospheric, slow-burn tension of gothic literature will find these tales deeply satisfying. They excel at building a sense of place; the reader can practically smell the damp earth of the churchyard and the stale air of the old inn. The writing is rich with regional dialect, which provides a sense of authenticity and historical depth, though it may require a moment of adjustment for a modern reader.

The horror here is not found in modern gore but in the weight of tradition and the persistence of memory. Those who enjoy stories that feel as though they were told by a fireside on a winter night will be drawn into this world. The prose is remarkably precise, avoiding unnecessary melodrama to focus on the psychological impact of the supernatural. However, be prepared for the attitudes of the period, which are reflected in the characters' superstitions and their rigid, often cold treatment of the vulnerable. If you are looking for a classic, unsettling read that prioritizes mood and the lingering, spectral presence of human wickedness over mere shocks, this collection remains as effective and chilling as the day it was written. It stays with you, much like the sound of a bell tolling in the dark.