Little is known of the history of this location, Aspire paranormal location researchers are doing their best to find the background of this location…..which includes what happened to the Hall itself.

After much hard searching Aspire`s Yvonne Handley has found details of the history of Causton Hall.

( see above photos )

The name of Causton’s Hall has been part of Little Cornard for nearly 700 years. During the reign of Edward II, in the early 1300s, the manor was held by a tenant named Walter Caxton, from whom the name of the property derived. The land was actually owned by the lord of the manor - John Pecock – although he never lived there, alternating instead between his property in St Albans and the larger manor house adjacent to the church on the site of the Georgian building now known as Peacock Hall.

By 1354, Walter Caxton had died and the manor passed to Sir Thomas de Grey, part of the dowry of his wife: local heiress, Alice de Cornard. Caxton’s (the name of which gradually changed over the years to become Causton’s) remained in the de Grey family for the next six centuries, until they finally sold the estate to local farmer, Eglington Francis, in 1925. When he died 30 years later, he bequeathed the entire estate to the Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, a charity that still owns the farm today.

Although presumably there was a medieval manor house, the first building for which we have direct evidence dates from the 16th century. It remained a functioning farmhouse right up until the 1960s. Sadly, however, in later years it fell into disrepair, after the death of its last inhabitant, and it was finally demolished in 1968. Only a few traces of the garden walls survive today, hidden in a small copse of trees. A number of Victorian stables and barns still exist, however, although they are surrounded by more recent and less attractive!) sheet steel buildings. These stables were built in 1844, after the old thatched barn on the site fell victim to an arson attack. The perpetrator – local teenager James Micklefield – was transported to Norfolk Island for his crime, where he died soon after arrival.

Although the building has gone, Causton’s Hall farm remains a central part of Little Cornard, its 1,200 acres occupying around two thirds of the parish. A 1970’s farmhouse of the same name occupies a site several hundred yards away.

Mark

Vikki

Von

Brian

Cath

Camcorder – with night vision capability

Digital Cameras

Environment Meters

Laser Thermometers

Torches

Dictaphone (Analogue & Digital)

During the weekend of the 23^rd February 2008 members of the Aspire Paranormal attended Cawston Hall, Little Cornard, Suffolk

Team Members Present

Mark

Vikki

22:30hrs Vigil Started.

23:15 Vigil finished with nothing interesting to report.

Team Members Present

Mark

Vikki

23:45hrs Vigil Started.

00:15hrs Vigil finished with nothing interesting to report.

Team Members Present

Mark

Vikki

00:40hrs Vigil Started.

The sound of horses galloping on hard ground was heard by both team members for a few seconds….the land owners horses were locked in the stable all night.

01:10hrs Vigil finished

Team Members Present

Von

Cath

Brian

22:30hrs Vigil Started.

22:45 A strange noise was recorded on Von Dictaphone

23:15 Vigil finished

Team Members Present

Von

Cath

Brian

23:45hrs Vigil Started.

11:50 A loud noise from fertilizer bags area was heard by all team members…..possible chance of it being a rat.

00:15 A noise like paper being blown across the farmyard was hard by all team members….but nothing could be seen.

00:15hrs Vigil finished with nothing interesting to report.

Team Members Present

Von

Cath

Brian

00:40hrs Vigil Started.

01:10hrs Vigil finished with nothing interesting to report.

Team Members Present

Mark

Vikki

Von

Cath

Brian

01:20hrs Vigil Started.

01:40 Von had a strange butterfly feeling in the second room

02:00hrs Vigil finished

Conclusion

Although the investigation was quiet and nothing paranormal was reported, team members present thoroughly enjoyed their time there and would definitely like to attend another investigation at this location. Many thanks go to Peter Schwind for the access to this great location.