The Cage
The Cage is a former village lockup where drunks and villains would be kept overnight. It is claimed that Ursula Kempe was detained here in 1582 whilst being interrogated over false accusations of witchcraft. We know of no evidence to support this, but she certainly was interrogated at St Clere's Hall. Ursula was hanged in Chelmsford together with another St Osyth woman Elizabeth Bennett.
The building has been reconstructed and has had an extra floor added.
The Cage was recently sold and the estate agent described it as “one of the most notorious and well-documented haunted 16th Century cottages in Britain”. It has certainly featured on television programmes and has been visited by ghost hunters from across the world.
The previous owner claims she was forced out by paranormal activity. She was pushed over by spirits while pregnant and spanked on the bottom by a ghost. She has written a book on her experiences called The Spirit of the Cage.
