The year is 1893, in the reign of the great Queen Victoria. In York, a city most haunted, notorious ghost hunter Professor Matthias Jeremiah Braithwaite has gone missing. His diary, documenting his exploration of the city in search of paranormal activity, has been discovered. Could this explain the mystery of his disappearance?
“I have been informed of a series of events of grave significance involving curious happenings of most malicious and threatening intent, in the old North facing gateway to the City. Reports of doors being blocked or slammed - in one instance crushing a young man’s hand causing fingers to break; of lamps being smashed and objects placed in such a way as to cause injury; of sightings of a diminutive white form, scurrying underfoot, causing persons to lose their footing.
I conversed with a willowy young gentleman, with a bandaged hand, so badly bruised that he winced in pain with every movement and I bade him leave no detail unsaid.
“On a pleasant early - evening stroll around the Northern parts of these Walls I planned to sit and smoke a pipe of my favourite tobacco. At the Monk Bar stair, as I tipped my hat to two young ladies, a small, white being dashed beneath my feet and caused me to stumble, only saving myself from injury by grasping the doorframe. This door slammed upon my hand, as though moved by a gust of wind, although the night was still. I did spy a white being behind the door similar to that glimpsed beneath my feet just moments before, but much larger in size. There was an eerie sound of laughter but no footstep was heard.”
Determined to investigate further, I waited with my clockwork lantern. The first apparition was small, resembling a dog, with a white shroud suspended a few inches in the air. Behind the door I sighted a second ghostly figure, sizeable and burly, with an arrow protruding from its upper part. The hem of its shroud appeared to change colour with a pattern of reds, greens and yellows. In an instant they vanished, as if aware that I observed. An ominous feeling of a presence watching from afar made my skin crawl with fear and a chill of unease swept over me.
Upon studying the history of Monk Bar, I learned of the “Scot Knocker.” Surveillance from this watchtower ensured no undesirable visitor might gain entry and any Scot, vagabond or other rascal was required to use the knocker to enter the city. A deposit was requested and permission granted to visit a single establishment, due to the damage they reputedly caused. Distrust of Scots dated back to the days of that scoundrel William Wallace, who, although never invading the city, did attempt to lure out its leaders to pay ransoms for Northumbrian nobles taken hostage, in a ruse to kill them. A decree was thus passed, which to my knowledge is still in place, allowing any Scot to be shot on sight with a crossbow.
I can only assume the figure I saw was that of an unfortunate Scot who had fallen foul of this law and was now exacting his revenge. Henceforth I shall call him “Douglas” and his blue-collared dog, “Dash” - which seems to appropriately describe the manner in which he moves at such speed. Although dogs are clearly prohibited from the bar walls, these rebellious spirits seem determined to cause havoc.”
The image is available in four formats:
Monochrome - a black & white print in a black mount
Colour - a colour print in a black mount
Enchanted Edition - a larger mounted print where the ghostly images glow under black light
Enchanted Limited Edition - a larger mounted print where the ghosts and many other background details illuminate under black light. The mount is hand signed by the artist and numbered from an edition of 1893 - the year of the Professor's disappearance!
The UV details are hand painted onto the print - each image will be slightly different. A black light torch/ UV lamp (readily available from many suppliers) is required to view the ghostly glow - a regular torch will not work.
In his diary, the Professor recorded the discovery of the ghostly glow with his magic lamp. The diary entry, printed on aged parchment effect paper, is included with each artwork.
"What Devilry is this? My sketches and impressions of these unworldly beings have been enchanted by some form of witchcraft. It seems a ghoulish hand has been at work mimicking my own and changing the very nature of my picture. Viewed using a strange light purchased on my adventures in the Far East, an unnatural glow emanates from the very soul of the spirit I have drawn. It is my belief that this light will let me see into this world of spirits beyond our own - it will require much further study and experimentation.”
Would you like your picture framing? Our favourite frame choices for this picture are Small Linear Black and Wide Distressed Black. The prints are framed on demand in the gallery's workshop - if the print is in stock, we can frame it! Do contact the gallery if you need help with framing, as we stock many other frames.
© The Artist
