THE GREY LADY - FACT OR FICTION? One of the most popular ghost
stories connected with Bury St. Edmunds is that of the 'Grey Lady', supposedly the ghost of a 15th century nun by
the name of Maude Carew. The story goes that Maude, a friend of Henry VI's wife, Queen Margaret, had retired from life
at the royal court and had decided to become a nun at a priory near Bury. In 1447, Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, was
being held prisoner in Bury, after being arrested for treason. Various stories are told about what happened next, but it appears
that Maude got involved in a plot to assassinate the Duke. By means of a poison that could kill on contact, she disposed
of the Duke, but managed to poison herself at the same time, and followed the Duke to the grave. A monk who Maude was apparently
close to, Brother Bernard, cursed her to walk in the churchyard for all time because of what she had done. And since
that day, she is supposed to haunt the area around the Abbey at 11pm on the 24th February. This certainly makes for an interesting
story, but is any of it true? Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester was imprisoned in Bury St. Edmunds and died on 23rd
February 1447, but there is no definite evidence that he did not die a natural death. Reading various accounts of his
death mention him dying in suspicious circumstances, others that he just fell sick. There were rumours of foul play
at the time, but also that his health was in a bad way and that perhaps the shock of his arrest had taken its toll. We must
remember that in the 15th century, not many people lived to a ripe old age (Humphrey was in his mid-fifties, so had done quite
well). Being used to a life of luxury and then finding yourself on trial for treason, with the prospect of a gruesome
execution, would not leave many people feeling on top of the world. Perhaps he was murdered. Anybody who could cause
problems for another at this time in history could be removed rather quickly. Someone could always be found to dispose of
a troublemaker. But would you get a nun to do it with some deadly poison? Well, perhaps not, because the tale of Maude Carew
may indeed be fictitious. A lady by the name of Margaretta Greene published a short novel in the 1860's that told
the story of Maude Carew. This work of fiction seems to have been taken as a true historical account of the happenings
in Bury back in 1447 and has got mixed up with the known facts surrounding Humphrey's imprisonment. So it looks like we
may not have a name for the ghost of the Grey Lady seen wandering in the houses built into the ruined west front of the
Abbey church, or in the churchyard, or on the Angel Hill or, for that matter, in a few other locations within the town.
There is no proof either that it is the same ghost that is seen in all these locations. One sighting of the Grey Lady
has reported her as wearing clothes more in common with the 18th century, not the 15th. Could Bury St. Edmunds be haunted
by half a dozen different Grey Lady ghosts? Please let B.P.R.G. know if you see one of them!!!
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