The Ghost in the Gallery

Twelve-year old Meriel is far from happy with her father’s decision to rent out part of their old manor house. She resents the arrival of the new family and is determined to make them unwelcome. Finding it hard to share her feelings with her father, she instead starts to talk to a portrait of her namesake in the long gallery. Then events take an unexpected and scary turn. Is the ghost in the gallery a malevolent spirit or a figment of Meriel’s vivid imagination?

I love the garden at Upton House in Warwickshire and I was playing around with the idea of a story set there. Then, on the sort of day I love, all pouring rain and strong winds, I visited Chastleton House, near Stow-on-the-Wold. Go there! It is the most fantastic place. For generations, it was owned by the same family. They had no money so didn’t make significant alterations to the house. It is therefore very much as it was when it was built in the reign of James 1st. On the day I first visited, the Long Gallery was heaving and creaking in the wind and the whole place was very dark and atmospheric. It had just been taken over and conserved by the National Trust. I found a portrait of a girl called Meriel, I was shown the ‘secret room’, I saw the yew topiary, I viewed the attics where there is a very primitive bathroom and a collection of oddments found under the floorboards and the story began to grow. There was even a scruffy little dog called Munch!

I also wanted to write a story which took the whole supernatural thing quite seriously. I get fed up of kids’ stories which trivialise ghosts and strange happenings. I don’t want to encourage anyone to get too interested in ghosts etc as I think that can be very dangerous – I believe there are some dark forces at work in the world that it’s best not to get involved with – but I did want to write a story which explored what might be going on when someone thinks they’re being haunted.

This story hasn’t attracted any reviews. I think I’m seen as a humorous writer and this one seemed out of character – but I love it! Any passage which talks about the house, (especially the Long Gallery) the rain or the great little dog, Munch, is a big hit with me! When Meriel goes storming off in her long coat with Munch, I want to go with her! Writing this makes me want to go and read the story again! For me, there’s a real tingle factor. Hope it has the same effect on you.