Old Mother Leakey of Minehead
Minehead forms the backdrop to a curious tale involving scandal and the supernatural.
On her deathbed a widow named Susan Leakey claimed she would return ‘in the devil’s likeness’, the reasoning behind this bizarre utterance remains unclear.
She died in 1634 and was buried in St Michael’s churchyard, although that wasn’t the last her family – or indeed the town of Minehead – would hear of Old Mother Leakey.
Various members of the Leakey clan are said to have witnessed her ghost, including her daughter-in-law Elizabeth, of whom she materialized before to communicate a message from beyond the grave.
Elizabeth was married to Susan Leakey’s son, Alexander, who was a shipping merchant.
It is said that the mischievous ghost would ‘whistle up a storm’ when one of Alexander’s ships arrived at Minehead harbour. Mother Leakey’s activities grew to such a pitch Charles I ordered the Bishop of Bath and Wells to investigate.
Mother Leakey’s message to her daughter-in-law supposedly concerned John Atherton, the Bishop of Waterford and Lismore, and the husband of her daughter Joan.
Apparently the Whistling Ghost was aware of an affair Atherton (now living in Ireland) had had with another of her daughters, and desired him to repent
However some time later Atherton was arrested for sodomy and hanged in Dublin on 5th December 1640.
The pamphlet which details the bishop’s execution references Mother Leakey’s ghost, who is still said to haunt Minehead to this day.
Her house is now a teashop.
Credit- Ben Harry Wright & Luxurious Nomad (Photo)
