The story of the ghost of Flitwick Manor is one that has been around Flitwick for many years. Questions such as: Is it true? How did it happen? Are they stories just lies? have been asked for many years
John Thomas Brooks was the owner of the manor back in the 1800’s who had a daughter named Mary Ann Brooks who at the age of just 26 sadly passed away according to her fathers diary. This was in 1846. Now, the wife of John Thomas Brooks outlived her husband by 20 years, she died at the age of 86 with dementia and is the lady who is believed to haunt the manor. The death of their daughter was seen to haunt the lady and she was never able to rest.
Now fast forward to the mid 1990’s and there was a major discovery. Flitwick Manor was having some major renovation work and while working on the roof one of the builders discovered a hidden room behind the roof tiles. As the builders entered they discovered a large room with a bricked up doorway which was originally accessible from the hall within Flitwick Manor. This room is believed to be the quarters of the housekeeper who both John Thomas Brooks and his wife blamed for the death of their daughter by poisoning her. Why the room was bricked up is open to opinion, no one is 100% sure, what we do know though is that this isn’t the lady who we believe haunts The Manor.
Back in 1995 the TV program called Strange But True ran a feature on it. This show interviewed reception staff and the builders who have had first hand experience of experiencing this ghost. The Flitwick Manor receptionists account is the most interesting. She was asleep at The Manor as she was working the following day. During the night she awoke to find the old lady dressed in a Victorian dress at the end of her bed, she was crying. The receptionist ran out and into the hall, by the time that she returned the ghost had gone but the lights were on (which she is adamant were not on at the time she left the room). This story has been very similar to a number of accounts over the years.
What we do know from these stories is that the ghost of Flitwick Manor is an old Victorian Lady dressed in Victorian Clothes who is clearly upset. We can take great solace in that she is harmless and if anything she is just unable to rest following her tragedy all those years ago.
