Description: This photograph of the Combermere Abbey library was taken in 1891 by
Sybell Corbet. The figure of a man can faintly be seen sitting in
the chair to the left. His head, collar and right arm on the armrest
are clearly discernable. It is believed to be the ghost of Lord
Combermere. Lord Combermere was a British cavalry commander in the
early 1800s, who distinguished himself in several military
campaigns. Combermere Abbey, located in Cheshire, England, was
founded by Benedictine monks in 1133. In 1540, King Henry VII kicked
out the Benedictines, and the Abbey later became the Seat of Sir
George Cotton KT, Vice Chamberlain to the household of Prince
Edward, son of Henry VIII. In 1814, Sir Stapleton Cotton, a
descendent of Sir George, took the Lord Combermere and in 1817
became became the Governor of Barbados. Today the Abbey is a tourist
attraction and hotel. Lord Combermere died in 1891, having been
struck and killed by a horse-drawn carriage. At the time Sybell
Corbet took the above photo, Combermeres funeral was taking place
some four miles away. The photographic exposure, Corbet recorded,
took about an hour. It is thought by some that during that time a
servant might have come into the room and sat briefly in the chair,
creating the transparent image. This idea was refuted by members of
the household, however, testifying that all were attending Lord
Combermeres funeral. Interesting side note Lord Combermere is
connected to another well-known paranormal story the famous Moving
Coffins of Barbados. The coffins inside the sealed vault of the
Chase family are said to have been moved about by unnatural forces.
The heavy coffins were repeatedly put in proper order, but often
when a new coffin was added to the vault, the coffins were found
strewn about. Lord Combermere, while governor of Barbados, had
ordered a professional investigation of the mystery.
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