The Abbey Moor Park & The Ghost of Jonathan Swift.

I went to Farnham art school in 1968-1971, and at that time, Moor Park was used as a conference centre, available for hire, and inclusive of staff and an elderly chaplain called Dr Bird.  As you know, Moor Park was the first place Jonathan Swift worked at when he arrived in England, and he was secretary to Sir William Temple.  We had a conference there over a period of days, and - as we were warned - something strange always happened at these events.  Our one involved a sort of mass-hysteria which was amusingly disruptive.  We all blamed Dean Swift for these events afterwards.

The whole area encompassing Waverley Abbey, Stella's Cottage, Mother Ludlam's Hole, Father Foote's Hole and Moor Park is extraordinary, and I have written a fictional book (www.tjstephenson.com)  It is (imaginatively) titled 'Waverley Abbey' by Thomas J Stephenson. I have had some communication from the nice people who run the Constance Spry centre at Moor Park, and they seem to have been good custodians of the place.

Every time I am back in the area - which is infrequently - I always visit Waverley and the environs.  It is a magical place.  P.S.  I am going to snitch part of one photo of Stella's Cottage for the book - with your permission, editor!

Stephen.