A NEW television series, set to air this weekend, will feature the paranormal happenings at a former Church of Ireland rectory in Newtowncunnigham.
Entitled ‘Afeared’ the three-part programme begins on Sunday night with historian Dr David Hume and writer Darren Gibson visiting Sharon Rectory.
The BBC Two Northern Ireland series sets out to investigate the true events behind the ghost stories associated with some of Ulster’s most haunted houses.
Sharon Rectory has a dark past and was the scene of a gruesome double murder in 1797. At that time the Rectory housed Dr John Waller and his wife Sarah. Sarah Waller was murdered during a raid at the property along with family friend and vocal British sympathiser, William Hamilton who was brutally killed by the United Irishmen.
During the first episode the presenters uncover why this violent event became such a dramatic flash point in Ulster-Scots history. Using original newspaper archive from the time and the testimony of current residents, David and Darren piece together this grisly tale of mystery, murder and rebellion with some unexpected results and altogether spine-tingling revelations.
While they did not capture anything paranormal during their visit to the Newtown site the film crew did experience something unusual when their camera battery mysteriously drained down after a short time during filming.
During the second programme, David and Darren travel to Galgorm Castle to investigate the life of one of its most infamous owners – a clergyman from the 17th century named Alexander Colvill, plagued by rumours of witchcraft and devil worship. In the final programme they investigate the ghost story that is associated with Ballygally Castle on the Antrim coast and the real woman who has inspired this tale for generations – Lady Isabella Shaw.
Afeared begins on Sunday 31 January, BBC Two Northern Ireland at 10pm, and is an Alleycats TV production, made in association with the Northern Ireland Screen Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund.
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