And what is as yet unexplain'd, and to myself the Argument of some Horrid and Artfull Designe in the Perpetrators of this Barbarous Murther, was this, that the Women which were entrusted with the laying-out of the Corpse and washing it, being both sad Persons and very well Respected in their Mournfull Profession, came to me in a great Pain and Distress both of Mind and Body, saying, what was indeed confirmed upon the first View, that they had no sooner touch'd the Breast of the Corpse with their naked Hands than they were sensible of a more than ordinary violent Smart and Acheing in their Palms, which, with their whole Forearms, in no long time swell'd so immoderately, the Pain still continuing, that, as afterwards proved, during many weeks they were forc'd to lay by the exercise of their Calling; and yet no mark seen on the Skin. He had some talk upon the matter with the Vicar of his parish, with whom he travelled home after the assize business was over. Directed by Lawrence Gordon Clark. So much you have guessed. This collection features dramatisations of 12 of his most popular stories: For this end of the house was one which the alterations had barely touched, grown up as it was with the great ash-tree, and being otherwise concealed from view. It is never a squirrel? James' excellent ghost story 'The Ash-Tree'. And you, Mrs Chiddock, as I said, be about airing this chamber . 'Oh, Sir Richard, but no one has slept there these forty years. The reader must judge for himself. Those who are interested in the details will find a statistical account in a letter to the Gentleman's Magazine of 1772, which draws the facts from the Baronet's own papers. James aligns this story’s conflict by taking readers back to periods long gone, when witch hunting seemed more recreational than legally forbidden. And I taking it up - not without a Tear duly paid to him which from the Study of this poorer Adumbration was now pass'd to the contemplation of its great Originall - it came into my Thoughts, as at such moments of Helplessness we are prone to catch at any the least Glimmer that makes promise of Light, to make trial of that old and by many accounted Superstitious Practice of drawing the Sortes: of which a Principall Instance, in the case of his late Sacred Majesty the Blessed Martyr King Charles and my Lord Falkland, was now much talked of. They will all be in their nests by now.'. I wish to have one of these houses, and enough money to keep it together and entertain my friends in it modestly. M. R. James (story) David Rudkin (adaptation) Original air date: 23 December 1975: Episode chronology ← Previous "The Treasure of Abbot Thomas" Next → "The Signalman" It was adapted in 1975 by David Rudkin as "The Ash Tree", and was part of the BBC's A Ghost Story for Christmas strand. 'The Stalls of Barchester', 'The Ash Tree', 'Number … 'Well, Sir Richard,' she said, 'you know that there is but one room like that in the house.' The only incident that struck Mr. Crome way this: they were in sight of the ash-tree which I described as growing near the windows of the building, when Sir Matthew stopped and said: If I'm not mistaken, The Ash Tree is the only MR James story dealing with witchcraft. I must needs admit that by my Trial not much Assistance was afforded me: yet, as the Cause and Origin of these Dreadful Events may hereafter be search'd out, I set down the Results, in the case it may be found that they pointed the true Quarter of the Mischief to a quicker Intelligence than my own. ' The incident revived for a time all the stories of witch-trials and of the exploits of the witches, dormant for forty years, and Sir Richard's orders that the coffin should be burnt were thought by a good many to be rather foolhardy, though they were duly carried out. . The only evidence of her witchcraft are eyewitness accounts by Sir Matthew Fell, the owner of a local seat named Castringham. M.R. James grew up in Great Livermere and it is widely believed to be the inspiration for Castringham, the setting of ‘The Ash-tree’. This edition is superbly narrated by David Suchet. Mrs Mothersole was her name, and she differed from the ordinary run of village witches only in being rather better off and in a more influential position. [1] It was first broadcast on 23 December 1975 at 11.35pm. It was watching something inside the tree with great interest. I like the library, too, where you may find anything from a Psalter of the thirteenth century to a Shakespeare quarto. James was born in Kent at Goodnestone House and his stories are inspired by the rural landscapes, haunted idyls and uncanny folklore of the area. 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