To find the origins of the story of the Drummer, famed for his connection with Tedworth, now known as Tidworth in Wiltshire, we have to go back to 1661. To reasearch the story fully however we have to refer to a book entitled "Saducismus Triumphatus." This simply means the triumph over saducism which implies the denial of an afterlife. (The Saducees, a Jewish sect in strict denial of life after death.) This book, written by Joseph Glanville and published posthumously in 1681, takes a look at witchcraft.
The story of the Drummer is the story of what some described as a poltergeist and a particularly mischievious one at that. In 1661 John Mompesson, a Justice of the Peace and living in Tedworth, had to deal with a man named Drury, an ex-drummer in the army of Oliver Cromwell. He was accused of demanding money under false pretences using a "pass" bearing the signature of Colonel Ayliff of Gretenham. Mompesson refused to believe the story, doubted the authenticity of the signature and declared the document to be a forgery.
As a reward for his attempted deceipt, the drum belonging to Drury was confiscated and taken to Mompesson's house for safe keeping. Drury was "sent on his way" escaping any form of arrest or imprisonment.
On his return, Mompesson's wife told him of the terrible happenings that had occured during his absence. The family had been frightened by strange noises in the night, which she attributed to burglars, though nothing was missing. A couple of nights later Mompesson was woken by a loud knocking at a door. He took a pistol, opened the door but found no-one there. The noise then moved to another door. Again no-one was to be seen. At the same time as the knocking, the sound of drumming could be heard apparently coming from the roof of the house. From that night on, the sound came just after the household retired for the night. Regardless of the time they retired, early or late, the drumming began.
It was just a matter of a few weeks when the noises started to come from inside the house. This time the sound came from the room in which the drum was stored. Night after night the drumming was heard around the house, with the noise lasting for up to two hours each time. As if this was not inconvenience enough, the poltergeist became physically apparrent in as much that it started banging doors, making scratching noises on the floor under the childrens beds, shaking and moving beds as well as throwing shoes into the air.
In January 1662, the poltergeist became vocal! It was capable of singing, and screaming the phrase "A witch, a witch, I am a witch," over and over. Mompesson decided to engage a man of the Church to help find the cause and get rid of the poltergeist. The Reverend Joseph Glanville set up an investigation. The poltergeist became most co-operative at this point, making it quite clear that it was there to stay.
While all this was going on, Drury found himself in Gloucester Gaol, following a charge of theft being proven against him. Mompesson had him questioned about the happenings back in Tedworth. Drury readily admitted to cursing him for taking his drum. This did not please the Justice of the Peace, who had him tried for withcraft at Sarum. The sentence was that Drury be sentenced to transportation to the English Colonies. I can find no reference to whether this solved the problem, but I can only assume it did.
Moving forward to 1841, Charles Mackay published his work, "Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds." In it he suggests the tale of the drummer was nothing more than an elaborate hoax, dreamed up by Mompesson in order to make money. The story of the drummer went on to become a point of conflict between Restoration Science and Superstition.
In closing, I refer to what was described as an appearance of The Drummer in America in 1730. A report in The Pensylvania Gazette told of two Reverends who had experienced similar problems to those in Tedworth, desribed as being "not a whit less obstrepreous than the Tedsworth Tympanist." The poltergeist apparently beat out such tunes as "Scots Traveller" and the "Grenadiers March." It is thought that the supposed letter from the two Reverends was actually written by Benjamin Franklin. He, as you might know, was infamous for his hoaxes.
So, what do we make of it all? Was the first story an elaborate hoax? Possibly. The second story? Probably.
To believe or not to believe-I leave that entirely up to you!!
The story of the Drummer is the story of what some described as a poltergeist and a particularly mischievious one at that. In 1661 John Mompesson, a Justice of the Peace and living in Tedworth, had to deal with a man named Drury, an ex-drummer in the army of Oliver Cromwell. He was accused of demanding money under false pretences using a "pass" bearing the signature of Colonel Ayliff of Gretenham. Mompesson refused to believe the story, doubted the authenticity of the signature and declared the document to be a forgery.
As a reward for his attempted deceipt, the drum belonging to Drury was confiscated and taken to Mompesson's house for safe keeping. Drury was "sent on his way" escaping any form of arrest or imprisonment.
On his return, Mompesson's wife told him of the terrible happenings that had occured during his absence. The family had been frightened by strange noises in the night, which she attributed to burglars, though nothing was missing. A couple of nights later Mompesson was woken by a loud knocking at a door. He took a pistol, opened the door but found no-one there. The noise then moved to another door. Again no-one was to be seen. At the same time as the knocking, the sound of drumming could be heard apparently coming from the roof of the house. From that night on, the sound came just after the household retired for the night. Regardless of the time they retired, early or late, the drumming began.
It was just a matter of a few weeks when the noises started to come from inside the house. This time the sound came from the room in which the drum was stored. Night after night the drumming was heard around the house, with the noise lasting for up to two hours each time. As if this was not inconvenience enough, the poltergeist became physically apparrent in as much that it started banging doors, making scratching noises on the floor under the childrens beds, shaking and moving beds as well as throwing shoes into the air.
In January 1662, the poltergeist became vocal! It was capable of singing, and screaming the phrase "A witch, a witch, I am a witch," over and over. Mompesson decided to engage a man of the Church to help find the cause and get rid of the poltergeist. The Reverend Joseph Glanville set up an investigation. The poltergeist became most co-operative at this point, making it quite clear that it was there to stay.
While all this was going on, Drury found himself in Gloucester Gaol, following a charge of theft being proven against him. Mompesson had him questioned about the happenings back in Tedworth. Drury readily admitted to cursing him for taking his drum. This did not please the Justice of the Peace, who had him tried for withcraft at Sarum. The sentence was that Drury be sentenced to transportation to the English Colonies. I can find no reference to whether this solved the problem, but I can only assume it did.
Moving forward to 1841, Charles Mackay published his work, "Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds." In it he suggests the tale of the drummer was nothing more than an elaborate hoax, dreamed up by Mompesson in order to make money. The story of the drummer went on to become a point of conflict between Restoration Science and Superstition.
In closing, I refer to what was described as an appearance of The Drummer in America in 1730. A report in The Pensylvania Gazette told of two Reverends who had experienced similar problems to those in Tedworth, desribed as being "not a whit less obstrepreous than the Tedsworth Tympanist." The poltergeist apparently beat out such tunes as "Scots Traveller" and the "Grenadiers March." It is thought that the supposed letter from the two Reverends was actually written by Benjamin Franklin. He, as you might know, was infamous for his hoaxes.
So, what do we make of it all? Was the first story an elaborate hoax? Possibly. The second story? Probably.
To believe or not to believe-I leave that entirely up to you!!
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