The Ghost of Anne Walker

In 1631, the ghost of Anne Walker appeared to a miller in County Durham, England, to reveal the identity of her murderers. Her testimony from beyond the grave led to their arrest and execution, in one of history’s most documented cases of ghostly justice.

The Murder

Anne Walker was a young woman who had been made pregnant by a relative of her employer. To hide the scandal, he arranged her murder. She was killed by a local man named Mark Sharp and her body hidden in a coal pit.

The Haunting

After the murder, Anne’s ghost appeared repeatedly to James Graham, a local miller. She was covered in blood from five wounds to her head. She identified her killers and described where her body was hidden.

The Reluctance

Graham initially ignored the ghost, thinking it a dream. But Anne appeared night after night, growing more insistent. She threatened to haunt him forever if he did not report what she had told him.

The Investigation

Graham finally reported the ghost’s accusations to a magistrate. A search of the coal pit discovered Anne’s body, exactly as described. The wounds matched what the ghost had shown. The accused men were arrested.

The Trial

Sharp and his employer were tried for murder. The ghostly testimony was presented as evidence. Both were convicted and hanged. The case became famous as an example of supernatural justice.

Assessment

The Anne Walker case demonstrates how ghost testimony was taken seriously in 17th-century courts. Whether genuine supernatural communication or an elaborate scheme, it resulted in what was apparently justice.