The Borley Nun

The most famous ghost of Borley Rectory was the spectral nun who walked the grounds. According to legend, she was a nun who eloped with a monk and was bricked up alive in punishment. Her ghost has been seen for over a century.

The Legend

The story tells of a medieval convent where a nun fell in love with a monk from nearby Bures. They attempted to elope but were caught. He was hanged; she was bricked up in the convent walls to die.

The Sightings

The nun appeared walking the “Nun’s Walk,” a path along the edge of the rectory garden. She was seen most often at dusk, a dark figure moving slowly with bowed head. Multiple witnesses over decades reported her.

The Investigation

Harry Price investigated the nun sightings extensively. During a séance, a spirit claiming to be the nun revealed she was named Marie Lairre and was murdered in 1667. Human bones were later found beneath the rectory.

The Bones

In 1943, during demolition of the fire-damaged rectory, human remains were discovered. They appeared to be those of a young woman. Were these the nun’s bones? They were given a proper Christian burial.

Assessment

The Borley nun combines legend, apparition, and physical evidence. Whether the bones belonged to Marie Lairre or someone else, a spectral nun was seen by too many witnesses to dismiss.