The Epworth Rectory Poltergeist

In 1716-1717, the Epworth Rectory, home of Samuel Wesley and his family, experienced poltergeist activity. Samuel’s son John would later found Methodism, but as a boy he witnessed the disturbances that the family called “Old Jeffrey.”

The Family

Samuel Wesley was the rector of Epworth in Lincolnshire. His wife Susanna and their many children lived in the rectory. The family was educated and initially skeptical of supernatural explanations.

The Phenomena

Activity began with knockings and groanings in December 1716. Doors opened and closed on their own. Footsteps echoed through empty rooms. The family’s mastiff cowered and whimpered at unseen presences. The activity continued for two months.

Old Jeffrey

The family named their ghost “Old Jeffrey” after someone believed to have died in the house. The spirit seemed to respond to attempts at communication, knocking in reply to questions. It particularly disliked Samuel Wesley’s prayers for King George.

The Investigation

Samuel Wesley kept detailed notes of the occurrences. Neighbors were invited to witness the phenomena. The disturbances were observed by multiple credible witnesses over the two-month period.

The End

The activity ceased as mysteriously as it began in early 1717. Old Jeffrey was never explained, though theories ranged from the ghost of an earlier resident to demonic activity caused by the family’s religious disputes.

Assessment

The Epworth case is notable for the Wesley family’s educated and methodical documentation. John Wesley later cited these childhood experiences as foundational to his belief in the supernatural, influencing his religious development.