Wed, Oct 14, 2020 @ 4:08PM ADT
Spookiest Spots and Stories in Fredericton
Characterized by crisp autumn air and the beautiful colours of the leaves, fall in Fredericton is nothing short of stunning. But, as Halloween approaches, we are here to remind you that the city’s beauty isn’t the only thing that will leave you breathless!
From buildings with a bone chilling history to stories of paranormal activity, there are certainly plenty of reasons why you may leave Fredericton with your hair raised! Whether you believe in the supernatural or not, Fredericton has some interesting stories to tell – find out more below!!
Christ Church Cathedral
History Lesson: The construction of Christ Church Cathedral finished in 1853 after 8 long years, making it one of the oldest buildings in Fredericton. Bishop John Medley, the first Bishop of Fredericton kept a watchful eye on the project until it was complete. Bishop Medley came to the city from England with his then wife, Margaret Medley, after the death of his first wife, Christiana. Throughout the construction, the Bishop was responsible for the hiring and paying of workers but ran out of money halfway through the project. He prayed for seven days and seven nights that he would be able to feed the construction workers, and on the seventh night, an envelope was slid under this door, with the exact amount of money needed to fund the rest of the construction. The only hint of who the generous donor was, were the letters “FSM” on the envelope. To this day, we still do not know what the letters mean.
Spooky Stuff: During Bishop Medley’s seven days and seven nights of prayers, his wife Margaret would bring the Bishop his meals from their house across the street. She continued this practice over the years when the Bishop worked late. It is said that her spirit lingers on, and to this day she still walks the path from their house to the Cathedral, bringing her husband supper. There have been numerous incidents of people smelling tomato soup, hearing the organ late at night, or seeing a woman in a white dress float along the grounds.
While it has always been assumed that it is the ghost of Margaret Medley, others believe that it is the ghost of the Bishop’s first wife, Christiana. She died before the Bishop moved to Fredericton, but some believe her spirit followed the Bishop to take care of her children. Whoever it may be, they make their presence known as one of the most spotted ghosts in Canada.
The Guard House Ghost
History Lesson: The Guard House, located in the Historic Garrison District, was the center of operations for all activities in the Garrison when the British Military was stationed here in Fredericton. Built in 1828, this building features an Orderly Room, a Guard Room, and a Cell Block. The Orderly Room was first occupied in 1829 by the 1st Battalion of the Rifle Brigade. The Guard Room was where members of the 12-man Main Guard were allowed to rest when they were not pacing their beat. The Cell Block was guarded by two members of the guard 24/7 to ensure that no prisoners escaped. Now, the Guard House has been restored and is open to tour in the summer months.
Spooky Stuff: Legend has it that one night, before the convenience of bridges, two of the soldiers guarding the jail decided to take a ferry to the northside of the Saint John River to have a drink. Quickly, one drink became quite a few and they lost track of time. Before they knew it, they had missed the last ferry back! Desperate to avoid punishment, the soldiers stole an old rowboat. As they paddled frantically, one soldier panicked and decided to try and swim back to the southside. In his state, he was quickly pulled underwater and never resurfaced. The other soldier made it back to shore but was punished and locked in the cell block for 2 weeks. When his punishment was over, he went to take his post but could not believe his eyes! The soldier who drowned 2 weeks ago was standing at his post! As punishment for leaving his post the first time, the Guard House Ghost now has to guard the jail for all eternity.
The Lunar Rogue
History Lesson: When you hear the name “The Lunar Rogue,” your first thought is probably of the local pub (and for good reason!). However, Henry Moon, a charming man who lied and cheated his way across New Brunswick over 200 years ago, was known for more than good food and drinks. Henry was arrested for the first time in 1814 for stealing a horse. He was taken to the Kings County Jail, where he was a model prisoner until he fell very ill. Henry was so ill that doctors said he would not recover. One night, Henry was having a very bad episode and a guard went to fetch something to help him. In those few minutes, Henry miraculously recovered and escaped. Instead of running as far away as possible, Henry stayed in New Brunswick where he robbed his way through Gagetown, Maugerville and Fredericton until he was eventually caught.
Henry was caught for a second time but escaped quickly; as per usual, he stayed in the province, robbing the residents of Fredericton blind (including the Attorney General)! He was caught and brought back to the Kings County Jail, where he repeatedly escaped and broke handcuffs, neck collars, chains, and padlocks. During this time, he also started to go mad. Henry screamed relentlessly, and more interestingly, started making intricate puppets out of straw. Finally, Henry’s case was sent to trial and he was sentenced to death by hanging. Henry continued to build his puppet family and became more and more attached, until one day, a pardon came for him. Henry and his puppets were escorted on to a ship sailing to Nova Scotia, and suddenly Henry became the man he was before being arrested. All traces of the mad man he was in jail were gone, and as Henry got off the ship, he left all of his belongings and puppets behind.
Spooky Stuff: While Henry’s track record for escaping jail is impressive, it is also inexplicable. No matter what sort of chains or metal was used to hold him down, Henry always managed to break free. At one point, Henry’s clothes and straw mattress were taken away and his feet, hands and neck were secured to the floor with 46 pounds of chains. During this period, the Sheriff was scared he was going to freeze to death before being hung, but despite being chained naked to the cold floor, his hands and feet were always warm. This, plus the fact that Henry managed to break through his iron collar, sparked rumours that Henry had a deal with the devil. This speculation circulated again when Henry began predicting the future. In fact, the day that the Lunar Rogue’s pardon came in the mail, Henry told a guard that 3 papers would be arriving at 4pm and that he would surely be “leaving this place.” Sure enough, his pardon came at 4pm. Whether or not you believe that Henry Moon was in league with the devil, there is no doubt that his actions are baffling. We may never know how the Lunar Rogue had such inexplicable and eerie talents, but it is probably best to never find out!
Boyce Mansion
History Lesson: The Boyce Mansion is one of the many beautiful Victorian homes found on Waterloo Row. While it has had many residents over the years, this large three-story house was once used as off-campus residence for male students.
Spooky Stuff: While living there, a lot of male students reported unusually vivid dreams of an older woman touching their face or talking to them softly. As more residents saw the woman, not only over their beds but also wandering in the halls, they quickly realized that this was not a dream, but a spirit! One night, the resident’s don stayed awake to try and communicate with the ghost. When asked who she was, the ghost simply responded that she was waiting for a letter. Later, the story emerged that she had raised her family in Boyce Mansion before it was used as a university residence. Her son had moved away, but they continued to write letters back and forth religiously until one day, her son fell ill. Knowing his mother would reply and come see him, he wrote his mother a letter explaining that he was very sick. However, the letter got lost on the way, leaving the son to die alone asking for his mother. When his mother got the news of his passing, she died of a broken heart knowing that her son was asking for her in his last days. She has remained in the Boyce Mansion ever since, waiting for a letter that will never come.
The Former York County Jail
History Lesson: Now home to Science East, the former York County Jail has been preserved throughout history. This building, located beside the Boyce Farmers’ Market on Brunswick Street, served as a jail from its construction in 1842 to when Science East moved in in 1996. Until the early 1900s, prisoners were only fed bread and water and were often put in a jail cell packed full of other people. While the York County Jail was a maximum-security prison, it was run by a jailer and their family.
As a Provincial Historic Site, a lot of the original architecture still remains, including the original tin ceiling tiles, iron doors and hardware, and the iron bars over the windows. When you visit the building, you will also be able to see the layout of the cells, along with artifacts that were found over the years.
Spooky Stuff: The York County Jail housed many famous criminals over the years, including infamous serial killer Allan Legere, two Colombian drug smugglers working for Pablo Escobar, and the Hamilton brothers, who were the last people hanged at the York County Jail in 1949. You can learn about these notorious criminals and more when you visit Science East and tour the jail. If you are really looking for some goosebumps, be sure to visit the “point of no return,” the doorway leading to the backyard where those sentenced to death were hanged. After the criminals passed through that door, there was no coming back. While it may not necessarily be haunted, standing in that doorway is sure to give you the chills!
Pro Tip: in the summer months, you can learn about some of these stories, spooky locations and more by going on a Haunted Hike, a ghost walk put on by the Calithumpians!
Whether you are looking to see a ghost or discover the city’s creepy history, Fredericton sure has its fair share of scary spots and stories! Do you have a cool Fredericton ghost story or know a spooky spot? Let us know in the comments!