The Mistletoe Bough a Christma
The Mistletoe Bough
a Christma
The Mistletoe Bough
a Christmas horror story
Brockdish Hall, a 17 century manor near Diss in Norfolk, is claimed to be where the unfortunate 'Mistletoe Bride' met her untimely end.
On her wedding night, as part of a hide-and-seek game, a young Christmas bride hid in an old wooden chest with a heavy lid.
Years later someone opened the chest by chance and found a mouldering corpse in a bride's dress.
The story is reflected in the popular Victorian ballad, The Mistletoe Bough, by Thomas Haynes Bayley (1884).
Bramwell House near Basingstoke is said to be the most haunted house in Hampshire and is also claimed to be the site of the same tragedy.
The Mistletoe Bough
The mistletoe hung in the castle hall,
The holly branch shone on the old oak wall;
And the baron's retainers were blithe and gay,
And keeping their Christmas holiday.
The baron beheld with a father's pride
His beautiful child, young Lovell's bride;
While she with her bright eyes seemed to be
The star of the goodly company.
'I'm weary of dancing now," she cried;
"Here, tarry a moment – I'll hide – I'll hide!
And, Lovell, be sure thou'rt first to trace
The clew to my secret lurking place."
Away she ran – and her friends began
Each tower to search, and each nook to scan;
And young Lovell cried, "O, where dost thou hide?
I'm lonesome without thee, my own dear bride."
Christmas History out.
Christmas Trees out.
Christmas Cards out.
Christmas Carols out.
How to say Merry Christmas in different languages out.
The Mistletoe Bough out.
The Immaculate Conception out.
Wassailing out.
Festive Music out.
Traditional Christmas Food out.
An old botanical print of a sprig of Mistletoe showing scientific detail.
Warning: Don't eat the berries. Mistletoe berries contain toxic amines and proteins which cause gastroenteritis when ingested.
They sought her that night! and they sought her next day!
And they sought her in vain while a week passed away!
In the highest, the lowest, the loneliest spot,
Young Lovell sought wildly – but found her not.
And years flew by, and their grief at last
Was told as a sorrowful tale long past;
And when Lovell appeared the children cried,
"See! the old man weeps for his fairy bride."
At length an oak chest, that had long lain hid,
Was found in the castle-they raised the lid,
And a skeleton form lay moldering there
In the bridal wreath of that lady fair!
0, sad was her fate!-in sportive jest
She hid from her lord in the old oak chest.
It closed with a spring!-and, dreadful doom,
The bride lay clasp'd in her living tomb!
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