cane hill project | staff
Last update: 16|01|05
Cane Hill Project



Staff: Sir James Moody

© Laura 2003

No ghost stories have ever surfaced about Cane Hill. I suspect the hospital has its legends, and parts probably gained a reputation over the years, but no-one has ever come forward with any tales of the supernatural. Which is odd given the site's long history and its brooding gothic architecture.

However one story has surfaced. But not from a nurse, or doctor, or even unauthorized visitor. This story came from security.

One night a guard drove his van up to the gates of Administration. His dog, a particularly rough, tough character was straining at its leash as the guard let it out of the van and they started their patrol. They quickly crossed the grassy bank at the front of the Administration Block, the main facade of the hospital staring down at the lonely pair crossing the lawn.

The dog tensed and growled. In front of the pair was a huge bush which stretched from the access road to the perimeter fence of the hospital. The guard couldn't see or hear anyone but his dog continued to bark and growl, staring at the wall of foliage in front of them.

Suddenly the dog whimpered, crouched low, and then ran back, across the lawn to the safety of the van. The guard watched the dog retreat, concerned as the animal had never reacted in this manner before. He turned back towards the hedge and saw the figure of a man looking at him. For seconds, they stared. And then the apparation vanished.

No-one knew what was in those bushes. It wasn't until later that Laura revealed one of Cane Hill's forgotten secrets. It turned out that the security guard saw a ghost of a man by the grave of the first superindendent of Cane Hill hospital. Buried in the overgrown bush was the battered and broken grave of Sir James Moody.

Sir James Moody was the first superintendent of Cane Hill taking up the role in 1883 and dying on the 20th September 1915 (as the brass plaque in the Chapel shows). It was obviously his wish to be buried in the grounds and four days later on the 24th September, he was buried in the grounds close to the Administration Block and several small shrubs were planted around the grave.


© Mr. F 2005

During the lifetime of the hospital his grave was well tended and the bush pruned and kept in trim. After the hospital's closure the grave was forgotten and until now, only a handful of people knew of its existence.

Since being informed of the grave, the security guards have re-erected the marker stone and tidied up the undergrowth. The picture below shows how the site looks now.

© Mr. F 2005



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