Yesterday, the Owl delved into the father of the Scientific Method and his attempt to create frozen food. It was suggested that there was more to the story.
The second part of it, however, is far less scientific. Specifically, it’s a ghost story, because shortly after Sir Francis Bacon’s death, a ghost began to be seen around the site where he’d caught pneumonia.
Not Sir Francis’ ghost, though. It was the chicken.
From Real British Ghosts, the Highgate Chicken Ghost:
Soon after these occurrences took place, there were reports that a semi-plucked chicken had been observed running in circles at the Pond and had also been seen in the lower branches of a nearby tree. When anyone approached, it vanished into thin air.
It would be reasonable to assume that this was some April Fools Day story if the chicken hadn’t been seen in more recent times. During the Second World War, Air Raid Wardens often saw the fowl. One of them even tried to capture it. It vanished through a wall before he got anywhere near it.
Haunted London gives details on one sighting:
In 1943, one Terence Long was crossing Pond Square late at night when he heard the sound of horses hooves accompanied by the low rumble of carriage wheels. Suddenly, a loud raucous shriek, split the silence, and the ghostly chicken appeared before him and proceeded to race frantically around, before vanishing into thin air.
Sightings have been reported since then, with the most notable being from 1970 when a couple who were parked near the Highgate Pond area reported having their amorous efforts stemmed by a sudden interruption by a ghost chicken.
Whatever your prior definition of “mood killer” might have been, I suggest “sudden appearance of a ghost chicken” ranks beside it.
Question of the Night : What’s your favorite chicken dish?
