|
|||||
|
I had read the stories about Barbara Houndsworth, but could find no historical documents
pertaining to her existence or the trial recounted in the stories. Until I can find some
documentation, this will have to remain in the realm of legend.
Barbara Houndsworth was accused of witchcraft and condemned to death by hanging. Her accusation
came after a run of bad luck struck her town. There was an outbreak of
distemper that affected the local cats and dogs, a plague struck the cows and Barbara's
neighbor came down with an unknown illness. Some stories claim that
Barbara had knowledge of herbs and various potions and poisons. She is said to have
poisoned her husband in some versions, and her husband and child in others.
In all versions, Barbara is condemned, and taken to the town square in chains.
Sometime during the reading of the sentence, a spectator threw a rock
at Barbara but the person had bad aim and instead hit the
town clerk in the forehead. A commotion began, and somehow Barbara was able to escape
and ran into the forest. In most versions, a fierce storm blew up as she emerged on the
coastline with the townsfolk hot on her heels. She slipped on the wet rocks of the cliff
and fell to her
death.
She has been seen, her apparition still wearing the chains that bound
her along the rocks of the shoreline. Her desperate, sad screams still echo and mix with the cries of the gulls.
Her ghost has been seen all up and down the coast near Belfast, off Highway 1.
High Point is said to be a cliff overlooking the sea near Belfast off Hwy 1, but the cliffs are really more towards
Bucksport as far as I could tell.
| |||||
|
| |||||
