he old square tower must be the spot sought.

XIX

POWYS CASTLE

Local Records

It had been for some time reported in the neighbourhood that a poor
unmarried woman, who was a member of the Methodist society; and had
become serious under their ministry, had seen and conversed with the
apparition of a gentleman, who had made a strange discovery to her. Mr
Hampson, being desirous to ascertain if there was any truth in the
story, sent for the woman, and desired her to give an exact relation of
the whole affair from her own mouth, and as near the truth as she
possibly could. She said she was a poor woman who got her living by
spinning hemp and line; that it was customary for the farmers and
gentlemen of that neighbourhood to grow a little hemp or line in the
corner of their fields, for their own home consumption, and as she had a
good hand at spinning the materials she used to go from house to house
to inquire for work; that her method was, where they employed her,
during her stay to have meat and lodging (if she had occasion to sleep
with them) for her work, and what they pleased to give her besides.
That, among other places, she happened to call in one day at the Welsh
Earl Powis's country seat, called Redcastle, to inquire for work, as she
usually had done before. The quality were at this time in London, and
had left the steward and his wife, with other servants, as usual, to
take care of their country residence in their absence. The steward's
wife set her to work, and in the evening told her that she must stay
all night with them, as they had more work for her to do next day. When
bed-time arrived, two or three of the servants in company, with each a
lighted candle in her hand, conducted her to her lodging. They led her
to a grand room, with a boarded floor and two sash windows. The room was
grandly furnished, and had a genteel bed in one corner of it. They had
made her a good fire, and had placed her a chair and a table before it,
and a large lighted candle upon the table. They told her that was her
bedroom, and she might go to sleep when she pleased, they then wished a
good night and withdrew all together, pulling the door quickly after
them, so as to hasp the springsneck in the brass lock that was upon it.
When they were gone she gazed a while at the fine furniture, under no
small astonishment that they should put such a poor person as her in so
grand a room and bed, with all the apparatus of fire, chair,