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General
In the past Whitchurch has had numerous industries. At one time there was a Silk Manufactory at which about thirty women were employed whilst the other female residents of the village made straw plait and pillow lace. There were also extensive brick and tile works.
The name is derived from the Old English words hwit and cirice, which translate as ‘white church’ and could refer to the stone from which the church was built. In the Domesday Book of 1086 the name is given as Wicherce. The village has a long history as the earthworks of Bolebec Castle lie right next to it.
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Castle Lane
At one time, a cottage in Castle Lane known as ‘Fairings’, was haunted by the ghost of a black cat.
In the summer of 1970 Mr. N. T. Harris and his wife moved into the cottage which was a large timbered building built around 1650 and which had originally been two cottages. When they arrived it was after dark and their cat, Tootsie, was with them. Tootsie was a long-haired Tabby that they had had for eight years and in all that time they had never heard her purr, yet as they parked outside the house she stared at the cottage and started purring like mad. As her purring got more intense they opened the car door and she went straight into the cottage and made herself at home.
After they had been living in the cottage for a while the wife saw a shadowy black cat, with tail erect, walk through the dining room and then through a wall. Where the cat had exited the room was where the front door, of one of the original cottages, used to be. Her husband was at first sceptical until he saw it walk in through the back door, cross the dining room and leave via the front wall.
One day some visitors from Canada had arrived and Mr. and Mrs. Harris were greeting them outside the back door of the cottage. Both of the guests commented that the Harris’ cat had just gone inside but Tootsie was still in the garden. When they asked them to describe the cat they perfectly described the unearthly visitor. Another time a friend was visiting who had a dachshund that hated cats. All of the sudden the dog exploded into action and shot across the room to the wall where the cat exits.
Sadly in 1977 Tootise had to be put to sleep and, even though they got a new cat, the ghost was never seen again. It is almost as if it had a connection with Tootsie.
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