Sir John Falstaff

From the moment we moved to the Sir John Falstaff we experienced odd happenings; the most common activity is items disappearing. We put something down on a table for example, two other people would witness this, then a few hours later it is no longer there. But then two days later it would show up back on the table. This happens to all the team, two or three times a week. To start with we all thought we were going mad, but when it happens upstairs and downstairs and to all members of the team, then it’s clear there was more to this than just absent mindedness…. We tried initially not to make a ‘thing’ of it, as we found the more we spoke about it the more it would happen.  

We would hear footsteps at all times of the day; nothing heavy like adults walking about, more like a small child, which we could not explain. Also, Items like pens or a glass would be found in places we would not normally put them, for example by the men’s toilets in the bar. Then when you go to pick the items up 10-15 minutes later, they would not be there. It normally happens when we have our hands full, so we can’t pick it up immediately (plates or glasses for example). 

Everyone at Sir John Falstaff is always busy, there is always something to do in a pub and restaurant, so life and work goes on - it became the new norm if you like. 

Recently we were in one of the lofts at Sir John’s, when we found a stack of papers in an old leather bag. The bag and everything within it looked very old (it was clear that no one had been in this particular loft for many years). There were old HM Customs papers for the sale of ale and other receipts…. then one of the documents we found really stood out, it was handwritten and said: 

                          “ I Edward Smith , landlord of the Falstaff Inn, grants freedom of use of the Inn and the land, with protection, to the gnome community, that hath been resident at the Inn since the summer past, in the year of our lord 1773. In part of this agreement the gnomes are permitted to borrow for their needs from the landlord and Inn, never shall they borrow or take from the Inn’s guests or patrons. 

In return, they agree with their honour, to protect the Inn from any malice that others passing may wish to cause, they will keep rodents and unwelcome creatures at bay. 

This agreement will remain until such time the landlord of the Falstaff Inn draws an end. To draw the end, the landlord must put this it in writing, on a night of a full moon, placing the letter in front of a fireplace in the Inn”

Permitted and agreed at will from the second day, month of March, in the year of our lord 1774” 

It was then signed by Edward Smith and a signature that was not readable. We initially thought this was children from the past playing; children imagined and did make belief as much 250 years ago as they do today. We kept the document and planned to frame it. We put it in a drawer in the office. Then two days later we found the document in the lobby downstairs. Although this was very odd, we picked it up and put it on the desk in the office, then that Sunday morning we found it on the dining room table. As it stands, at the time of writing, we can’t find this document…... We are expecting it will turn up again soon in the same place we last left it. 

Now this was starting to feel uncomfortable. Who believes in gnomes? We then thought of all the strange things that happen and how it follows the agreement in the document. Is someone playing with us? Is this the imaginations of a child that once lived at Sir John’s? Or is there some truth to this? Are there such things as gnomes? 

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