For hundreds of years now, there have been rumours in regards to the ghost of a grey girl haunting the Søndre Brekke Manor home in Norway. A presence so robust that even an exorcism didn’t have assist.
Søndre Brekke Gård in Skien, Telemark, within the south-eastern a part of Norway, has a historical past for the reason that 1400s as a manor home for the wealthy and rich. Since 1909 it has been used as a museum for, though some consider one resident by no means moved out. And rumor has it that the manor home comes with its personal Girl in Grey.
Learn Extra: Try all ghost tales from Norway
For over two centuries, workers and guests have reported unusual disturbances, unexplained noises, and glimpses of a sorrowful girl who has by no means discovered relaxation. However who is that this girl stated to nonetheless roam the halls of the previous manor home?


A Sudden Demise in 1813 at Søndre Brekke Gård
The legend begins in 1813, when a younger girl of unknown id died all of the sudden contained in the grand corridor of the manor. No data reveal her identify, her origin, and even the circumstances of her dying. What is understood is that she by no means left. Her spirit, troubled and unable to maneuver on, is alleged to nonetheless drift quietly via the corridors of Søndre Brekke, seen solely by the unfortunate or the unwary.
This was throughout the time the minister of commerce, Niels Aall had purchased the manor home in 1810 and the museum is embellished simply as they assume he may need had it when residing in it. In 1813 although, Prince Christian Frederik, who would later be king of Denmark-Norway, got here for a go to and a feast was held in his honor on the twenty first of August. He was doing a tour to strengthen the ties Norway had with Denmark, which had been weakened after Denmark’s alliance with Napoleon within the wars.
Though politically it wasn’t essentially a preferred go to, the feast was a welcome break for the locals, they usually all joined to take part.
There aren’t many particulars of how this anonymous girl died although. Some say that she was very ailing and it wasn’t considered as there was a go to from the Prince that took all the eye. Some say that Nils Aal had apologized to not make the celebration a ball due to respect for his ailing mom, Amborg Jørgensdatter Aall, was on her deathbed. The Prince ignored this although, and requested a peasant woman to bounce and the feast changed into a ball both manner. This model is from the famed Norwegian author, Henrik Wergeland in his Konstitutionshistorie from 1841.
In 1895 Øverland wrote in his guide Norway’s Historical past from 1895, that it wasn’t Niels Aall’s mom dying, however his aunt, Benedicta Henrikka Løvenskiold. She died three days earlier than the celebration befell. However that is unsure in addition to she died on the Kammerherregården in Porsgrunn, hours away from Brekke.
These are simply two of the texts about it, however the native legends stated extra. She has without end remained anonymous and largely forgotten as she died within the room subsequent to the feasting ballroom and returned as a ghost to roam its halls.
A Warning from Past to the Museum’s Caretaker
One of the unnerving encounters entails the caretaker of the manor, Jarle Ravik who was thought of the go to for the story and the haunted experiences that he stated occurred throughout his shifts.
Whereas alone on obligation on a stormy evening with the wind howling, he all of the sudden felt a chilly hand grip his arm. Shocked, he spun round, however nobody was there. Simply seconds later, a big tree crashed to the bottom straight in entrance of him. Had the Grey Girl saved him from a deadly accident? Or was it merely an odd coincidence? Nobody is aware of, however the caretaker by no means forgot the feeling of that unseen hand.


One other time he was strolling a spherical after closing time and opened the door to the ballroom. There, the Girl in Grey was standing in entrance of him. He closed the door in panic earlier than opening it once more, however by then, she was gone. Ever since that point, he by no means noticed her once more, though he claimed to really feel her presence, like she was watching out for him working on the museum.
In keeping with Ravik, he proposed a totally completely different story in regards to the ghost and the origin. He claimed he had heard about it from two previous girls from Skien. In keeping with them, the lady who died was from a Swedish or Danish noble girl who visited together with her daughter when the prince came visiting.
In keeping with the lady, it was unseemly for a ball due to a dying in one of many European noble households, and she or he stormed out from the feast in protest. Her daughter remained although and when the lady returned the subsequent day, her daughter had been assaulted by one of many prince’s officers. Due to this, she swore she would by no means go away the manor home once more, a promise she apparently held.
Disturbances within the Darkish from the Girl in Grey
Others have skilled her presence in much less dramatic however equally unsettling methods. Chairs slide throughout the ground with nobody close to them. Doorways slam shut as if somebody is passing briskly via the corridors. The ambiance turns heavy, as if watched by somebody who lingers simply past sight. Some really feel dread. Others really feel sorrow. However everybody agrees: she is there.
A room on the second flooring has been referred to as «Den grå dames værelse», or the Girl in Grey’s Room. Different sightings have traced again to 1899 in writing when the physician and engineer. The identical yr a bundle was delivered to Høyer who lived there on the time and the woman all of the sudden confirmed up. He described her as center tall, a bit brief gray skirt. Bråtu who delivered the bundle turned to handle her, however she glided previous him and right into a door with out taking a look at him. Bråtu didn’t assume a lot about it, as he was used to impolite wealthy individuals. However when he informed the servants about her to the servants, Høyer was summoned they usually went via his remark.
“She went via a door?” Høyer requested and Bråtu pointed, however first then seen that the place she had gone via there was no door in any respect.
She additionally confirmed up in 1905 a late Sunday breakfast within the room subsequent to the Girl in Gray’s Room. The canine began barking and the person staying within the room noticed her standing in entrance of him.
In her room there was a brand new servant employed at Brekke and she or he went into the room one summer season night. She got here out pale and silent earlier than she collapsed in spasms.
Within the early 1900s, sightings of her have been so frequent among the many locals, they simply commented, “it’s simply her” when somebody met her within the late Twenties. She was even noticed exterior of the manor and strolling across the metropolis heart in Kleiva.
The Haunted Ibsen Present
In 1925 there was an Ibsen show within the north wing at Brekke. After they locked the room for the evening, every little thing was advantageous. After they returned within the morning although, the chairs have been moved, the window blinds fell down and a newly restored portrait of Ibsen had fallen to the bottom and was damaged.
Was this the Girl in Gray although or was it really the ghost of Lammers, that had the furnishings displayed there? They referred to as a ghost knowledgeable to analyze this, the daddy of the notorious Norwegian traitor from the second world conflict, Vidkun Quisling. He printed his guide Plausible ghost tales in 1911 and was often known as the knowledgeable within the discipline. Apparently sufficient although, he didn’t point out the Gray Girl in any respect.
Later it was stated that even an exorcism was performed to drive the ghost out, however it seemingly didn’t have an impact. So the query stays, is the Girl in Grey nonetheless haunting the Søndre Brekke Gård?
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References:
Søndre Brekke gård – Wikipedia
Herskapshuset Søndre Brekke – Telemark museum
https://www.telemarkmuseum.no/wp-content/uploads/gra_dame_ferdig.pdf
Den grå dame i Brekkeparken – Telemarkshistorier

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