Jan's New Book - "The Ghost of Pendlesham Priory"

"I am a spirit reaching out to you to tell you my story, so that I can find rest. Help me."

This was the voice that Ben Trotter heard on his visit to his cousin Filly's ramshackle Suffolk farm. He knew that Suffolk was full of very old houses, but he had not expected it to be so spooky. The most haunted is the ruined convent of Pendlesham Priory. Filly does not approve of his visits there for the owners of the land are a bad tempered Major and his sister the superstitious Miss Elizabeth. Filly is alarmed by that voice Ben is hearing.

Who is the voice? Surely it must be a ghost! Eventually he finds out the ghost's name is Isabel Calthorpe. a child being educated in the convent so she might be a fine lady. Life however is far from genteel. Her fellow pupils are spiteful bullies. There is fear everywhere. King Henry VIII is about to close down all the monasteries and convents. He is sending his greedy servants to ruin the good names of the nuns and poor Isabel finds lies, lies and even more lies being invented about her favourite nuns! Discover how her dreams vanish in flames.

In the final section we are back in modern times and it is Filly who ties up all the threads of the story together so we understand a little better the lives of the families, how a treasure is found and the &'girl with sad eyes' Isabel herself is making her presence felt again. It is truly a haunting story and her adventures will stay with you.In the final section we are back in modern times and it is Filly who ties up all the threads of the story together so we understand a little better the lives of the families, how a treasure is found and the &'girl with sad eyes' Isabel herself is making her presence felt again. It is truly a haunting story and her adventures will stay with you.

Sibton Abbey, Suffolk This historic building was the inspiration for Pendlesham Priory in Jan's latest book. This early Cistercian Abbey was built in 1150ad and had an original complement of just 13 monks. Since shortly before the dissolution, it has been in the possession of the same family, who have made many documents and original ancient music scores available to the public as well as occasionally opening the abbey to visitors from historical societies. For her story Jan changed the Abbey to a Priory of nuns.