In its early history, the building passed into the hands of Lord Temple, whose steward, a man named William Doggett, was regarded as a “great scoundrel” who defrauded his master then committed suicide when his crime was discovered. Some state that he hung himself from a tree on the drive; others say that he shot himself through the head inside the house. As a result, a headless horseman driving a coach with four headless horses stops to pick up the wraith of Doggett and exits the drive gates. It is interesting to note at this point that he is described as wearing knee breeches tied with yellow silk ribbons. An indelible stain in the house is said to be a permanent record of Doggett's suicide, and his apparition is supposed to frequent the room of his death.

 

Doggett was buried in the churchyard at Tarrant Gunville, and considering the time in history and the culture surrounding those who committed suicide, this was highly unusual. However, when the church was rebuilt in 1845, Doggett's corpse was exhumed. Much to the concern of the villagers, they discovered that his legs were tied together with yellow silk ribbons, but far more sinister was that Doggett's complexion was rosy and his body showed no sign of decomposition – leading frightened locals to believe that he was a Vampire.