I have been Church Watching in the City of London with The Friends of the City Churches, for getting on for two years now: a favourite Church, if I have one, is St Martin-within-Ludgate. It was there I first came across the (wood) carving of William Emmett, on a door-case. Sadly, the carving has been ruined by coats of varnish and stain: probably by the Victorians.
The Church was rebuilt after the Great Fire of 1666: but survived World War II, essentially unscathed. Much of the furniture &c. is C17.
I became better acquainted with Emmett's work in St Mary Abchurch: he carved the Font Cover, the Royal (Stuart) Arms, a Lion and a Unicorn. This is the Lion:
Super impressive.
As such I have developed an admiration for him but certainly wasn't expecting what was going to happen during my last stint watching at St Martin-within-Ludgate.
Sitting on a pew, I closed my eyes for no particular reason and saw a man working in the area where the door-case is: he was dressed in a voluminous white shirt and a light brown waistcoat type arrangement. The inside of the Church was chaotic: rubble and stone everywhere. Looking outside, Ludgate Hill was crowded with people and carts: the road was a brown colour. Then back to reality: if there is such a thing. So: did I see the Church being rebuilt during the late-C17? And Emmett working on this door-case?
Or what? The scene was and still is, extremely vivid.
Update: was speaking to someone yesterday who knows the City' Churches very well and who saw a ghostly Bishop in St Mary Abchurch, a while ago.
Additional Update: the experience has been reported to the 'Society for Psychical Research'.
