Back from the Catacombs

[eldritchhobbit]

I'm baaack! I had a wonderful experience, as expected, at Towson University with the good people from the Institute for Humane Studies.

Before I left Baltimore, I took a detour to spend some time at Westminster Hall and Burying Ground, where Edgar Allan Poe is buried. Thanks to the terrific staff there, I was able to get a personal tour of the cemetery and the remarkable catacombs beneath the church. (Thanks to Lu Ann Marshall and everyone at Westminster Hall!)

You can see my pictures from both the cemetery and catacombs here.

Here are a couple of favorites. One from the cemetery:



One from the catacombs:



The series Scariest Places on Earth once filmed a segment at Westminster. Here it is:

Happy early birthday wishes to lynn_maudlin, gods_lil_rocker, bouncybabylemur, divadiane1, fungus_files, and sunshinedew. May each of you enjoy many happy returns of the day.

"Dear Mr. Poe,
You are my inspiration!
Thank-you."
- note left on the Poe Memorial at Westminster Cemetery, as seen on June 28, 2011

Comments

[wellinghall.livejournal.com]

Welcome back! *waves*

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Thank you! *waves back* :D

[gilda-elise.livejournal.com]

Oh, cool, catacombs! And some great pictures. :-)

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much! It was wonderful to see the place in person.

[mizz-history.livejournal.com]

Oooh! Poe's grave! Very cool :o)

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

I thought so, too! I loved seeing the flowers/notes/gifts left there for him. Since it had rained quite heavily earlier that day all those little items (which appeared to be dry) must've been left in the hours just before my visit.

[cookiefleck.livejournal.com]

Very cool. And I recently posted a photo of where (sort of, if you squint) he was born. I think we have Poe covered! :o)

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Yay! We got yer Poe right here! ;)

[gods-lil-rocker.livejournal.com]

Sounds like you had a great time, Amy! Thanks so much for the birthday wishes and virtual gift! :) Hope to see you soon!

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

My pleasure! :) Is Oct. 1 a set date, btw? Can I post about it? Is there a site to which I should link?

How amazing was the new HP film?!?

Can't wait to see you soon.

[gods-lil-rocker.livejournal.com]

Yes, October 1 is a set date. Please post all you like! I am not sure if there's an info site, so as soon as I find out I will get you a link or chide someone into making one. I think the call for papers is the same, but I'll double check with the conference coordinator to be certain. As soon as I get it, I'll message you!

New HP film was FANTASTIC! Very, very pleased. We just now have internet in our new apartment, so I'll have to break my blog back open with a review.

Hope to see you soon!

[fungus-files.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much for the b'day shout-out! Lovely to have you thinking of me. Have been missing your presence in my world. Srsly. xx

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Hope you had a great one! I miss you. *hugs*

What Was It?

[vyrdolak.livejournal.com]

I looked at a property for sale last year recently which had heavy exterior deadbolts on two of the bedroom doors. I went down into the basement by myself because my agent had a mold allergy, and didn't really care for it down there.

Another agent (who I recently purchased a house through) told me that the first time she showed the house, which was allegedly vacant, the bed looked just slept in. The nest time, she looked in the window and a rocking horse was right next to the full length window panel next to the front door. She didn't even go in this time, she just let the buyers (friends of hers) in to see it for themselves.


""The match scraped on the box, and flared up, dully; and in the same instant, I heard a faint sound behind me. I whipped round, in a kind of mad terror, and saw something, in the light of the match -- a monstrous horse-head, close to Beaumont.

"'Look out, Beaumont!' I shouted in a sort of scream. 'It's behind you!'

"The match went out, abruptly, and instantly there came the huge bang of Parsket's double-barrel (both barrels at once), fired (evidently single-handed by Beaumont) close to my ear, as it seemed. I caught a momentary glimpse of the great head, in the flash, and of an enormous hoof amid the belch of fire and smoke, seeming to be descending upon Beaumont. In the same instant, I fired three chambers of my revolver. There was the sound of a dull blow, and then that horrible, gobbling neigh, broke out close to me. I fired twice at the sound. Immediately afterwards, Something struck me, and I was knocked backwards."

William Hope Hodgson, The Horse of the Invisible

Re: What Was It?

[eldritchhobbit.livejournal.com]

Good grief! I bet that house will be on the market a long, long time...

I love the Hodgson! So very apropos.

[vyrdolak.livejournal.com]

What author first appreciated the creepy quality of rocking horses (or merry-go-round horses)?


I've been seeing vehicles in the driveway recently and it no longer shows up on realtor.com. It's either under contract or sold (for at least 28% less than it listed for when I viewed it), or rented.

Even though it's mostly finished, my house has a fairly creepy basement by virtue of its length (90'), Buffalo Bill-style layout, and lack of natural light for most of its length. If there was ever a power outage when I was down there (it will be mostly for storage and the usual home systems, but I am planning a home gym in the large rec room), I would be in great consternation.

Just to be sure nothing emerges, I shall have to incribe the first and eighth signs of the Saaamaaa Ritual on the doorposts of the walkup stairs.

---

“‘My God!’ he said, and went forward again, and shone his light down the steps; but there was nothing visible, only that on each step showed the unnatural footprints.

“The inspector brought the beam of the light vividly on the top step; and there, clear in the light, there was something small, moving. The inspector bent to look, and the policeman and I with him. I don’t want to disgust you; but the thing we looked at was a maggot. The policeman backed suddenly out of the doorway:

“‘The churchyard,’ he said, ‘... at the back of the ’ouse.’

- Wm Hope Hodgson, The Searcher of the End House


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