Deep inside the coronary heart of one in every of Manchester’s oldest and most mysterious buildings lies a room hidden behind an ominous-looking medieval door.
And behind that door, is the creepiest desk I’ve ever laid my eyes on – sure, it is a creepy desk. Based contained in the illustrious Chetham’s Library, which is the oldest public library within the English-speaking world, is the Audit Room that was previously used as an workplace for Doctor John Dee.
Dr Dee, born in 1527, was many issues, from an astrologer, to an alchemist, to a spy for Queen Elizabeth I . . . however he was additionally an occultist who cherished the satan. He was made warden of the library – which was at that time a school for clergymen of the Church – in 1595, having spent his years gaining an notorious popularity in addition to being an knowledgeable as a renaissance scientist, mathematician and thinker.
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(Image: Adam Cailler/Daily Star)
But, with infamy usually comes legend, and the legend of the evening Dr Dee tried to contact Satan himself is one which lives on as one in every of Manchester’s biggest tales. Dr Dee apparently tried to carry out a seance to talk to one thing on the opposite facet, however what occurred was that Satan appeared, the pair had a struggle, and the satan left a hoofmark on the desk earlier than fleeing.
Having taken a visit to the notorious room to listen to in regards to the story, I requested Visitor Service Coordinator Siân-Louise Mason all about it. She mentioned: “He thought that as a result of he was so clever, he was of a better energy. Things that we all know as maths and science, they have been considering of as alchemy.
(Image: Adam Cailler/Daily Star)
“It got to a point where he thought he could speak to angels and predict the future. We’ve got some books from his personal collection that are about necromancy (raising the dead) and alchemy . . . and the names of angels being written into symbols that are a magical spell.
“Queen Mary had his library ransacked because she thought there were books on magic, but they were mathematical books.”
The notorious hoofmark could be very prevalent on the darkish oak desk I discovered myself leaning on earlier than shortly shifting away for concern of Satan showing and dragging me down with him. However, when requested what the opposite doable theories of the bizarre marking might be, Siân-Louise hinted at one thing way more bland.
(Image: Adam Cailler/Daily Star)
“It was probably a candle that got knocked over and burned a mark into the table . . . but the legend is far more interesting,” she laughed.
The constructing the place the desk is housed is definitely haunted by much more than simply the satan, as there are claims of a number of different ghosts making themselves identified to guests through the years.
(Image: Adam Cailler/Daily Star)
However, should you do occur to enterprise contained in the Audit Room, do not lookup as you may see a demon consuming a small particular person . . . which for some ungodly motive, has been engraved into the centuries-old wooden.
Remember, youngsters, a desk isn’t only a desk.
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