Bone to His Bone: The Stoneground Ghost Tales of E.G. Swain

by E.G. Swain, Michael Cox (Introduction)

E.G. Swain was Vicar of Stanground in Britain's East Anglia, and a friend of M.R. James. In 1912 he published a collection of stories featuring the Revd Mr Batchel, a mild-mannered clergyman who is constantly running across supernatural happenings in his parish. These charming ghost stories, written by Swain as a tribute to his friend Monty James, have been favourites of ghost story fans for many years. The introduction is by Cardinal Cox, while Jack Adrian supplies an amusing tailpiece about a great Swain find he once had (and which is reproduced in the book). There is also a reprint of the lengthy obituary of Swain which appeared in the Peterborough Advertiser' on 3 February 1938. The jacket illustration is by Rachel Crittenden. An Ash-Tree Press Limited Edition.

Genres: Horror, Short Stories, Ghost Stories, Classics, Ghosts, Weird Fiction

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1912

About the author

AKA: Edmund Gill Swain (1861-1938) was an English cleric and author. As a chaplain of King's College, Cambridge, he was a colleague and contemporary of the scholar and author M.R. James, and a regular member of the select group to whom James delivered his famous annual Christmas Eve reading of a ghost story composed specially for the occasion. Swain collaborated with James on topical skits for amateur performance in Cambridge, but he is best known for the collection of ghost stories he published in 1912, entitled The Stoneground Ghost Tales. He also wrote a history of Peterborough Cathedral.

Reviews

[Sem · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dedicated to M.R. James but the stories are far gentler. I like the Reverend Batchel and his world. It's a shame there isn't more.

[Julie Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love M.R. James and ghost stories of his style, so what better than to read these written by a close friend and admirer of James? Swain is much gentler than James, but his stories are really wonderful. Lubrietta is my favorite involving as it does the unlikely elements of a reappearing ring in the mail, a school test, and a specifically Indian marriage custom of the time. I was introduced to this author by Mr. Jim Moon's readings from his Great Library of Dreams series on The Hypnogoria Podcast which is essential for any fan of weird fiction, movies, or games.

[Canavan · Rating 3 out of 5]

✭✭✭

“The Man with the Roller” ✭✭✭½
“Bone to His Bone” ✭✭✭
“The Richpins” ✭✭
“The Eastern Window” ✭✭✭
“Lubrietta” ✭✭✭
“The Rockery” ✭✭✭
“The Indian Lamp-Shade” ✭✭✭
“The Place of Safety” ✭✭½
“The Kirk Spook” ✭½
“Obituary of E. G. Swain”, Anonymous (1938) ✭✭✭

All entries 1912 by E. G. Swain, except for anonymously-authored obituary, 1938.

[Estott · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad, in a mild way. Some nice touches, and the style is good. What I most enjoyed is the attitude of the main character, who must be acting as a mouthpiece for the author- he has some very tart observations about the poor upkeep of churches, and his digressions are more interesting than the main narrative.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple but entertaining little tales, meant (for the most part) to produce a smile rather than a shudder. The are comendably free of that dryness that plagues many a M.R. James inspired story. Swain's characters are colourful and instantly likeable, and Swain isn't above (gently, good-naturedly) poking fun at them - including his recurring clerical hero. Mr. Batchel himself is no occult detective or anything like that, and his role in few of this stories is merely incidental. Another enjoyable thing about these stories is their shared setting - throughout these stories, Swain paints vivid enough picture of this small village, its history and its often quirky inhabitants.
All in all, pleasant enough way to spend a couple of evenings.

[Jim Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pleasing, if lightweight, selection of ghost stories in the style of M. R. James. Nothing too memorable, but rather relaxing in their way due to the drowsy setting and affable character of Mr. Batchel, who links each tale in the volume.

[Tom · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.36⭐

I.—The Man with the Roller 3.5⭐
II.—Bone to His Bone 3.25⭐
III.—The Richpins 3⭐
IV.—The Eastern Window 3.5⭐
V.—Lubrietta 3.25⭐
VI.—The Rockery 3.25⭐
VII.—The Indian Lamp Shade 3.5⭐
VIII.—The Place of Safety 4⭐
IX.—The Kirk Spook 3⭐

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Charming, well-written, and absurdly gentle MR James-inspired tales.

[Sharon Barrow Wilfong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great collection of Victorian ghost stories by the man who inspire M.R. James.

[Heather Barta · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been getting a lot of questions about ghosts, so I’ve been seeking out some stories. This book contains some super great ghost stories from a priest in England from a long time ago! Definitely a fun collection of short stories. Good if you like old ghost stories, especially based in churches.

It took me a long time, but because they were short stories, I would read one and then work on one of my other books.

[Batgrl (Book Data Kept Elsewhere) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was reminded that I owned this book when I reread 100 Ghastly Little Ghost Stories and bumped into one of Swain's stories there (Bone to His Bone) - I have a lot of books of ghost stories and am apt to forget what I own like that. I'd originally bought this book when I learned that Swain was a friend of M. R. James and also had written ghost stories - and that those stories were a bit difficult to track down. This is the perfect book to discover Swain with because the introduction covers Swain's history and character, and the last chapter with his obituary. It's a great way to set the stories in perspective.

Last paragraph of the introduction:

p. xviii "When you read these stories, do not expect Swain to be a carbon-copy of M.R. James. While his friend was influenced by Le Fanu's horrifying tales, Swain, who produced more genteel stories, creates a more Dickensian feeling. In Stoneground, there are no characters as dark as Mr. Abney, Count Magnus, or the abominable Mr. Karswell. Only the entity from 'The Rockery' is truly dangerous; the others generally want only peace or justice. That the friendship between the two authors continued for many years after the publication of Swain's volume shows that James must have appreciated the erudition and wit which they contain."

Another thing in Swain's writing which is quite different from M.R. James - Swain uses the reoccurring character of the vicar Batchel, who just happens to be in the area (or somewhere in the narrative) when the ghost pops in.

Ghost stories in this book, in order:

The Man With the Roller
An appearance in a photograph.

Bone to His Bone
A past Vicar's library sends our hero Batchel on a midnight quest. I loved the book descriptions in this one. Also mentions The Compleat Gard'ner of de la Quintinye, which I believe is an actual book.

One of my favorite quotes, because it shows Swain is as much a book lover as the rest of us:

p 16 "...The books there are arranged as he arranged and ticketed them. Little slips of paper, sometimes bearing interesting fragments of writing, still mark his places. His marginal comments still give life to pages from which all other interest has faded, and he would have but a dull imagination who could sit in the chamber amidst these books without ever being carried back 180 years into the past, to the time when the newest of them left the printer's hands."

The Richpins
A local man is seen in Frenchman's Meadow who was in reality found elsewhere. So who was it in the meadow?

I love how Swain suddenly has a discussion about the use of coincidence mid-story:

p. 36 "...The next incident has, to some, appeared incredible, which only means, after all, that it has made demands on their powers of imagination and found them bankrupt.

Critics of story-telling have used severe language about authors who avail themselves of the short-cut of coincidence. 'That must be reserved, I suppose,' said Mr. Batchel, when he came to tell of Richpin, 'for what really happens; and that fiction is a game which must be played according to the rules.'

It goes on for several more paragraphs, which I found amusing.

The Eastern Window
A moving imagine inside a stained glass window and a ghost that wants something. And we also learn that, in certain circumstances, Betchel feels he can ignore the law.

A fun description of the window:

p. 39 "...It is a large painted window, of a somewhat unfortunate period of execution. The drawing and colouring leave everything to be desired."

I always like it when a character is reasonably unimpressed with artwork.

Lubrietta
In which our vicar discovers what had apparition has to do with grading exam papers.

A reminder that this is written in 1912:

p. 56-57 "...He had learned from a friend in the Indian Civil Service that an exaggerated value was often placed by ambitious Indians and Cingalese upon a European education, and that many aspiring young men declined to take a wife who had not passed this very examination. It was to Mr. Batchel a disquieting reflection that his blue pencil was not only marking mistakes, but might at the same time be cancelling matrimonial engagements, and his friend's communication had made him scrupulously careful in examining the work of young ladies in Oriental Schools...

...Young ladies were notoriously weak in argument, and as strong in conclusions!" and after all, the conclusion was correct, and ought not a correct conclusion to have its marks? There followed much more to the same purpose, and in the end Mr. Batchel stultified himself by adding the necessary three marks and passing the candidate.

The Rockery
A mystery uncovered while gardening.

The Indian Lamp-shade
A lamp shade and a mirror reveal a scene from the past.

The Place of Safety
In which Batchel really wants to find some lost church relics, and - sort of - does.

The Kirk Spook
A humorous ghost story.

[Pat Walsh · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Pleasant, mild ghost stories.

[Lance Caselman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quaint, charming, and subtly creepy. A glimpse into a gentler and long-lost world.

[Red Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Odd but very enjoyable series of Victorian social history intercepting with ghost tales.

[Andy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book because I knew the author was heavily influenced by M R James, they were friends in fact. That said, I was rather disappointed by this collection, many of the stories are quite mild, even by Victorian ghost story standards.

If one wants to read Jamesian ghost tales, I would recommend Malden's "Nine Ghost" far ahead of this collection by Swain. If you just want to read the best stories here, I'd recommend "The Man With The Roller," "The Rockery" and "The Richpins."

All of the stories follow the exploits of antiquarian rector of the Stoneground church, Roland Batchel.

The Man With The Roller - This was actually a decent tale, generates a little creepiness and is quite Jamesian. A priest has a negative of his vicarage sent to a photographer, who enlarges it, revealing a ghostly figure in the foreground.

Bone to His Bone - I read this one some years ago and was unimpressed with it, thought it was quite bad. Ironically this one has been anthologized the most!

The Richpins - After reading this one I thought it another fairly mild tale, but looking back it was one of the better stories in the collection, which unfortunately isn't saying a lot. Batchel investigates after locals start seeing a strange man in a field at night, but the man always has an alibi for being home.

The Eastern Window - Predictable story, not bad but just rather average. Batchel witnesses a figure emerge from a stained-glass window and point toward an old ruined house nearby

Lubrietta - Among the least interesting in the collection. Batchel is grading papers for a university and gets a visit from a strange girl who disappears -- later he discovers her paper graded in someone elses hand.

The Rockery - This was a pretty good story, an obvious take on one of those by James about the removal of a stake releasing a spirit (I forget which story.)

The Indian Lamp-Shade - Yet another mild story, no menace to speak of. Batchel acquires a unique Indian lamp-shade which enables him to see a drama which played out in his house over a century before.

The Place of Safety - Decent tale, certainly better than many here, with a touch of humor. Batchel searches for some old censers buried on the church property, and disturbs a couple of ghosts in the process.

The Kirk Spook - A brief light-hearted story of a parish clerk who helps release a ghost imprisoned in an old church.

[Tim Prasil · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun, light collection of ghost stories. All are set in rural Stoneground, and they seem to revolve around the local vicar, Roland Batchel. Despite the limits of the setting -- and all of the stories being about ghosts -- they're not at all repetitive.

The emphasis here is on the mystery, not the scare. I read this as part of my hunt for early occult detectives in fiction. (It didn't qualify.) You can read a more in-depth review about The Stoneground Ghost Tales and about my hunt through other supernatural works at http://timprasil.wordpress.com/

[Neale · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of these Jamesian ghost-stories are almost comically polite in tone - horror for the faint-hearted? - but the Reverend Batchel makes a delightful hero, and the clerical settings and historical perspectives (the author obviously knows well and loves deeply the world of which he writes) are of great charm. The ghosts are almost incidental...

[Mark Saxton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very much in the manner of James and generally quite effective.

[James Mcgowen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A quaint collection of ghost stories from the early 20th century. They may not be in the same vein as, say, M.R. James or even modern horror authors like Stephen King, but they good enough.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an audiobook from LibriVox.

https://librivox.org/the-stoneground-...

[Theat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually really liked this one. A seeming sweet ending to a not so horrible tale. A pleasant I suppose ghostly tale.

[Russell Bernard · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have actually read these stories more than once, and I do find them enjoyable. From a friend of M. R. James, these are a milder form of the ghost story than the ones written by James. But otherwise they are similar to James stories in that the storyteller is a priest and an antiquarian.