Was the evil steward of Eastbury House a vampire, or a desperate man driven to extremes by debt? We'll let you decide.

Historian John Ingram wrote in 1897: "Eastbury was begun by Bubb Dodington in 1718. The future Lord Melcombe had projected the house and grounds on a scale of great magnificence ; but when little beyond some less important out-houses had been completed, the work was discontinued, and for six years everything remained at a standstill.

"Eventually the building was resumed and carried on at an enormous expenditure - the total outlay up to 1738, when the house was completed, being stated as one hundred and forty thousand pounds, a far higher sum at that time than now-a-days. The park and grounds were laid out on the same magnificent scale as the house, no expense being spared ; trees half a century old, and some tons in weight, were transported bodily from distant woods and replanted at Eastbury. 

"In 1763, a change came over the scene, and Eastbury House was destroyed even more rapidly than it had been created ; all the rooms were dismantled, and the splendid furniture scattered to the winds. Twelve years later the ruin was consummated, the house being pulled down, and the beautiful and costly materials disposed of ; one wing only was left in naked grandeur, and that still exists, but let in tenements to the day-labourers of the Farquharson estate."

So what happened? 

Legend has it that owner Lord Melbury lent considerable sums of money to his steward William Doggett. But Dogget gave it to his brother, who got into "difficulties" and was utterly powerless to repay it.  When Lord Melcombe wanted his money back, Doggett - desperate and broke - started to selll the building materials used in the house. 

Even that was not enough, and on hearing that Lord Melcombe was on his way to collect his cash," Doggett's courage failed ; he could not pay him, and, therefore, shot himself. 
"It was in a marble-floored room that Doggett committed suicide, and it is said the stains of his blood are still visible."

Soon after stories began to circulate that Doggett had returned to stalk the village. His blood-covered face was seen after dark. Doors opend and closed by themselves.

In 1907 Charles Harper wrote that: "Generally at the stroke of midnight, a coach with headless coachman and headless horses drives out and picks up Doggett, down the road."

"If you see an old-world figure at such a time, stepping into that horrid conveyance, you will recognise him as Doggett by his knee-breeches, tied with yellow silk ribbon. The headless coachman asks (out of his neck ?), "Where to, sir ?" and the ghost says, "Home"; whereupon the horses are whipped up, and they drive back to the house. The shade of Doggett, entering, proceeds to the panelled room where he shot himself a century and a half ago - and shoots himself again !"

In 1845, Tarrant Gunville church was demolished and rebuilt. Workmen exhuming Doggett's body are reported to have found the workmen, exhuming his body, found his legs had been tied together with yellow silk ribbon and his body was not at all decomposed. Different versions of the story have it that there were two vampire teeth visible under his top lip.

His body was dealt with in the "accepted way" for a vampire, and he made no trouble for the village after that.