white lady

The headless horseman of Chavenage House

October 28, 2011 by Andrew Leave a Comment

Chavenage House is an old building. It is an Elizabethan era manor just northwest of Tetbury in Gloucestershire England. The house has been used as a set for a few TV programs and films; including The Ghost of Greville Lodge, the Hercule Poirot story The Mysterious Affair at Styles and featured in scenes from Bonekickers.

Chavenage House is perhaps best known for the stay of Oliver Cromwell after the Civil War. Chavenage’s owner, Nathaniel Stephens, was an MP and therefore a Roundhead but he had been one of the less radical ones. He did not support the rough treatment of the captured king Charles I.

In fact, Oliver Cromwell called on the house in person to speak to Nathaniel Stephens about his support and loyalty. It is said that Cromwell left the next day and Stephens had dropped his objections to executing the king; to the disappointment of his daughter.

Charles I was beheaded by the Roundheads. A few months later Nathaniel Stephens fell ill and died. The uncharitable suggest that his own daughter had cursed him.

The ghost story of the headless horseman is actually of a headless carriage driver. The story says that on the night of Nathaniel’s death a ghostly carriage, with a headless driver, and waited while the ghost of Nathaniel Stephens climbed on board. Once the Stephen’s soul was in the coach, the headless driver cracked the whip and drove off. Legend says the carriage burst into flames as it crossed the boundaries of Chavenage’s grounds before fading from view.

It is said that any of the family who die in Chavenage House can expect to be collected by the headless coachman.

Who was the headless horseman? Could it have been Charles I himself?

Other ghosts at Chavenage House

It is said that the room Cromwell slept is haunted to this day – as the room once used by Princess Louise. The ghost in Princess Louise’s overnight room is believed to roam from room to room and likes to watch sleepers.

There is an 18th century chapel that stands adjacent to Chavenage House. It is said by some that a ghost of a monk haunts the chapel. Witnesses to this haunting include many RAF pilots covering after the Battle of Britain.

A White Lady, the ghost of a young woman, is also said to haunt the lands between Beverstone and Chavenage. Beverstone Castle is about two miles from the House and was held by the Royalists. The Roundhead Colonel Massey became suspicious that the Castle always seemed to know when an attack was planned. He discovered a young woman – the chatelaine of Chavenage – was using a candle to signal to her lover in the Castle when it was safe to leave his garrison and visit her. Of course, this meant her lover, a Commander Ogglethorpe, also knew when an attack was planned. The girlw as found out and locked up at Chavenage House. The Roundheads lit a candle in her window to trick Ogglethrope into thinking it was safe and then attacked the castle. The attack was successful, the Roundheads took Beverstone and Ogglethrope’s dead body was put on shown on the castle ramparts. When the young woman found out what had happened to her lover she took her own life.

In Pure Spirit

Have you visited Chavenage House? Do you think it’s haunted? Have you heard of any other stories of murder, death or mystery in this historic house?

The murder hole ghost of Oystermouth Castle

May 19, 2011 by Andrew 1 Comment

Oystermouth Castle has been built, destroyed and rebuilt more than once. It was first built by William de Londres in 1106. The castle stood for about 10 years before it was destroyed in a conflict with the Welsh. The castle was destroyed again in 1137 and finally rebuilt in stone by the de Braose family after the region became less volitile in the 13th century.

The village of Oystermouth, commonly called the Mumbles, is surrounded by the sea to the east and south, and part of Swansea in Wales.

The castle grounds are open to the public and enjoys some 5,000 visitors every year but it is hoped that when conservation work finishes on the castle itself in 2014 that many more tourists will visit.

Hauntings

There are reports that Oystermouth Castle is haunted by a White Lady. The apparition is sometimes described as wailing, crying and suffering from a series of open wounds on her back. Some say she is the ghost of a Oystermouth Castle prisoner who was whipped to death on the Whipping Post that still stands by the dungeon.

In May 2011, a construction worker was tapped on the shoulder while trying to re-open a murder hole. Murder holes were used by defenders to pour boiling oil, water or even burning tarred sand down on attacking soliders – the scene of many horrific deaths. The incident made the local press and the worker, Mike Smith, told reporters;

“I don’t usually believe in the paranormal but it was a strange experience and I know other staff have experienced some odd goings-on at the castle too.

“Nothing like this has ever happened to me before but there are also stories of people walking dogs close to the castle and seeing their dogs barking hysterically at absolutely nothing at all.”

In Pure Spirit

Have you been to Oystermouth Castle? What did you think? Could the castle be haunted?

Picture credit: Mark Hogan, released under Creative Commons.

The starved ghost of Ashton Hall

October 26, 2009 by Andrew 5 Comments

: Image by mharrsch via Flickr

There are two Ashton Hall’s in Lancaster. The first is part of the council complex of Dalton Square near the Buck Ruxton murder site and the second is currently the headquarters of the Lancaster Golf Club.

Ashton Hall, now used by the Golf Club, was originally built by Roger of Poitou in the Barony of Lancaster. Only the tower at the south wing remains of this original building which enjoys a fantastic view of the estuary of the River Lune and Morecambe Bay.

The main hall was built by Edmund Lawrence. The Lawrence family controlled Aston Hall for the best part of two hundred years. Records show that John and Alice Lawrence were tenants in 1323 and also that William de Lancaster I granted a portion of land to Gilbert during the reign of Henry II (1154 to 1189).

The old hall has seen an eventful past. At one point the manor was held by John de Coupland who captured David, King of Scots, at the battle of Nevill’s Cross in 1436. King James I, of England, and Charles II have both stayed in Aston Hall.

Hauntings

There are a number of reports of spirits in Ashton Hall. The most common story is a white lady who was locked away in one of the hall’s towers while her lord husband fought abroad. When the husband returned to the Hall she was found starved to death.

In 1788 the wife of the 9th Duke died and his sorrow was so great that he ordered the doors to Ashton Hall closed. They did not open again until 1819 when he died and was taken through to them the ancient Parish and Priory Church of Lancaster were he was buried beside her. Paranormal experts point out that grief on this magnitude can sometimes create a haunting manifestation.

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Indeed, the wife of the 4th Duke of Hamilton, the lord who died in the duel against Lord Mohun and General Macartney was said to be so upset that she spent most of her remaining 32 years at Ashton Hall, in a bedroom in the south wing. The room is known as “The Duchess’s Bedroom” to this day.

It is also noticeable that Ashton Hall has an unusually high ratio of female descent – ownership of the estate has passed over the female line far more frequently than other comparable buildings.

Roman remains have also been found on the site. Some of the artefacts discovered nearby have included an altar inscribed with blessings to a Goddess of Plenty. This may have been Ops – a mother-goddess who also governed fertility and the harvest. She is celebrated in the festival of Opiconsivia on August 25th and Opalia on December 19th. Is there a connection between this nearby goddess and Ashton Hall’s strong line of female descent?

In Pure Spirit

Have you attended any of the events held in Ashton Hall? What was it like? Do you have any additional stories of murder at Aston Hall, death, ghosts, spirits or dark mists? Perhaps you have heard an alternative version of the Ashton Hall white lady legend?

The White Lady of Speke Hall

October 13, 2009 by Andrew 10 Comments

: Image by Keith 2006 via Flickr

Speke Hall is an historic Tudor house accompanied by impressive and beautiful gardens. The main part of the house was built in 1540 and construction continued throughout the years including a change to the laundry area in 1950s. Edward Norris made the last significant change in 1598 by adding the northern range.

The famous families of the house include Watts, Beauclerks and the family Norriss. Speke House is currently run and owned by the National Trust*.

Hauntings at Speke Hall

There are reports of murders and ghosts at Speke House. The most common story is of a woman who was so ruined by the philandering ways of her husband killed her baby and then herself. One variation of the story has the poor woman drop her child through the thunderbox toilet and another suggests she was a maid in the house who was made pregnant by one of the lords.

Another variant suggests that the White Lady of Speke House is Mary Norreys (Norris) herself who haunts the Tapestry Room. In this variant, Mary threw her baby son out of the window and into the moat before killing herself after discovering that her rakish husband Sidney Beuaclerk had lost almost all their worldly belongings in a gamble.

Visitors to Speke House have reported cold spots in various areas; especially the bedrooms and the names Anne, Mary and Catherine are used with equal frequency.

The house has a priest hole – a spy hole through the chimney from a bedroom – used to warn priests when people were close by. During the reign of Elizabeth I there was a period where Catholics faced persecution and the priest hole was used to help them hide or flee.

Visiting Speke Hall

The Trust* sell tickets to Speke House for £8 (£4 for children) or about half that for access to the gardens only.

Speke House is just minutes from Liverpool’s John Lennon Airport but many visitors take the train and travel from Hunts Cross* or Halewood to the house.

The site BuyAGift sometimes has ghost tour tickets for the area*.

In Pure Spirit

Have you been to Speke House? What did you think of the impressive gardens and the old house?

Do you believe the stories of ghosts and orbs?

Disclaimer: Links marked with a star(*) are revenue links.

Ghosts and murder at Samlesbury Hall

January 14, 2009 by Andrew 17 Comments

: Image by vulgarcriminal via Flickr

Samlesbury Hall is a grade II listed building, registered as a charitable trust, rich in history and one of the most haunted buildings in England. The Hall welcomes visitors and offers ghost investigation evenings.

The Hall was build in 1325 and left independent ownership as late as 1925 when it gained its trust status. The first hall was destroyed by soldiers loyal to Robert the Bruce after the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.

At least one owner of the hall killed themselves. Joseph Harrison bought Samlesbury Hall in 1862, but spent too much money entertaining guests, got badly into the debt and shot himself in 1878. Before Joseph the hall’s owner, John Cooper, leased the building a boarding school for girls.

Hauntings

Samlesbury Hall has been investigated by a number of professional ghost-hunters from the UK and abroad. In this video (1m44) the BBC narrates some of the more popular stories while the American ghost-hunters set up their equipment. There have been many deaths at Samlesbury Hall in its 700 year history.

Most Haunted (series five) investigated the hall. Derek Acorah was possessed by a spirit calling herself Dorothy. While possessed Acorah refers to ‘father’ and ‘the devil’.

Samlesbury Hall is haunted by a white lady. The most common belief is that the white lady is Dorothy Southworth (or Dorothea Southworth), daughter of Sir John Southworth. She fell in love with the son of the neighbouring Protestant noble family. Despite the families refusing to let young lovers meet, they continued to do so in secret and planed to elope. However, on the night of the escape Dorothy’s brother killed the not only the young noble man but two of his accomplices.

Dorothea is said to have gone insane before dying at a convent abroad. Three human skeletons were found hidden in the walls of Samlesbury Hall and this seems to add credence to the story.

Historic records show that Sir John had no daughter called Dorothy. However, Sir Thomas Southworth did and she would have been Sir John’s sister.

Another haunting is that of two ghostly figures. At times a woman is seen dragging a child behind her. This famous sighting has been successfully captured on camera phone. At about the 29 second interval of this 1m06 video a ghostly outline clearly passes the screen. Could these two be a woman and child who died at Samlesbury Hall?

The Priest Room within the hall is said to be haunted by the angered spirit of a decapitated priest. Murdered during the reformation the priest’s blood still stains the floor where he fell. Joseph Harrison had the entire floor replaced but the blood still appears and is often photographed by visitors today. Haunted Heritage Tours may have a clear photograph of this ghost.

Joseph Harrison himself haunts the hall. After killing himself in 1878 continues to remain in the building. The sounds of footsteps in the Long Gallery are said to belong to him. Harrison is also said to like woman with long hair and there have been reports from visitors with long hair of something unseen stroking or pulling their hair.

A slightly less well known ghost story from the history of Samlesbury Hall is of a guest of the hall witnessing a six horse funeral carriage out on the drive. The dark driver of the hearse looked up and deep into the eyes of the guest. The driver, it seems, was missing many teeth and had a patch over one eye. The frightened guest returned to dinner only to discover that no one else had heard the sounds of the horse drawn hearse, or seen anything, even though it would have been right outside.

A week later the same man was staying in a hotel in London. To his shock the lift doors opened to reveal the same one-eyed and toothless man wearing the uniform of a lift attendant. He panicked and fled from the lift. Seconds later and with a terrible crash the lift tore free of its cables and smashed into the ground floor taking the spooky attendant with it.

The hotel manager confirmed later that there was no lift attendant employed by the hotel.

In Pure Spirit

: Image by vulgarcriminal via Flickr

The interesting thing about the story of the phantom hearse driver is how this apparition seems to represent death – first the hearse and then the crashed lift. Was the ghost trying to warn the guest? Was the guest simply sensitive and able to see the ghostly premonition?

It is also interesting that this ghost may have followed the Samlesbury Hall guest out of the Hall and to another location. That’s not common and suggests an entity with a lot of power. Could it have been a demon?

A geomantic analysis of Samlesbury Hall and its location suggests the area is a nexus of spirit power (some might say ley lines). Geomancy is the technique where the markings or thrown handfuls of soil on the ground can be analysed for significance. It is used from Africa, to Korea to Europe and by such teachings as the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.

Samlesbury Hill may be a good location to attempt contact with a powerful spiritual force – either through Ouija, voodoo doll or poppet.

A poppet is a folk-magic and witchcraft instrument which represents a person and is used to cast a spell on that person. The common perception of voodoo dolls (technically known as vodou dolls) rose from the European tradition of poppets.

The intent behind the poppet is to infuse magickal or spiritual energy into whomever the effigy represents. In Samlesbury this energy may then be used to assist in communication.

Have you been to the Hall? Did you feel anything or see a dark phantom?

The White Lady of Tyrone: Ghost-hunters flock to the scene

January 8, 2009 by Andrew 1 Comment

: Image via Wikipedia

In recent weeks there have been a number of reported sightings of a white lady haunting a remote spot in Country Tyrone in Northern Ireland.

The reported sightings have become so wide spread and so common that cars belonging to sightseers and ghost-hunters clog the Mullaghmoyle Road, near Coalisland, where the ghostly woman has been seen the most often.

The sightings are compelling. Raymond Bell told the Daily Telegraph that his 17-year-old son did not believe in ghosts but after witnessing the white lady on numerous occasions had changed his mind.

Local politician Desmond Donnelly dismissed the sightings, saying; “If you ask me, it’s more likely to be a reflection of the moon on the river that flows through the area.”

The Northern Ireland Paranormal Research Association (NIPRA) is one of the many investigators on the scene. A spokesperson for the group, Warren Coates, noted that the area had previously been researched after reports of a ghostly woman walking out in front of cars.

The White Lady ghost phenomena are commonly associated with tragedies – often those connected to broken hearts. Some academics trace the origin of White Ladies to the German deity Holda – a goddess of children, maidens and virgin youths.

In Pure Spirit

Have you made the trip out to Coalisland to wait for the ghost? We would love to see some pictures from the area.

Are you surprised that so many people make the trip each night? Newspapers suggest that as many as 60 cars have begun to park on Mullaghmoyle Road, staying as late as 1am and beyond.

January 2, 2009 by Andrew 1 Comment

Image by Katiya Rhode via Flickr

Female ghosts are often described as being a White Lady. Margaret Radclyffe may be the white lady at Ordsall Hall and Elinir Cavendish may be the white lady at Newton House, for example. White ladies are not restricted to haunting buildings but can also be seen in valleys, especially at bridges, and roaming along roads.

White ladies tend to have tragedy in common. A white lady is often the creation of a broken heart.

It is considered bad luck to see a white lady. Many believe that the sighting of a white lady is an indication that someone in the family will die.

Some spiritualists trace the source of white ladies to Holda, the Germanic goddess. Holda is a deity of children, maidens and virgin youths and would care for their souls.

Jacob Grimm presented Holda as the matron of the Wild Hunt, winter, witches, domestic animals and spinning.

In Nordic legends Frau Holda is the equivalent of Huldra.

In Pure Spirit

Have you seen a white lady or know someone who has?

Newton House and Elinir Cavendish

December 23, 2008 by Andrew Leave a Comment

Image via Wikipedia

Newton House

Newton House is in Dinefwr Park, Wales and contains the remains of Dinefwr Castle. The building is currently owned by the National Trust but historically was the residence of Earl Cawdor. The title ‘Earl Cawdor’ was created in 1827 for John Campbell, one of the Clan Campbell.

Dinefwr Castle

The castle was constructed by Rhodri the Great in the 9th century.

Hauntings

The House is haunted by a White Lady. Elinir Cavendish is believed to have been murdered by her spurned lover in the House. Reports differ whether Elinir Cavendish was the sister or the cousin of lady of the house but it is believed she was forced into a loveless marriage and fled to Dinefwr to escape.

In 1980 the house was occupied by a television production company. Many of the film crew fell ill during this time and there are reports of strange atmospheric reactions during film. The director and an editor from the company also reported witinessing an extremely beautiful girl appear, drift across the room before apparently vanishing into a cupboard.

In Pure Spirit

Been to either Newton House or Dinefwr? How would you describe the building?

Ordsall Hall and Margaret Radclyffe

November 13, 2008 by Andrew Leave a Comment

Image by Bernt Rostad via Flickr

Ordsall Hall

Ordsall Hall is a former stately home in Salford, Greater Manchester, England. The oldest parts of the former Tudor mansion date back to the 15th century but there has been a building in location for at least 750 years. The Radclyffe family bought Ordsall Hall in the 14th century.

The Hall was originally built around a quadrangle and two wings of the building remain today; the south rand west ranges. The oldest rooms in the hall are the Great Hall and Star Chamber (named after the lead stars on the ceiling).

Margaret Radclyffe

Margaret Radclyffe died of a broken heart in 1599 after her twin brother, Alexander, died at see. She is believed to appear now as a White Lady in the Star Chamber and Great Hall.

Web Cams

Salford City Countil maintain two web cams; one in the Great Hall and the other in the Star Chamber. The Great Hall GhostCam is always offline between 9.00am and 4.00pm, Monday to Friday.

In Pure Spirit

Have you been to Ordsall Hall? What was it like?

Other ghosts at Chavenage House

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