The most well-known spirit is of that of the "Grey Lady". Legend has it that the Lady was the wife to a lord of the manor. One day he returned home to find his wife in bed with another man. Fit with rage, he through her into a small room (believed to be the "Red Bedroom" where she starved to death, whilst he locked her lover in another room and bricked up both the doors and windows. In the Grey Lady's Chamber, apparitions of a lady have been seen both by the window and in the rocking chair. The chair also rocks on its own with no breeze in the room.
Another legend is that of the "White Lady". It is said that she was hunting one day where she fell from her horse into the duck pond and drowned. Her body was never discovered. An apparition believed to be her has been seen both in and out of the pond, presumably looking for her body.
In the "Old Barn", resides the spirit of a female known as "Alice" and the spirit of her cat. She was believed to be a witch and one day, two men dragged her to the pond, and drowned her until the verge of death, dragged her back to the barn, molested her, then burnt her and the cat. A strange feeling occupies this barn.
*** I have heard something that sounds like a scream twice; once as I walked past the Old Barn and the second time when I was cleaning in the Airedale Barn (used for functions).
In both the Shop and Tearooms, there is an oppressive atmosphere. This is due to the so-called "Assassin-Dishwasher" spirit. Believed to be a man who worked as a Dishwasher at one time in the Hall, who then led a second life as an Assassin by night. Usually he is kept at bay, but if there is a depressing atmosphere (in the mood of a person) then he strikes. If fresh flowers are left on Table 3 one evening, sometimes the next morning they have completely wilted where the rest are fine. I can actually vouch for this. I have seen the fresh flowers one evening, then the wilted ones the next.... Also, chairs have been reported to move.
Staying in the tearooms, There are also the friendlier spirits of a Mother and two young boys. Legend says that one of the boys drowned in the pond. Some mornings, books and toys (usually stuffed toys) have moved from the toy-box to places in the Tearooms where its impossible for them to land if they simply fall out. I went up to the Tearooms one morning before the Catering staff got in and a large grey stuffed bear from the toy-box had moved from his usual place (sat proud on top of the toy-box) and he was sat on the table opposite and the catering staff swear that he was on the toy-box when they left the night before.
There is sometimes a strange feeling in the shop. A few visitors have felt to be being watched from someone or something. I was in the shop on the morning that the Most Haunted team were in filming, and I was dusting a clock original to the house which has been broken and not working for about 7 years started chiming. Also, at the beginning of this season (March 2006), the same clock one morning started up and continued all the way through until the end of the day when it suddenly stopped.
Also on the property are two spirit dogs. One is said to be the spirit of the Gardeners dog who sadly passed away just before Christmas 2005. The other is rumoured to be a "Devil-Hound", a large black dog with red eyes. Legend says if you see these dogs, it means that someone will die soon.
This information was kindly submitted by an employee at the hall.
Wed Mar 12, 2008 9:40 pm
