Whilst Lancashire has been established as a county for some 800 years, this still actually makes it the baby of the bunch when compared to the founding dates of other counties across our nation.
800 years is still a long time in anyone’s book, and it is certainly long enough to generate myths, legends and the odd ghost story.
Our fair county of Lancashire is home to several places which are said to be haunted and with our rich history, it is certainly easy enough to believe. That’s if you do believe in ghosts, spirits, spectres, poltergeists and the like. For the more cynical amongst us, these stories can be dismissed as figments of the imagination, folklore and generally a load of auld codswallop. Yet, how can so many people be wrong? How can so many see exactly the same images, in exactly the same place and there not be at least a little truth to it? If you are a serious doubter, we challenge you to read these stories, visit the halls and make up your own mind as to whether you think there’s any truth to them…
Chingle Hall
Situated on the outskirts of Preston city centre, near a desirable village setting of Goosnargh, sits one of the most haunted halls in all of Lancashire. Allegedly. Singleton Hall, as it was originally named, was built in 1260 by Adam De Singleton whose family had owned the land since 1066. To start off on the spookiness, the building itself is laid out in the shape of a cross…but there’s more. It was originally surrounded by a moat and accessed by a wooden drawbridge which was later replaced by a brick bridge in the 1500s. The structure supporting the building was made from Norwegian Oak beams which were thought to have come from a Viking longboat which had been wrecked in the area; highly probable given that Goosnargh was one of the areas in which they settled. Furthermore, secrecy was built into the property by the Catholic Singletons with the inclusion of a chapel and two ‘priest holes’. One was in the chimneybreast to hide the priest who would have been giving the illegal Papist masses (an act punishable by death in the 16th century) and the other was in the floor to secrete the accessories such a service would require.
Over the years and as with many houses, ownership, and even its name, changed and it passed through different families. It underwent an extension in 1680 and it is even thought that Oliver Cromwell visited it at the time of the Battle of Preston in 1648. But whether you believe he spied on the Royalists beneath him after having climbed up one of the chimneys is at your own discretion.
Regardless of who has owned it over its lifetime, there have been some strange goings on which have led Chingle Hall to be given this name of one of the most haunted houses in Lancashire. The odd occurrences include one of the Papist mass hides being suddenly revealed hundreds of years after it was last used, as late as 1970. The owner of the house at the time was Mrs Howarth, who saw smoke pouring out of the ceiling of the chapel. Fearing the worst, she called the fire brigade. It was only upon their investigation that the chimney hide was uncovered – it had remained a secret for all these years. The source of the smoke was a log which was mysteriously burning from the inside out…but who set it on fire? Of course, it could have been a random occurrence of spontaneous combustion. Or it could have been other forces at work.
No story of a haunted hall is complete without a story of insanity, where the afflicted was locked away until their untimely death, and Chingle Hall will not disappoint you. There is a room where ‘mad’ Lady Eleanor de Singleton was kept until she passed into the next realm. She was said to be aged somewhere between 16 and 18 years, and her death came as the result of a difficult childbirth, her pregnancy borne out of abuse from her keepers. Some say she was murdered but however she met her untimely end, the room she resided in apparently smells of lavender and the Afghan hound who was her alleged companion.
Mrs Howarth also told tales of other strange events that she had witnessed back in her time as owner, and witnessed regularly. This was the story of the monk, or was it two monks? The first would be dressed in a standard brown cowl and once the front door was heard opening and closing, this figure would walk through the lounge calmly and quietly. Mrs Howarth’s dogs would jump up in excitement and wag their tails, all the while accompanying him to the stairs where he continues about his business. However, on the occasions the unsolicited visitor was dressed in black, the dogs would not move, preferring instead to cow their heads. The brown-clad monk is thought to be the figure of John Wall, who was born in the hall in 1620. At the age of 21, he left for France in order to become a Franciscan priest and when he returned to England, he was found guilty of being a Catholic priest and was hanged, drawn and quartered for this so-called crime. He was buried in Worcester, close to where he was convicted. But there are stories which suggest nuns returned his head to Chingle Hall, burying it somewhere on the grounds and ever since, he has been making his presence known.
Other stories include tales of visitors having their clothes pulled, beams setting on fire but extinguishing themselves, and apparently a mischievous poltergeist moves items in the kitchen too. After having been open to visitors for years, Chingle Hall is currently privately owned and privately kept so only the owners know if any strange goings on still occur.
Rufford Old Hall
his beautiful building is actually only part of the original structure, as only the Great Hall remains from the original building which was constructed in 1530. It has had additions over the years; a Jacobean-style brick wing was added at a right angle to the Great Hall in 1661 and then another wing was added in the 1820s too.
The various amendments this stunning Tudor building has had only serve to enrich its story, which tells the tale of wealth, romance and Hesketh family for whom it was built. It is even believed that Shakespeare himself stayed there for a short period in his youth or at least performed there whilst staying with Alexander Hoghton at Lea Hall, near Preston. If you pay a visit to Rufford Old Hall, they will tell you what evidence they have and you can decide for yourself if you think our greatest playwright did pay a visit.
Rufford Old Hall is today a National Trust property and is designated as a Grade I listed building by English Heritage, whilst the cottage, coach house and stables in the grounds are designated as Grade II. In terms of appointments, the Hall is beautifully finished with unique accessories including a wooden screen carved from bog oak. This striking, free-standing piece is actually the only known surviving example of its kind from the early part of the 16th century. A painting of Thomas Hesketh, the Second MP for Preston, hangs over the staircase. It also boasts an impressive collection of arms, armour and 17th-century oak furniture which was donated to the National Trust by Thomas Fermor-Hesketh, 1st Baron Hesketh.
But what about the ghosts? A hall as old as this with so much history should surely have some spooky stories too and it does not disappoint. There are as many as three spirits said to reside here, long after their passing, the first of whom is Elizabeth Hesketh, the ‘Gray Lady’, of the original family who owned it. Her tragic soul is captured in anguish as a result of her extreme heartbreak that occurred when her husband was called up to fight. She became ill but vowed not to die until she had the chance to say goodbye, although this was never to be the case and she passed away soon after his departure. Her spirit is thought to still be trying to bid him farewell.
The second ghostly presence is more grandiose than even the Hesketh family, for it is said the spirit of Queen Elizabeth I has made Rufford Old Hall her final resting place. No one knows why she would choose this location in particular, but she is said to be seen only ever in the dining room. When approached by the bolder visitors, she vanishes…could it be a ploy to protect her meal?!
The final ghost is that of a gentleman sporting Elizabethan costume and he is seen near the large fireplace within the Great Hall. It wasn’t until quite recently that a secret priest hide was uncovered here, but are the two related? It’s unknown, as is the identity of the man himself. Sadly, it does not seem to be Elizabeth Hesketh’s husband which is why she never gets the peace she seeks
Salmesbury Hall
Another hall close to the city of Preston, Salmesbury Hall sits just six miles east of it. Built back in 1325, it was the main residence of the Southworth family for hundreds of years and was thought to have replaced a previous building destroyed by the Scots in the Great Raid of 1322. It’s had many identities since it was constructed by Gilbert de Southworth, including being home to a girls’ boarding school and even a pub. Today it is registered as charitable trust called Salmesbury Hall Trust and is a Grade I listed manor house of the medieval era, attracting as many as 50,000 visitors each year.
The history, stunning architecture and grounds are what draws many, but there are those amongst us who cannot resist the allure of a ghost story or two. When a building has a ghastly past such as the one seen by Salmesbury Hall, one of murder, executions and suicide, it is no wonder the trust has seen fit to host ghost tours year-round.
If you take one of these tours, you might be lucky (or unlucky?) enough to spot one of the spectres said to reside there. This could be the ‘White Lady’, Dorothy Southworth, who sometimes escapes the grounds and ventures out onto the road nearby, much to the surprise of motorists who are driving there. She died of a broken heart when her elopement with the unworthy neighbour was foiled and her brothers murdered the betrothed couple.
When visiting with long hair, watch out for the resident ladies’ man who likes to stroke it whenever he can. You won’t see him of course, but the sensation will be unmistakeable. He is said to have killed himself after his high living plunged him into debt but he clearly isn’t ready to give up his lifestyle just yet! Also see if you can spot the perennial blood stain that was created when a Catholic priest was executed by soldiers during the Reformation; it is said to reappear time after time.
As residents of Lancashire, we should perhaps be alarmed that so many of our famous halls are described as ‘one of the most haunted houses in England’ but in reality, this lends an air of excitement. The fact that we have so much of the unknown on our doorstep can make for a more interesting Hallowe’en (or average Sunday) and we can excite and delight others by sharing the spooky stories which are found all over. Here, we have focused on just three of the locations said to be haunted but there are many more besides.
If you have a passing interest in the paranormal, or fancy trying to convert a sceptic, we urge you to visit these notorious places. Maybe, just maybe, you’ll be one of the few to spot the spectres in their final resting place.
The Author
Lucy Bullough – www.justwritebylucyb.co.uk