CHASED TO THE PUB BY THE HEADLESS HORSEMAN - Thornhill Hall, West Yorkshire

THORNHILL HALL, RECTORY PARK, DEWSBURY, WEST YORKSHIRE

Remains of Thornhill Hall

This is local legend, I'm not sure how accurate this story is as it was passed down to me personally by someone who was in the pub at the time when this happened. One night back in the mid 1980's a local man was walking through the Rectory Park and ruined Thornhill Hall near Dewsbury, when he was set upon by a man on a black horse, the rider had no head! He ran like hell and the headless horseman galloped after him and then it just disappeared. The man ran to the nearest public house for safety, still hysterical with fear and fright, babbling uncontrollably, crying in-front of a pub full of people he recounted what he had just seen. That's as much of the story I know, but it is a very well known account of an alleged haunting manifestation in the area.

History
The former hall is a moated medieval manor house of archaeological importance.

Thornhill was the seat of the Savile family in the 14th - 17th century. The hall was built around 1450 and comprised a stone built manor with moat and gatehouse in its own park, which was redeveloped around 1600. Immediately to the north of the island is the site of a 17th century bowling green while to the west lie three earthwork terraces which are probably the remains of a formal garden of the later hall.

During the Civil War, in August 1648, troops of Lady Anne Savile defended the hall against the Parliamentarians, but were forced to surrender and the hall was accidentally blown up and destroyed.

Today, the site is largely overgrown and the only visible remains are the moat, part of the fireplace and front wall, two damaged statues which may have been on a gatehouse plus loose stones from the former buildings. The remains are grade 2 listed and currently classed as 'at risk' by English Heritage and the site, moat, former bowling green and site of the formal gardens are a scheduled ancient monument.

Eyewitness account
Another local resident who I have met personally, recounted the story of when he allegedly saw Richard Beaumont with his own eyes, sat on a horse, down by Black Dicks temple, he is adamant that what he saw was black dick himself. Now, human memory is totally unreliable, I am not saying he didn't see it or has embellished this story over the years, as it happened a long time ago, but what he said was very convincing. But, the brain has a good ability to fill in the gaps. What he could have seen is just a man on a black horse nothing more nothing less (Occam's razor). He is now researching about him and has now become an investigator of the paranormal because of his experience.

Footnote: Witness testimony Retelling old experiences can lead to confabulation, the experiencer should immediately record or write down exactly what they saw. Getting a witness soon after their experience is important (paranormal investigators) 

Gargoyles - Gog and Magog

RECTORY PARK ARCHAEOLOGICAL GROUP 

WILD YORKSHIRE (LINK)

THORNHILL HALL'S 'FASINATING HISTORY' TO BE STUDIED - BBC NEWS

WHITBY

http://www.whitbyonline.co.uk

 

HDR photo by Jules

We recently visited Whitby for a few days, we were staying at low moor in our van just 4 miles up the moor and got eaten alive by Midges after the heatwave there, then the incessant downpours due to the jet stream. We went on the famous 'Whitby Ghost Walk'

The Screaming Tunnel - Whitby Ghost Walk

it was quite entertaining and funny, if you see a man running around Whitby in the middle of the night wearing a pair of striped pajamas, its a ghost! ;) If you've never visited Whitby it's a place to add to your bucket (and spade) list. 

About Whitby

Whitby is a quaint picturesque seaside town and once international port in the English county of North Yorkshire. Situated on the east coast of Yorkshire at the mouth of the River Esk, The ruins of Whitby Abbey where Caedmon, the earliest English poet, lived. The fishing port emerged during the Middle Ages and developed important herring and whaling fleets and was where Captain Cook learned seamanship. Tourism started in Whitby in Georgian times and developed with the coming of the railway in 1839. Tourist interest is enhanced by its location surrounded by the high ground of the North York Moors national park and heritage coastline and by association with the horror novel Dracula. Jet and alum were mined locally, and Whitby jet, which was mined by the Romans and Victorians became fashionable during the 19th century.

Captain Cook

Captain Cook Memorial Museum, Whitby - http://www.cookmuseumwhitby.co.uk/

Myths, Legends and Hauntings

http://www.amazon.com/Draculas-Whitby-Ian-Thompson/dp/1445602881

Dracula Whitby Experience - http://www.draculaexperience.co.uk/experience.html

St. Mary's Churchyard - Photo by Jules

St Mary’s churchyard a large hearse with four jet-black horses would appear beside the grave at night, ready to take him away. A group of ghostly mourners would appear from the coach and remove the body from its grave. The spectral coach, lit by burning torches and driven by a headless phantom coachman shrouded in a black cloak, would then gallop away at speed and plummet over the cliffs into the sea.

Whitby Abbey - photo by Jules

Whitby Abbey. Set on a headland overlooking a seaside town Whitby Abbey inspired Bram Stoker to write his famous Dracula novels. Whitby Abbey is one of those atmospheric locations that just looks haunted.

Whitby Abbey in the haar - photo by Jules

Founded in 657 AD by the Anglo-Saxon King Oswy of Northumbria Whitby Abbey eventually succumbed to a bloody Viking raid in 867 AD and lay in ruins until the 11th Century when it was rebuilt by the Normans.

Now an impressive ruin again Whitby Abbey is said to be haunted by a nun whose body was allegedly found bricked up within the abbey walls. There have been several sightings of her staring out from the empty windows. 

The 199 Steps (Church Stairs)

The Church Stairs or the 199 Steps were originally made from wood, the earliest reference of there construction dates to around 1400.  The steps we see today are around 200 years old and they were completely renovated in 2005/06.  As you climb the stairs, you notice various landings where seating is available.  These landings were originally designed to assist the coffin bearers on there long journey to reach the cliff top graveyard.  In the past people have preferred to be carried up the steps rather than being taken via the ‘hearse road' Green Lane. 

In Bram Stokers novel Dracula after the shipwreck of the Demeter, Count Dracula climbs the 199 steps in the shape of a dog and takes refuge in a grave. Historical events recall a ship called the Demeter crashing on the rocks a few years before Stoker visited Whitby. 

 

 

When Cholera broke out during the 19th century, the dead were transported over the river to Tate Hill Pier. At night they were carried up to the top of the 199 steps.  During the hours of darkness, it is thought that the men carrying the diseased bodies, smoked clay pipes to ward off the infection.

Visitors today come from a far to climb the famous steps and even count them on the way up.  Some even debate as to whether there are in fact 199 or only 198 steps.  If you do decide to count the steps you will probably miss some great views across the harbour.

Bagdale Hall

Bagdale hall Situated just outside the centre of Whitby, is the oldest building in Whitby built in 1516. It is now a hotel said to be haunted by Browne Bushell, a former owner who was executed for piracy. He has been seen walking up the staircase, and has also been heard in the same place.

There has been other strange phenomena associated with the hall over the years, including poltergeist activity.

The legend of the Barguest has connection with Whitby not only within the pages of novel's such as Dracula and the Whitby Witches, although it's inspiration here is evident. The name most usually refers to a massive and monstrous black dog or lupine like creature with big sharp teeth and huge haunting eyes that prowls the local countryside and prays upon those which hear it's howls. Local folklore tells us that such a beast roams the North York Moors surrounding Whitby and that any poor soul that should hear the beast's chilling howl in the night will certainly be dead by dawn.

The Hand of Glory

Gruesome Tales The mummified severed human hand in Whitby Museum was discovered in the early twentieth century hidden on the wall of a thatched cottage in Castleton by a stonemason and local historian, Joseph Ford. He immediately identified it from popular stories of such objects as a "Hand of Glory". It was given to Whitby Museum in 1935 and is the only alleged Hand known to survive. A Hand of Glory was supposedly the carefully prepared and "pickled" right hand of a felon, cut off while the body still hung from the gallows and used by burglars to send sleepers in a house into a coma from which they were unable to wake. In one version the clenched hand is used as a candleholder for a candle incorporating human fat, but in another (consistent with the Whitby hand) the outstretched hand has its own fingers lit. In this case should one of the fingers refuse to light it is a sign that someone in the household remains awake. In either case the light cannot be extinguished by water or pinching but only by blood or "blue" (skimmed) milk - the usual method in the tales.

http://www.whitbymuseum.org.uk/collections/hogg.htm 

Other links

www.fallingfossteagarden.co.uk

Photo by Jules

Midge Hall - Falling Foss tea garden - We visited here on a particularly rainy afternoon, luckily the tea garden was all undercover. Amazing place, a must visit!

Also visit John Freemans art gallery, his work is amazing.  http://www.johnfreemanstudio.co.uk/artworks_nocturne.html

Us in Whitby

'Good ole Harburgh'

Burton Agnes Hall, East Yorkshire

The Screaming Skull of Burton Agnes Hall

Paranormal Places UK

Name: Burton Agnes Hall

Locality: Shady Lane, Burton Agnes, East Riding of Yorkshire YO25 4NA

Built: 1601-10

Owner: 

Grade I

Website: www.burtonagnes.com

I made a very brief visit to Burton Agnes Hall on my way back from a trip to Whitby, only to run up the drive and take a quick shot. Its a magnificent building and it takes your breath away when you see it.

The Ghost

The ghost of Katherine (Anne) Griffith, who died at Burton Agnes Hall in 1620, is reputed to have haunted the Queen's State Bedroom. Anne Griffith was the youngest of the three sisters whose portrait hangs in the Inner Hall, daughters of Sir Henry Griffith who built the Hall. The story is that Anne had watched the building of the new house and could talk and think of nothing else; it was to be the most beautiful house ever built. When it was almost finished Anne went one afternoon to visit the St. Quintins at Harpham about a mile away, but near St. John's Well was attacked and robbed by ruffians. She was brought home to Burton Agnes but was so badly hurt that she died a few days afterwards.

Sometimes delirious, sometimes sensible, she told her sisters that she would never rest unless part of her could remain in 'our beautiful home as long as it shall last'. She made them promise that when she was dead her head should be severed and preserved in the Hall forever, and to pacify her, the sisters agreed. However when Anne died, she was buried in the churchyard.

Then the ghost walked and scared the life out of everybody. Remembering Anne's dying words, the sisters took counsel with the vicar and eventually agreed that the grave should be opened. The skull was brought into the house and so long as it was undisturbed, the Hall was peaceful and untroubled. Many attempts have been made to get rid of it. Once it was thrown away, another time it was buried in the garden, but always the ghost walked with tremendous noise and upheaval. The skull is still in the house, built into one of the old walls, probably in the Great Hall. Nobody knows for sure just where it is but now she can watch over 'her beautiful home'.

Source

Mysterious Britain: The Screaming Skull of Burton Agnes Hall by Daniel Parkinson