Littledean Hall

Littledean Hall (grid reference SO672130) is a country house in the village of Littledean, Gloucestershire, England. It is reputedly one of the most haunted houses in England and is thought to be the oldest house in the United Kingdom which is still occupied.[1][2][3][4][5] Saxon and Celtic remains have been uncovered in the cellars.[6]

Contents

Architecture and History

Originally a Saxon hall, then a church, it was then converted to a Norman hall, complete with a crypt and undercroft.[5] Testing has shown that these remains date back to the 5th century.[5] However, when records began of the house in 1080, it had evolved into a substantial medieval manor house which was eventually replaced with a Jacobean house in 1612.[5]

The hall boasts seven bedrooms, a coach house, a dining room, sitting and drawing rooms, a stable, living room and cellar.[7] The estate covers four acres.[7] The horse chestnuts which line the driveway are at least 500 years old and the remains of a Roman road have been found underneath the drive itself.

In 2007 the building suffered damage after lightning struck nearby and in 2008 the owners of the hall were ordered to rebuild a section of wall they had knocked down.[8][9] The wall was deemed to be a Grade II listed building alongside the main hall.[9]

The hall is currently home to greater horseshoe bats which makes it a Special Site of Scientific Interest which is closely monitored by English Nature.[2][7]

Hauntings

There are at least three distinct tales which are said to have led to hauntings at Littledean Hall. The first is the deaths of Colonel Congreve and Colonel Wigmore, who both died when the Kings garrison met with roundheads in the dining room.[4] It is reported that visitors can still see the bloodstains where they fell.[4][5]

In 1741 Charles Pyke, former occupant of the house, was accused of raping the sister of his servant.[4] The servant promptly murdered Pyke before being put to death himself.[4][5] The servant's ghost is thought to haunt the hall to this day and is often reported carrying a candle.[10] Two other Pyke brothers are said to wander the halls, having killed each other in a duel in 1740.[4][5]

However, there have also been sightings of a headless horseman and a 'Lady in Yellow' which have not been ascribed to any particular event.[1] Since the halls were opened to visitors in 1983, there have been many reports of strange sightings, dizziness and other disturbances felt by guests.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b Henderson, George (October 30, 1998). "Boys and ghouls come out to play!" (in English). The Gloucester Citizen: pp. 12. 
  2. ^ a b c Gillilan, Lesley (October 29, 1994). "Property: What Price a Ghost?" (in English). The Guardian: pp. 79. 
  3. ^ Driessen, Christoph (December 4, 2000). "House for sale but ghost must stay" (in English). The Advertiser: pp. 28. 
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Angel Tale Was Just A Hoax" (in English). The Gloucester Citizen: pp. 3. October 14, 2003. 
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Rowland, Tom (August 24, 2002). "Saxons in the cellar" (in English). The Times: pp. 15. 
  6. ^ Leighton, Barry (November 25, 2002). "Take a walk on the West's wacky side...; Discover some of the more" (in English). Western Daily Press: pp. 16. 
  7. ^ a b c "In need of love and attention; Run-down properties can be a bargain, but be prepared to put in hard sweat, and cash, to fully restore them" (in English). Mail on Sunday: pp. 41. September 15, 2002. 
  8. ^ "Thunderbolt and lightning...Very, very, frightening" (in English). The Gloucester Citizen: pp. 9. January 23, 2007. 
  9. ^ a b "'Rebuild this wall'" (in English). The Gloucester Citizen: pp. 4. January 25, 2008. 
  10. ^ "Most Haunted Places in Britain" (in English). The Express: pp. 28. September 15, 2005. 

External Links

Neighbouring areas: Avon | Hereford and Worcester | Oxfordshire | Wiltshire