Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Country and County: Cumbria

Anniversary Ghosts / Apparitions / Hauntings

Armboth House

Armboth House was haunted following the drowning of the households daughter on the night before her wedding day. It is said that bells could be heard, a ghostly dog could be seen swimming in Thirlmere Lake (where she was murdered) and reception meal places laid out by some spirit, all taking place on the anniversary of that fateful night, which just happens to be Halloween.

Apparitions / Hauntings / Screaming Skulls

Calgarth Hall

According to legend, the owners, a Mr and Mrs Kraster Cook were framed one Christmas by Myles Phillipson, a magistrate. He planted a silver cup upon their persons when they came around to visit him. The crime was punishable by death and Phillipson gained control of Calgarth Hall, a sixteenth century manor house, but not before being cursed by Mrs Dorothy Cook.

Apparitions / Hauntings

Naworth Castle

Haunted by a ‘White Lady’, the spirit of a girl who was seduced by Lord Dacre without knowing his identity. She became pregnant and upon discovering Lord Dacres rank and social standing, she realised they would never be together as she was of a lower class. She through herslf into a stream and drowned. The body was discovered by Lord Dacre, his bride to be and the dead girls mother.

Legends / Occult / Witchcraft

Upper Denton

The local church made from the distinctive stones taken from Hadrian’s Wall dates back to Saxon times. The churchyard holds the grave of Margaret Teasdale who died aged ninety-eight in 1777. Items found in her home after her death led the locals to believe she had an interest in the occult and she has been regarded as a witch since then.

Hauntings

Victoria Viaduct, Carlisle

A former bank that was converted into a jeweller’s around 1959 was haunted. Footsteps could be heard on the tall flight of steps within the building but nobody could account for them. They finally stopped when the floor was lifted and an old well uncovered. The well had been partially filled and when they were emptying it they discovered a headless skeleton.

Other Mysteries / Wells

Carlisle Cathedral

In 1868, a midget wearing old fashioned clothes and silver buckles on his shoes, was seen in the streets near the Cathedral but quickly vanished.

Apparitions / Civil War Hauntings / Hauntings

West Walls, Carlisle

The ghost of a Cavalier has been seen close to the West Walls early some mornings, though I am unaware of anyone seeing him recently. The West Walls are the last remaining example of Carlisle’s defensive wall that encircled the early city. They served the city well especially during the Civil War when Carlisle was besieged by Cromwell’s soldiers during 1644 and 1645.

Apparitions / Hauntings

Keswick’s Moot Hall

The News & Star reported the following in an article by Ross Brewster on Thursday 8 March 2001. ‘Men working on a facelift for Keswicks Moot Hall have been.. spooked by a ghost in the tower. The first sighting was reported by a labourer sweeping up in the corner of the tower.