Country and County: England

Kirkstall Abbey

The following tunnel legend was published in Notes on the Folk-lore of the Northern Counties of England and the Borders by William Henderson (1879). ’A…..tale is told of Kirkstall Abbey, near Leeds.

Riding The Stange

‘This is another species of popular punishment which formerly prevailed at Beverley, but is now deservedly fallen into desuetude. The ceremony was performed when a husband had been guilty of beating his wife, or vice versa ; and was as follows.

Oatlands Park Hotel, Weybridge

The wonderful four-star Oatlands Park Hotel is built within the grounds of a Royal Palace and may have a reputation of being haunted. The Tudor Palace of Oatlands was demolished following the execution of King Charles I (Died 1649). A house, possibly a hunting lodge associated with Palace survived and was eventually enlarged, extended and renovated into a mansion.

Grace Dieu Priory

The ruins of Grace Dieu Priory have a reputation of being haunted. The Priory was founded between 1235 and 1241 for Augustinian nuns by Rose de Verdon and was closed during the Dissolution in October 1538.

Bradgate Park

Acording to an article entitled ‘Leicestershire’s Most Haunted’ which was published on the BBC website on 31 October 2006. ‘Any true Leicestershire man or woman worth their salt will know about the legend of Lady Jane Grey. But did you know, some people still believe she’s still around in the county?

Sham Castle

The Sham Castle at Bathampton is a Grade II listed building dating from 1762. It was built for the entrepreneur and philanthropist, Ralph Allen (Born 1693 – Died 29 June 1764), who perhaps haunts it still. The following extract is taken from an article by David Brandon and Alan Brooke which was published in The Guardian on 31 October 2009.

Shug Monkey

According to tradition Slough Hill Lane and the area between between Balsham and West Wrattling was haunted by a black dog with the face of a monkey. It was described in James Wentworth Day’s ‘Here are Ghosts & Witches’ (1954) as ‘a cross between a big rough-coated dog and a monkey with big shining eyes.