Hauntings C
Cavendish Junior School, Edmund Street, Chesterfield
On one occasion, when the caretaker of Cavendish Junior School had gone outside after mopping the floor in the holidays, he discovered that there were bare footprints, like those of a small child, on the damp floor. There was absolutely no one else in the building to cause this.
Cemetery Road, Dronfield
In days gone by, a ghost was alleged to haunt Cemetery Road. A local policeman laid in wait one night. Seeing the ‘ghost’, he sprang out at it, whipping off the white sheet in which it was dressed, and found it was actually his own son!
References:
Merrill, 2003.
Chander Hill Lane, Holymoorside
Apparitions of monks have been seen walking along Chander Hill Lane.
Charlesworth Street, Carr Vale
In the early 1950s, various people saw a shadowy, pale coloured figure dancing about in the field at the bottom of Charlesworth Street and concluded it was a ghost. One
morning, a local shot it, which led to the discovery that it wasn't a ghost after all but a heron flapping its wings.
References:
Tebbs, 2014.
Chatsworth Road, Brookside, Chesterfield
There is a house in the Brookside area of Chatsworth Road where the ghost of an elderly former owner used to appear on the landing. It appeared when the occupants were renovating the house. They researched the man and found out that he had built the house. The current owner's wife wasn't afraid of the ghost, and politely told him "'Don't worry, we love the house just like you did, but we live here now". After that they never saw him again.
On one occasion, when the caretaker of Cavendish Junior School had gone outside after mopping the floor in the holidays, he discovered that there were bare footprints, like those of a small child, on the damp floor. There was absolutely no one else in the building to cause this.
Cemetery Road, Dronfield
In days gone by, a ghost was alleged to haunt Cemetery Road. A local policeman laid in wait one night. Seeing the ‘ghost’, he sprang out at it, whipping off the white sheet in which it was dressed, and found it was actually his own son!
References:
Merrill, 2003.
Chander Hill Lane, Holymoorside
Apparitions of monks have been seen walking along Chander Hill Lane.
Charlesworth Street, Carr Vale
In the early 1950s, various people saw a shadowy, pale coloured figure dancing about in the field at the bottom of Charlesworth Street and concluded it was a ghost. One
morning, a local shot it, which led to the discovery that it wasn't a ghost after all but a heron flapping its wings.
References:
Tebbs, 2014.
Chatsworth Road, Brookside, Chesterfield
There is a house in the Brookside area of Chatsworth Road where the ghost of an elderly former owner used to appear on the landing. It appeared when the occupants were renovating the house. They researched the man and found out that he had built the house. The current owner's wife wasn't afraid of the ghost, and politely told him "'Don't worry, we love the house just like you did, but we live here now". After that they never saw him again.
Chesterfield (Alleged Violent Phenomena)
A couple and their son living in Chesterfield experienced quite violent phenomena in their home during early 2013, with the son being dragged out of bed and the wife being pushed downstairs.
A church and a clairvoyant couple, despite charging high fees, were unsuccessful in dealing with the phenomena and so Cheryl Royce-Dexter of PASSA was requested to investigate the matter.
References:
Eyre, 2016.
A couple and their son living in Chesterfield experienced quite violent phenomena in their home during early 2013, with the son being dragged out of bed and the wife being pushed downstairs.
A church and a clairvoyant couple, despite charging high fees, were unsuccessful in dealing with the phenomena and so Cheryl Royce-Dexter of PASSA was requested to investigate the matter.
References:
Eyre, 2016.
Chesterfield (Apparitions)
Between the 1970s and 1990s, Mrs Howarth [pseudonym], her husband, her daughter June [pseudonym] and various visitors experienced apparitional and somatic experiences in the attic and bedrooms of a semi-detached house on Cottishall Terrace [pseudonym]. At the time June lived there, she sensed that there was an evil presence in the house.
An example of the phenomena is that one night in 1998, upon waking up in the front bedroom, in the early hours of the morning, Mrs Howarth heard a whispering sound. Upon opening her eyes, she saw the apparition of some small children, i.e. a boy and a girl. She then saw an apparition of her (deceased) husband walking from the wardrobe, along the side of the bed. He had his hand out, as if trying to reach something.
The matter was investigated in 1998 by the author, assisted by David Croft and other investigators. During a vigil, two of those present sensed several spirit entities, who appeared to be earthbound.
References:
Eyre, 2016.
Between the 1970s and 1990s, Mrs Howarth [pseudonym], her husband, her daughter June [pseudonym] and various visitors experienced apparitional and somatic experiences in the attic and bedrooms of a semi-detached house on Cottishall Terrace [pseudonym]. At the time June lived there, she sensed that there was an evil presence in the house.
An example of the phenomena is that one night in 1998, upon waking up in the front bedroom, in the early hours of the morning, Mrs Howarth heard a whispering sound. Upon opening her eyes, she saw the apparition of some small children, i.e. a boy and a girl. She then saw an apparition of her (deceased) husband walking from the wardrobe, along the side of the bed. He had his hand out, as if trying to reach something.
The matter was investigated in 1998 by the author, assisted by David Croft and other investigators. During a vigil, two of those present sensed several spirit entities, who appeared to be earthbound.
References:
Eyre, 2016.
Chesterfield (Apparitions and Flying Toys)
From moving into their house in 2002 up until 2009, a family living in Chesterfield saw apparitions, felt something tugging at their clothes, heard noises that were not accounted for and saw toys being flung through the air.
The matter was investigated by Kevin Parkin and Jean Porter on behalf of ASSAP and a vigil was held in conjunction with other investigators.
References:
Eyre, 2016.
From moving into their house in 2002 up until 2009, a family living in Chesterfield saw apparitions, felt something tugging at their clothes, heard noises that were not accounted for and saw toys being flung through the air.
The matter was investigated by Kevin Parkin and Jean Porter on behalf of ASSAP and a vigil was held in conjunction with other investigators.
References:
Eyre, 2016.
Chesterfield (Bull or Devil?)
One night in the 1920s, two youths decided to play a practical joke on a man addicted to drink in a village near Chesterfield. They led a bull down the lane, keeping in the shadow of the hedge. The drunk, hearing the rattling of chains and catching sight of the bull’s ferocious appearance, fled for his life, thinking he had seen the Devil.
References:
Eyre, 2016.
Chesterfield (Church Phenomenon)
In the early 1970s, a Chesterfield woman who had been helping to renovate part of a local church was alone by late evening. Looking up, she saw a nun wearing a completely white habit walking down the aisle. As their eyes met, the nun’s face broke into a beautiful smile. Then, as she approached the vestry door, the figure disappeared. This particular church had, many years previously, had Sisters of Mercy, who dressed all in white, helping out at a time of clergy shortage.
References:
Pearson, 1986.
Chesterfield (Cries and sobs)
A small, terraced house in the centre of Chesterfield was, many years ago, the scene of a murder, in which a woman butchered her children. Several families which have lived there since have heard terrifying cries and sobs at various times.
References:
Pearson, 1986.
Chesterfield (Dog, Woman, Man Apparition)
On three successive nights in late January 1674, a couple of elderly residents were woken up from their sleep by a loud hammering on the bedroom door. On each occasion, the man of the house was confronted by the sight of an alarming apparition. On the first night, it took the form of a massive black dog. On the second night, it took the form of a woman’s body covered in blood.
On the third night, it took the form of a gigantic man, who requested the occupier to follow him to a local field, where the man was shown a hidden hoard of money which had been stolen by the spirit during his dishonest lifetime. He implored the man to return the money to the persons from whom it had been stolen.
Finding, and subsequently distributing, the money, resulted in the phenomena ceasing.
References:
Eyre, 2016.
Chesterfield (Hospital Phenomena)
At one Chesterfield Hospital, at about 4.30 a.m., two nurses could hear the sound of patients talking and so left the ward office to investigate. As they neared the sound of the voices, they saw a cloud of mist hanging around the bed in the far corner of the ward. They discovered that the patient had died. The mist quickly dispersed, even though no doors or windows were open.
On another occasion, one of the nurses who had been witness to the foregoing incident noticed a naval officer with a sad smile sitting beside one of the beds. The officer was wearing a uniform of a former era. Turning round with the intention of checking the patient, she saw that the visitor had disappeared. Seeing the same visitor again at around 2 a.m., the nurse walked towards him and the figure melted away before her eyes. Later that night, the patient died.
The area around Keswick Drive, Newbold was once a leprosy or small pox hospital. Many victims who died were buried in a massive graveyard in the area. When it came to building the houses, the graves weren’t even dug up, so many bodies are still buried a few feet under the surface on that estate. Ghostly incidents have been reported in the area.
For further examples of hospital phenomena in Chesterfield, see 'Ashgate Hospice', 'Manvers Court', 'Old Royal Hospital', 'Ranmoor Close', 'Walton Hospital' and 'Old Whittington'.
References:
Pearson, 1986.
Chesterfield (Influence of Second-hand Furniture)
In June 1995, a lady living at a house in Chesterfield reported feelings of lethargy, an oppressive and depressive atmosphere, sensed both by her and by her partner, together with incidents involving her being pushed in the bathroom and visitors to the house seeing images of faces protruding from pictures in the house.
Various items of furniture, including a settle, had been moved to the house from her parents’ house.
The matter was investigated by the author, accompanied by Sheila Sweeting. There seemed to be a correlation between the moving of the settle to the house and the initiation of phenomena. A suitable resolution of the matter followed.
References:
Eyre, 2016.
Chesterfield (Leg and Flies Problem)
In 2001, an elderly Chesterfield couple by the name of Mr & Mrs Trueman [pseudonym], received a letter purporting to be from a clairvoyant, asking for money to be sent in order that the supposed clairvoyant could carry out a ritual on the Truemans’ behalf. The Truemans returned the letter to her, with a request to not send any further letters. The clairvoyant wrote back, apparently annoyed at their reaction, making what the Truemans interpreted as being a threat to send them some ‘entities’. Subsequent to her receiving this letter, Mrs Trueman started experiencing what to her was a significant problem inasmuch as she frequently experienced unpleasant vibrations around the lower part of her legs, particularly her feet, which, when they occurred at bedtime, stopped her from getting to sleep. She deduced that the vibrations were caused by the entities sent by the clairvoyant.
Mr & Mrs Trueman involved, in total, four mediums and psychics, one after another, each of whom allegedly removed some spirits from her house. Despite the involvement of these mediums, Mrs Trueman continued to experience the vibrations. Other phenomena that she reported included seeing ‘flies’ that looked like eyes moving around her house, which were not physical flies but which she claimed sometimes nipped her on the lower leg.
In 2002, the Truemans involved the author, who proceeded to carry out an investigation on behalf of ASSAP, assisted by Mark Martin. The resultant observations and analysis of symptoms enabled the investigators to identify normal explanations for most of the phenomena.
References:
Eyre, 2016.
Chesterfield (Red Mark)
The family of one house in Chesterfield claimed that a part of the house was haunted and that this had resulted in a mark appearing on the face of one family member.
References:
Eyre, 2016.
St Mary's Catholic High School, Chesterfield
Many phenomena have been reported at one school in Chesterfield, and are still occurring (as at 2017), as follows:-
- strange banging and vibrating desks, when no one is sitting at them
- a piano heard on a first floor corridor, despite there being no pianos in or near that block
- kettles turning themselves on when the observer is alone
- odd noises in an upstairs corridor, including scratching and banging
- a man seen by cleaners late at night, on an upstairs corridor.
- the feeling of a presence in one classroom
- the caretaker, locking up one block on a warm, summer's evening felt a sudden chill and the hairs on his back stood up
- a cleaner stopped working in a block after feeling uncomfortable
- doors opening and slamming unaided, including, in the case of store room doors, being witnessed by a teacher, alone in a block one night
- an oppressive atmosphere around the changing rooms and a store room off the gym
- a man who suddenly vanished on the downstairs corridor, witnessed late on by a cleaner
- a horrible atmosphere in an upstairs toilet, giving the experiencer the shivers upon opening the door - a sensation which lasts for five minutes, even when the experiencer leaves the block
- a young girl who looked out of place in relation to the other pupils was seen in a car park and a few days later, a teacher, whilst reversing his car in the car park, heard the sensor go off, only to get out and discover that there was nothing there except the tarmac, then the lawn, i.e. there was no obstructions to account for the sensor reacting!
- a staff member hearing a group of pupils in a classroom when there was no one else around
- while a pupil and teacher were working in one tutorial room, they heard something being knocked over, the sound or someone moving about, a swivel chair moving about and the filing cabinet opening and closing in the adjacent tutorial room, despite that room being locked with the light off
- a teacher, upon walking into one room to take a class and closing the door behind her, experienced the door then fully opening, causing her to look into the corridor to see who had opened it but the corridor was silent and empty and there was no wind blowing through
- in the sports hall cleaners have experienced lights turning on and off by themselves and one cleaner heard a loud cough when she was on her own and also a little girl giggle inside her ear.
In the 1940s, it appears that on the site of the school, there were some nissen huts housing soldiers, who were alleged to have played about with a ouija board. In the 1950s and 60s, local residents used to come and take part in séances in a barn at these premises. This practice continued until two Crimean soldiers were summoned, who took to standing on an embankment near where one of the car parks now is, whenever a séance was going on. This alarmed many people and so a stop was put to the séances and eventually the barn was demolished.
Chesterfield (Spirit of previous occupant)
A well-known businessman in Chesterfield was decorating a bedroom in a house into which he had just moved, when he saw a woman in a blue dress, which seemed to be shimmering. He sensed that it was the spirit of a former occupant, who was taking exception to him altering her house. He therefore assured her out loud that he wasn’t doing any harm to the place, upon which she disappeared. Two weeks later, he was working on the fireplace, when the room turned icy cold and, again, he saw the apparition and, again, assured her that he was doing no harm to the house. Not long after, he heard unaccountable bangs coming from the bedroom. This time he remonstrated out loud to her in no uncertain terms and the phenomena ended. It seems that the previous owner of the house had been killed in a car accident.
The gentleman concerned was unfortunate enough to move, a few years later, to another house which seemed to have a strange presence. As a friend of his mother was visiting one day, upon nearing the back door, she was violently knocked to the ground and injured by an unseen force. At this house, the former occupant had gassed herself to death.
References:
Pearson, 1984.
Chesterfield (Spirits following use of ouija)
A young woman living in Chesterfield in 1981 had for years experienced haunting phenomena and a feeling of being possessed. She had on many occasions used a ouija board and since then she had been followed by ghosts. In her house, extreme coldness was felt. During a visit by psychical investigators, everyone saw a vapour coming under the door into the living room, which formed itself into a ball and gently rolled into the back of a tape recorder, causing the decibel counter on the machine to swing over to a maximum reading.
Various people passing the house would notice the curtains being pulled to one side and saw or heard people in the house when no living person was actually in the house. Sometimes the woman’s young daughter would see, or even talk to, apparitions in the house. Electrical equipment would also switch itself on sometimes.
The phenomena were verified by the next door neighbours; for example, they would sometimes hear the noise of furniture being moved in the woman’s house while she was out.
References:
Pearson, 1986.
Chesterfield (Spooky nightdress)
Just after the death of a great aunt, a local woman had been given a nightdress which the deceased lady had bought immediately prior to her death. On various occasions, when wearing it at night, she had frightening experiences at 6 o’clock, in which she was awoken, became aware of an invisible presence moving towards her across the bed, being strangled and ending up on the floor. She found herself paralysed while the phenomenon was happening. Even sleeping downstairs on the sofa, the phenomena continued. Eventually, she threw the nightdress away and after that had no more unpleasant experiences.
References:
Pearson, 1984.
Chesterfield (Suspected sleep paralysis)
Two approaches to ASSAP by female Chesterfield residents were made in 2008 in which the subject experienced the presence of a person in the bedroom during the night. In one case the lady also felt the 'intruder' pressing down on various parts of her body. In each case, the experiencers were paralysed during the incident and an analysis of the facts led the investigators to a scientifically valid explanation for the phenomena.
References:
Eyre, 2016.
Chesterfield (Voices and electrical anomalies)
Ray Pearson, principal of Chesterfield Paranormal Research Bureau, investigated a case at a home in Chesterfield in which the lady of the house, her daughter and the next door neighbour heard a voice or other sounds which seemed to be created by an invisible presence. Both the householder and the investigators experienced strange phenomena associated with electrical equipment.
References:
Armitage, 2010b.
Chesterfield (Voices, PK, Fires and Dying Pets)
An assortment of phenomena occurred over a period of some 18 years at a council house in Chesterfield, beginning when the Curshaw [pseudonym] family moved in, in 1981. Many audible phenomena occurred, mainly banging sounds in the early days but specific voices by the late 1990s. There were also apparitional, tactile and psychokinetic phenomena. Whilst all members of the family experienced phenomena, more were experienced by Mrs Curshaw than anyone and she found these experiences somewhat disturbing.
In about 1994, Mrs Curshaw had had a rest in bed one afternoon, when it felt as if someone had got into bed with her. She pushed the presence away and sensed nails but no solid body. Three claw marks appeared on her arm. They faded and three appeared on the other arm, which disappeared a few days later.
The case was investigated in 2000 by the author, together with other members of CPSG and ASSAP. During the investigators’ time at the house, a few indications of paranormal significance were detected on a psychical level by some of the investigators, e.g. the apparition of a girl skipping in the back garden.
References:
Eyre, 2016.
Chesterfield (Wall tapped and jacket zipped up)
Mr John Walker and his wife had made a pact that whichever of them passed on first would try to ring the budgie bell in their home, to indicate to the remaining spouse their survival of death.
Shortly after Mrs Walker’s death, phenomena began to occur in their house. Mr Walker heard taps on the wall.
Every so often, Mr Walker would wear his wife’s hooded jacket in the house, as he was fond of it. Each time, when he had finished wearing it, he naturally undid the zip, removed it and hung it up in the bedroom. However, on two occasions, when he came to pick up the jacket to wear it again, he found that the zip had mysteriously been done up.
These and other incidents were investigated by CPSG Investigations Officer Cherill Royce-Dexter. As at the date of publication, no ringing of the budgie bell had been heard.
References:
Eyre, 2016.
Chesterfield Canal
In 1886 a farmer by the name of Herbert Crooks was robbed and murdered in Bluebank Wood and his body thrown in Chesterfield Canal. In the 1970s two boys were walking along a lane behind King Street when they saw the apparition of a tall man wearing a tall hat and long, dark cloak. In 1993 Arthur Skelhorn was taking his dog for a walk late one evening along the canal bank, near Newbridge Lane, when he also saw an apparition of that description. There is a suggestion that the apparition might be that of the murdered Herbert Crooks.
References:
Armitage, 2009b.
Chesterfield College
In August 1981 David Siddon was working in the balance room of laboratory S208, when he heard heavy footsteps in the preparation room at the other end of
the lab and then saw a small, thickset man with a bobble cap going along the lab, opening the fume cupboard doors. He later discovered that the man he'd seen had died 20 years earlier.
A number of other phenomena has been experienced at the college over the years, including
- multiple sightings of a ghost cat roaming the corridors
- the apparition of a boy looking out of one of the attic windows in West Block, after the building had been locked up one day around 2004/05; this may be related to the
fact that the building was used as Chesterfield Grammar School until the early 1950s
- unexplained footsteps.
In addition to the various phenomena at the main Infirmary Road / Sheffield Road campus, phenomena have also been reported at the following campuses:-
- the Clowne campus, where poltergeist activity has occurred in the Hair and Beauty Reception, including cosmetics being turned around in a locked cabinet
- 'Penmore House'
- 'Tapton House'
- Junction 29a Logistics Training Centre, where sounds as of heavy items being dragged around the conference room, even though it was unoccupied at such times.
References: Siddon, 2012.
Chesterfield / Staveley
During the Summer of 1873, the mysterious figure of what had become known as Springheeled Jack in Sheffield, seemed to frequent both Chesterfield and Staveley. There was a failed attempt at shooting him and he was renowned for escaping by jumping over high walls.
References:
Eyre, 2016.
Chesterfield Town Hall
One Saturday evening, a councillor, his wife and a male friend were returning borrowed furniture to the Town Hall, after a fund raising event. As they walked along a well-lit corridor leading from a door at the west end of the building, the wife saw the apparition of a young man, even though the men could not see it.
See ‘Rose Hill', Chesterfield for details of phenomena occurring at the previous building on this site.
References:
Brindle, 2011.
Chesterfield Tube Works and Cineworld, Derby Road, Chesterfield
In 1976, a Security Guard at No. 6 gate of Chesterfield Tube Works saw the apparition of a man wearing an old mac and cap. The image lasted for some time and seemed to be that of a former Senior Security Guard. The figure had also been seen by another guard and by a canteen worker. A Mrs Valerie Bothamley thought that the description of the ghost sounded exactly like her father, who had been a security guard there for many years and who had died a few weeks previously.
Such apparitions were seen both inside the locked security office and also outside, waiting to enter the gate.
The site of this factory and adjacent Alma public house are now occupied by housing. Just over the other side of Derby Road from the former factory, there is now an entertainment complex, of which a part is the multiscreen cinema ‘Cineworld’. One of the Managers refuses to go into the long, narrow projection room, as he has sensed a presence there. A projectionist called Karen has heard her name being called three times, even though there was no-one around. A number of sightings have been made from that room of a figure reflected in the viewing glass.
References:
Pearson, 1984, 1986; Brindle, 2011.
In 1886 a farmer by the name of Herbert Crooks was robbed and murdered in Bluebank Wood and his body thrown in Chesterfield Canal. In the 1970s two boys were walking along a lane behind King Street when they saw the apparition of a tall man wearing a tall hat and long, dark cloak. In 1993 Arthur Skelhorn was taking his dog for a walk late one evening along the canal bank, near Newbridge Lane, when he also saw an apparition of that description. There is a suggestion that the apparition might be that of the murdered Herbert Crooks.
References:
Armitage, 2009b.
Chesterfield College
In August 1981 David Siddon was working in the balance room of laboratory S208, when he heard heavy footsteps in the preparation room at the other end of
the lab and then saw a small, thickset man with a bobble cap going along the lab, opening the fume cupboard doors. He later discovered that the man he'd seen had died 20 years earlier.
A number of other phenomena has been experienced at the college over the years, including
- multiple sightings of a ghost cat roaming the corridors
- the apparition of a boy looking out of one of the attic windows in West Block, after the building had been locked up one day around 2004/05; this may be related to the
fact that the building was used as Chesterfield Grammar School until the early 1950s
- unexplained footsteps.
In addition to the various phenomena at the main Infirmary Road / Sheffield Road campus, phenomena have also been reported at the following campuses:-
- the Clowne campus, where poltergeist activity has occurred in the Hair and Beauty Reception, including cosmetics being turned around in a locked cabinet
- 'Penmore House'
- 'Tapton House'
- Junction 29a Logistics Training Centre, where sounds as of heavy items being dragged around the conference room, even though it was unoccupied at such times.
References: Siddon, 2012.
Chesterfield / Staveley
During the Summer of 1873, the mysterious figure of what had become known as Springheeled Jack in Sheffield, seemed to frequent both Chesterfield and Staveley. There was a failed attempt at shooting him and he was renowned for escaping by jumping over high walls.
References:
Eyre, 2016.
Chesterfield Town Hall
One Saturday evening, a councillor, his wife and a male friend were returning borrowed furniture to the Town Hall, after a fund raising event. As they walked along a well-lit corridor leading from a door at the west end of the building, the wife saw the apparition of a young man, even though the men could not see it.
See ‘Rose Hill', Chesterfield for details of phenomena occurring at the previous building on this site.
References:
Brindle, 2011.
Chesterfield Tube Works and Cineworld, Derby Road, Chesterfield
In 1976, a Security Guard at No. 6 gate of Chesterfield Tube Works saw the apparition of a man wearing an old mac and cap. The image lasted for some time and seemed to be that of a former Senior Security Guard. The figure had also been seen by another guard and by a canteen worker. A Mrs Valerie Bothamley thought that the description of the ghost sounded exactly like her father, who had been a security guard there for many years and who had died a few weeks previously.
Such apparitions were seen both inside the locked security office and also outside, waiting to enter the gate.
The site of this factory and adjacent Alma public house are now occupied by housing. Just over the other side of Derby Road from the former factory, there is now an entertainment complex, of which a part is the multiscreen cinema ‘Cineworld’. One of the Managers refuses to go into the long, narrow projection room, as he has sensed a presence there. A projectionist called Karen has heard her name being called three times, even though there was no-one around. A number of sightings have been made from that room of a figure reflected in the viewing glass.
References:
Pearson, 1984, 1986; Brindle, 2011.
Church of St Mary and All Saints, Chesterfield
In about 1959, whilst in the vestry of the Church of St Mary and All Saints, a couple of choirboys saw a small white shape moving through the air at the end of the room, which proceeded to go through the door into the main body of the church. The image appeared to be dressed in a shroud but was featureless.
Within the Church of St Mary and All Saints, footsteps were heard by several people in the 1950s and 1960s, seeming to come up the stairs within the tower towards the bell ringing room, even though no-one was found to be on the staircase. One example of this was experienced by teenager Ian Blissett, who, at the time, was a bell ringer at the church. One Saturday the bell ringers were invited to a Methodist church gala at a house in Chesterfield, to play tunes with hand bells. On arrival at the gala they found they had left an important bell behind. Ian offered to run back to Church with the key and fetch the bell. He went up the stairs inside the wall, lit only by a very low wattage bulb, to the ringing room. Just as he was taking the hand bell out of the cabinet he heard footsteps coming up the stone steps. Thinking that someone had come to help him or, worse, someone had come off the street, he waited to see who it was. The footsteps went past the open door and on up to the belfry - nobody was there. Then he knew fear of the unknown. He held the bell as if it were a weapon and flew down the steps to bright sunlight and safety. Later the Archdeacon told him that in the 1800s some poor soul had been murdered by being strapped to one of the bell wheels.
One evening two women were walking along the path at the West end of the church when they noticed a swirling mist covering the ground and a faceless figure dressed in what looked like a monk’s habit peering in through a church window. Because of a deep drainage ditch around that part of the church, it would have been impossible for anyone to stand in such a position as to be able to look into the window.
References:
Pearson, 1984; Armitage, 2005; Bell, 2005; Brindle, 2011; Eyre, 2016; Derbyshire Ghosts with Richard Felix, n.d.
In about 1959, whilst in the vestry of the Church of St Mary and All Saints, a couple of choirboys saw a small white shape moving through the air at the end of the room, which proceeded to go through the door into the main body of the church. The image appeared to be dressed in a shroud but was featureless.
Within the Church of St Mary and All Saints, footsteps were heard by several people in the 1950s and 1960s, seeming to come up the stairs within the tower towards the bell ringing room, even though no-one was found to be on the staircase. One example of this was experienced by teenager Ian Blissett, who, at the time, was a bell ringer at the church. One Saturday the bell ringers were invited to a Methodist church gala at a house in Chesterfield, to play tunes with hand bells. On arrival at the gala they found they had left an important bell behind. Ian offered to run back to Church with the key and fetch the bell. He went up the stairs inside the wall, lit only by a very low wattage bulb, to the ringing room. Just as he was taking the hand bell out of the cabinet he heard footsteps coming up the stone steps. Thinking that someone had come to help him or, worse, someone had come off the street, he waited to see who it was. The footsteps went past the open door and on up to the belfry - nobody was there. Then he knew fear of the unknown. He held the bell as if it were a weapon and flew down the steps to bright sunlight and safety. Later the Archdeacon told him that in the 1800s some poor soul had been murdered by being strapped to one of the bell wheels.
One evening two women were walking along the path at the West end of the church when they noticed a swirling mist covering the ground and a faceless figure dressed in what looked like a monk’s habit peering in through a church window. Because of a deep drainage ditch around that part of the church, it would have been impossible for anyone to stand in such a position as to be able to look into the window.
References:
Pearson, 1984; Armitage, 2005; Bell, 2005; Brindle, 2011; Eyre, 2016; Derbyshire Ghosts with Richard Felix, n.d.
Clay Cross
A resident of a block of flats in Clay Cross experienced his car alarm going off repeatedly at night. He rigged up a camcorder and when the film was examined, it was found to show a ghostly shape hovering round the car, which disappeared immediately the alarm sounded.
References:
Armitage, 2010a.
A resident of a block of flats in Clay Cross experienced his car alarm going off repeatedly at night. He rigged up a camcorder and when the film was examined, it was found to show a ghostly shape hovering round the car, which disappeared immediately the alarm sounded.
References:
Armitage, 2010a.
Clay Cross Tunnel and George & Dragon, Clay Lane, Clay Cross
The ghosts of men holding lit candles have been seen walking through Clay Cross Tunnel and haunting activity has also been reported at the nearby George & Dragon public house. It is suggested that both types of event could be due to the spirits of men who were killed whilst working on the construction of Clay Cross Tunnel in the 1830s.
References:
Armitage, 2009b, 2011.
The ghosts of men holding lit candles have been seen walking through Clay Cross Tunnel and haunting activity has also been reported at the nearby George & Dragon public house. It is suggested that both types of event could be due to the spirits of men who were killed whilst working on the construction of Clay Cross Tunnel in the 1830s.
References:
Armitage, 2009b, 2011.
Clowne
Between 1994 and 1998 there were various sightings of outdoor apparitions by different residents of one particular road in Clowne. The most common sighting was the witnessing by various members of a family living at the end of the street, of the shadow of someone walking along the footpath in front of their lounge window, when it was dark outside. The figure appeared to be approaching their front door but whenever anyone opened the door to see who was there, there was no-one at the door and no-one in front of the house next door, to which the footpath led. Beyond that, there was a fence.
Various neighbours had also seen apparitions approaching not only that house but also going past their own houses or walking down the road.
The matter was investigated by the author and Liz Stone, who interviewed the various witnesses and researched the history of the area, to see whether that shed any light on the matter.
References:
Eyre, 2016.
Coal Aston Common
A long standing legend is that the impending death of Coal Aston residents is portended by the appearance of the ‘Three Fates’, otherwise known as the ‘Norns’, on Coal Aston Common. People seeing these three fairy women would deduce that either they or a member of their family was about to die. Alternative reports of the sightings were that the ‘Fates’ either looked like tall, thin women standing in a line with three hour-glasses in their hands or as young and beautiful women, two dressed in white and one in green. The hour-glasses symbolised the amount of time left on Earth to the victim.
A second spectre that was seen on the common was a nine foot giant, carrying an oak tree over his shoulder, and a third spectre was a man carrying a scythe.
References:
Linahan, 1996; Merrill, 2003.
Cotgrave Pit, Chesterfield
When active, Cotgrave Pit was haunted by a man who walked through walls. The behaviour upset miners so much that at least one refused to return.
References:
Paranormal Database, 2015a.
Cresswell Crags
During the 20th century, the ghostly figures of cavemen were spotted at Cresswell Crags.
In the 1980s, a couple were driving past the crags when they had to stop at temporary traffic lights. Whilst there, an image in a bush began to float towards the car, looking like that of an archetypical old witch.
In more recent times, the head of an unknown, hooded figure has been seen floating among the thickets on the edge of the lake.
References:
Bell, 2005; Armitage, 2009b.
