Hauntings H
Hagge Hall, Nether Handley
The Hagge is a Jacobean mansion dating back to the late 16th century. It is reputed to be haunted by a White Lady, who is alleged to be the ghost of Frances Culpepper, born in the house to Sir John Frecheville and Sarah Harrington in 1638. Frances married Colonel Thomas Culpepper without her parents’ consent, was subsequently cut out of their will and no doubt in due course regretted the marriage herself, as her husband neglected her. The apparition has been seen both in the hall and on the adjacent Hall Lane. Witnesses have described the image as wearing a cloak, hat and white robes.
In the 19th century, whilst the house was occupied by a Mr Crawshaw, an Irish visitor saw the White Lady whilst climbing the stairs, without realising until the next morning that she was not a living person.
In the 20th century, the building was used as a farmhouse and renamed Hagge Farm and is now a private house.
References:
Daniel, 1974; Pearson, 1984; Armitage, 2005, 2009; Brindle, 2011.
Hallowes Golf Club
On various occasions since 1925, when Hallowes Golf Club took over its present club house, strange incidents have occurred centred on the dining room, including apparitions being seen outdoors from there and tablecloths being removed from the table.
References:
Eyre, 2016.
Handley, Clay Cross
In the mid-1970s, a Miss Dilys M Twyford, together with three friends, was driving through Handley one evening, when they saw a ghost about the size of a child, dressed in an off-white smock. The ghost was headless and appeared to be waving its arms in a way that looked as if it didn’t have any joints.
References:
Daniel, 1974; Pearson, 1984.
Hardstoft, Pilsley
A number of motorists have collided with a ghost that they took at the time to be a real person, on the main road passing through Hardstoft, near the Shoulder of Mutton public house.
One such incident involved a policeman driving his dog van at night. Whilst heading towards Pilsley he saw a figure in his headlights. He hit the figure head on, causing the man to bounce over the bonnet and fall. The officer leapt out of the van and released his dog, to enable it to search for the body. However, it jumped out, howled pitifully and shot off down the road. Despite searching, the police officer was not able to find the victim of the accident. Despite seeing what happened, he didn’t feel or hear the impact.
The man ‘run over’ in these various incidents was actually killed at that spot many years previously.
References:
Pearson, 1984; Armitage, 2010a.
Hardwick Hall
The original hall (Hardwick Old Hall) now lies in ruins and the replacement Hardwick Hall, built by Bess of Hardwick, stands nearby.
Hardwick Hall is haunted by numerous ghosts, the phenomena extending to both halls and the grounds. These include the ghost of a white-faced monk seen wandering the grounds, a phantom blue lady being witnessed in both halls, a ghostly white cat and a figure wearing a ruff collar and a large plumed hat. Strange moans, crashing sounds and footsteps have also been heard.
In the Blue Bedroom (within the new hall), people have reported the sensation of being watched, touched or spoken to and the smiling figure of a young lady dressed in grey has been seen there.
A previous housekeeper, who was in the middle of ironing in the Flower Room, and who was distracted briefly by another member of staff, found, upon returning to her task, that all her neat ironing had been thrown into a crumpled heap.
In January 1976 two motorists and two police officers, whilst driving through the grounds of Hardwick Hall, saw a ghost with a brilliant white face, wearing a monk’s clothing.
In February 2023, William Mitchell captured a photograph of the image of a woman in white at the Old Hall.
References:
Daniel, 1974; Pearson, 1984, 1986; Anthony, 1997; Armitage, 2005, 2009; Brindle, 2011; Paranormal Database, 2014c; Eyre, 2016; Psychic News, 2023.
Harewood Grange, Holymoorside
Apparitions of monks have been seen at Harewood Grange.
Hasland
One day in the late 1980s / early 1990s, bus driver Mr Clive Ellis took the bus fare from a shortish, elderly lady boarding his bus in Vicar Lane, Chesterfield Town Centre, who asked for Hasland. She went and sat down near the back. There not being any further passengers, he drove the double-decker bus towards its destination. By the time he had arrived at Hasland, he had picked up no more passengers and was wondering why his sole passenger had not alighted, as her fare would have only taken her that far. He therefore stopped the bus and looked back along the lower deck but could not see her. Worried that she might have been taken ill, he went and looked for her on the upper deck but found that the bus was devoid of passengers. Somewhere along the route the old lady had completely disappeared.
Hasland Old Hall
By the middle of the 20th century, this mansion, located at the junction of Calow Lane and Chapel Street, had been split into three separate homes. In one of them lived a woman with her five daughters and a son. They frequently saw the figure of a small woman wandering around the rooms and they even saw her walking up a wall, which had previously been a staircase. A non-physical white rabbit was also seen about the building and the daughters sometimes found that the bedclothes were dragged off their beds by someone invisible.
One day the woman had a feeling of impending doom all day and was so worried that she moved her son at night from his own bed, to sleep with one of his sisters. During the night, a section of the Hall collapsed, which involved a beam of wood from the ceiling falling down onto the son’s usual bed. Had it not been for the woman’s premonition, he would quite possibly have been killed.
References:
Brindle, 2011.
Heath Vicarage
In about 1954, a girl aged seven, together with her sister and parents, moved into the back section of Heath Vicarage, the building being divided at the time into two dwelling places, with the vicar living in the front section. On various occasions, whilst arriving home from school and walking up to the vicarage, the girl saw the apparition of a lady wearing white in one of the rooms at the front of the building. Becoming nervous of this figure, she mentioned the matter to her mother, who explained that it was a lady who used to live in the building but who was harmless.
Whilst living there, she and her sister also sometimes sensed an unpleasant presence in their large, shared bedroom and would try and hide from it.
The original hall (Hardwick Old Hall) now lies in ruins and the replacement Hardwick Hall, built by Bess of Hardwick, stands nearby.
Hardwick Hall is haunted by numerous ghosts, the phenomena extending to both halls and the grounds. These include the ghost of a white-faced monk seen wandering the grounds, a phantom blue lady being witnessed in both halls, a ghostly white cat and a figure wearing a ruff collar and a large plumed hat. Strange moans, crashing sounds and footsteps have also been heard.
In the Blue Bedroom (within the new hall), people have reported the sensation of being watched, touched or spoken to and the smiling figure of a young lady dressed in grey has been seen there.
A previous housekeeper, who was in the middle of ironing in the Flower Room, and who was distracted briefly by another member of staff, found, upon returning to her task, that all her neat ironing had been thrown into a crumpled heap.
In January 1976 two motorists and two police officers, whilst driving through the grounds of Hardwick Hall, saw a ghost with a brilliant white face, wearing a monk’s clothing.
In February 2023, William Mitchell captured a photograph of the image of a woman in white at the Old Hall.
References:
Daniel, 1974; Pearson, 1984, 1986; Anthony, 1997; Armitage, 2005, 2009; Brindle, 2011; Paranormal Database, 2014c; Eyre, 2016; Psychic News, 2023.
Harewood Grange, Holymoorside
Apparitions of monks have been seen at Harewood Grange.
Hasland
One day in the late 1980s / early 1990s, bus driver Mr Clive Ellis took the bus fare from a shortish, elderly lady boarding his bus in Vicar Lane, Chesterfield Town Centre, who asked for Hasland. She went and sat down near the back. There not being any further passengers, he drove the double-decker bus towards its destination. By the time he had arrived at Hasland, he had picked up no more passengers and was wondering why his sole passenger had not alighted, as her fare would have only taken her that far. He therefore stopped the bus and looked back along the lower deck but could not see her. Worried that she might have been taken ill, he went and looked for her on the upper deck but found that the bus was devoid of passengers. Somewhere along the route the old lady had completely disappeared.
Hasland Old Hall
By the middle of the 20th century, this mansion, located at the junction of Calow Lane and Chapel Street, had been split into three separate homes. In one of them lived a woman with her five daughters and a son. They frequently saw the figure of a small woman wandering around the rooms and they even saw her walking up a wall, which had previously been a staircase. A non-physical white rabbit was also seen about the building and the daughters sometimes found that the bedclothes were dragged off their beds by someone invisible.
One day the woman had a feeling of impending doom all day and was so worried that she moved her son at night from his own bed, to sleep with one of his sisters. During the night, a section of the Hall collapsed, which involved a beam of wood from the ceiling falling down onto the son’s usual bed. Had it not been for the woman’s premonition, he would quite possibly have been killed.
References:
Brindle, 2011.
Heath Vicarage
In about 1954, a girl aged seven, together with her sister and parents, moved into the back section of Heath Vicarage, the building being divided at the time into two dwelling places, with the vicar living in the front section. On various occasions, whilst arriving home from school and walking up to the vicarage, the girl saw the apparition of a lady wearing white in one of the rooms at the front of the building. Becoming nervous of this figure, she mentioned the matter to her mother, who explained that it was a lady who used to live in the building but who was harmless.
Whilst living there, she and her sister also sometimes sensed an unpleasant presence in their large, shared bedroom and would try and hide from it.
Higham
Upon reaching Higham on his journey from Wolverhampton to Sheffield in July 1899, a nomadic man claimed that he could see an apparition of his own coffin.
References:
Eyre, 2016.
High Street, Bolsover
Residents of High Street regularly see the ghost of a young girl playing in one of the gardens.
References:
Armitage, 2010b.
High Street, New Whittington
In an area on High Street, now occupied by a children’s playground, strange happenings used to occur at several houses. At no. 23, creakings were often heard, one woman saw something descend the stairs and enter the living room via the kitchen and the same lady felt a cat brush against the back of her legs while she was standing in the kitchen.
At a nearby house, a neighbour had been decorating and blocking up the fireplace, papering over the top. As she left the house, she heard a loud bang and found all the materials used to block up the fireplace were all over the floor. As it was a calm day, it did not seem that wind could have caused the problem.
Not long after a new owner took over a newsagent’s shop on the High Street, he heard banging on an adjoining wall so violent that bottles and cans in the storeroom were rattling on the shelves. This occurred when the next door neighbours had been away from home.
References:
Pearson, 1984.
High Street, Old Whittington
The home of the late Freda Carpenter on High Street was known to be haunted. A black spirit was seen at the end of the bed and footsteps were heard
upstairs.
Hipper Hall, Holymoorside
The supposed ghost of Mary Queen of Scots has been seen in moonlight near a barn door at Hipper Hall.
Hippodrome Theatre, Corporation St, Chesterfield
Late in 1925, positions as dancers were advertised for the forthcoming performance of the pantomime Rip Van Winkle at the Hippodrome. A 14 year old schoolgirl by the name of Ivy Trusswell made her way to the theatre late one afternoon for her first rehearsal. It was already dark, there was no light on outside and no light inside, even. She falteringly took a few steps to one side, where she knew there was a handrail. At that point, a comforting arm was place around her, which guided her along the long corridor towards the stage entrance. She spoke to the helpful person whilst walking along and, arriving at the stage door, turned to thank her helper – but no-one was there. The actors on stage informed her that she must have been helped by a ghost.
Up until the time that the Hippodrome was demolished, many more occurrences of ghostly activity were reported, including the sighting of an extra actor on the stage.
References:
Pearson, 1984; Brindle, 2011.
Upon reaching Higham on his journey from Wolverhampton to Sheffield in July 1899, a nomadic man claimed that he could see an apparition of his own coffin.
References:
Eyre, 2016.
High Street, Bolsover
Residents of High Street regularly see the ghost of a young girl playing in one of the gardens.
References:
Armitage, 2010b.
High Street, New Whittington
In an area on High Street, now occupied by a children’s playground, strange happenings used to occur at several houses. At no. 23, creakings were often heard, one woman saw something descend the stairs and enter the living room via the kitchen and the same lady felt a cat brush against the back of her legs while she was standing in the kitchen.
At a nearby house, a neighbour had been decorating and blocking up the fireplace, papering over the top. As she left the house, she heard a loud bang and found all the materials used to block up the fireplace were all over the floor. As it was a calm day, it did not seem that wind could have caused the problem.
Not long after a new owner took over a newsagent’s shop on the High Street, he heard banging on an adjoining wall so violent that bottles and cans in the storeroom were rattling on the shelves. This occurred when the next door neighbours had been away from home.
References:
Pearson, 1984.
High Street, Old Whittington
The home of the late Freda Carpenter on High Street was known to be haunted. A black spirit was seen at the end of the bed and footsteps were heard
upstairs.
Hipper Hall, Holymoorside
The supposed ghost of Mary Queen of Scots has been seen in moonlight near a barn door at Hipper Hall.
Hippodrome Theatre, Corporation St, Chesterfield
Late in 1925, positions as dancers were advertised for the forthcoming performance of the pantomime Rip Van Winkle at the Hippodrome. A 14 year old schoolgirl by the name of Ivy Trusswell made her way to the theatre late one afternoon for her first rehearsal. It was already dark, there was no light on outside and no light inside, even. She falteringly took a few steps to one side, where she knew there was a handrail. At that point, a comforting arm was place around her, which guided her along the long corridor towards the stage entrance. She spoke to the helpful person whilst walking along and, arriving at the stage door, turned to thank her helper – but no-one was there. The actors on stage informed her that she must have been helped by a ghost.
Up until the time that the Hippodrome was demolished, many more occurrences of ghostly activity were reported, including the sighting of an extra actor on the stage.
References:
Pearson, 1984; Brindle, 2011.
Hogarth Rise, Dronfield Woodhouse
Since moving into their present house on Hogarth Rise in 2005, one family and some of their visitors have been seeing apparitions and experiencing ‘corner of the eye’ and other phenomena. Examples of the phenomena experienced are seeing apparitions in the garden, including that of a schoolgirl, witnessing the appearance of a man in the dining room and the presence of a ghostly dog.
References:
Eyre, 2016
Holymoorside
At 'Little Blackpool' (a little hollow in Holymoorside through which the River Hipper runs) a resident saw a hooded figure walk through a barbed wire fence at about 6 o'clock one morning. In a similar area, the resident once saw a young lady he recognised walking a dog and then disappearing behind a bush. However, the lady in question had been shot dead the day before.
Holy Trinity Church, Sheffield Road, Chesterfield
Late one evening in March 1859, two ladies and two men, as they were independently passing Holy Trinity Church, saw and heard a ghostly figure in the churchyard, which rose from behind one of the tombstones until it had attained an upright position.
In 1927, a girl took a shortcut through Holy Trinity Church’s churchyard, entering via the gate on Sheffield Road. She looked back to see a grey, misty shape leaning against one of the gateposts. The shapeless figure was opaque and about the size of a small adult. As she watched, the figure disappeared.
Another possible ghost sighting in the churchyard was witnessed during the Second World War by a train fireman cycling to work in the early hours of two consecutive mornings, when he saw a woman in a white dress. On the first morning, she disappeared into the trees when he spoke to her but on the second occasion, she held a crucifix and did speak to him.
References:
Pearson, 1984; Brindle, 2011; Eyre, 2016.
Since moving into their present house on Hogarth Rise in 2005, one family and some of their visitors have been seeing apparitions and experiencing ‘corner of the eye’ and other phenomena. Examples of the phenomena experienced are seeing apparitions in the garden, including that of a schoolgirl, witnessing the appearance of a man in the dining room and the presence of a ghostly dog.
References:
Eyre, 2016
Holymoorside
At 'Little Blackpool' (a little hollow in Holymoorside through which the River Hipper runs) a resident saw a hooded figure walk through a barbed wire fence at about 6 o'clock one morning. In a similar area, the resident once saw a young lady he recognised walking a dog and then disappearing behind a bush. However, the lady in question had been shot dead the day before.
Holy Trinity Church, Sheffield Road, Chesterfield
Late one evening in March 1859, two ladies and two men, as they were independently passing Holy Trinity Church, saw and heard a ghostly figure in the churchyard, which rose from behind one of the tombstones until it had attained an upright position.
In 1927, a girl took a shortcut through Holy Trinity Church’s churchyard, entering via the gate on Sheffield Road. She looked back to see a grey, misty shape leaning against one of the gateposts. The shapeless figure was opaque and about the size of a small adult. As she watched, the figure disappeared.
Another possible ghost sighting in the churchyard was witnessed during the Second World War by a train fireman cycling to work in the early hours of two consecutive mornings, when he saw a woman in a white dress. On the first morning, she disappeared into the trees when he spoke to her but on the second occasion, she held a crucifix and did speak to him.
References:
Pearson, 1984; Brindle, 2011; Eyre, 2016.
Horns Bridge, Chesterfield
Numerous people over the years have seen the figure of a man disappearing through the wall of Horns Bridge, both in the daytime and at night. On one occasion, a passer-by’s dog ran towards the bridge as if chasing someone or something and ran straight into the brick wall, severely injuring itself. The old Horns Bridge signal box also has tales of ghostly figures associated with it.
References:
Pearson, 1984, 1986; Brindle, 2011.
Numerous people over the years have seen the figure of a man disappearing through the wall of Horns Bridge, both in the daytime and at night. On one occasion, a passer-by’s dog ran towards the bridge as if chasing someone or something and ran straight into the brick wall, severely injuring itself. The old Horns Bridge signal box also has tales of ghostly figures associated with it.
References:
Pearson, 1984, 1986; Brindle, 2011.