Hauntings T
Tapton City Farm, Dark Lane, Tapton
On a number of occasions, a lady by the name of Christine claimed to have seen a bearded ghost at Tapton City Farm.
References:
Eyre, 2016.
On a number of occasions, a lady by the name of Christine claimed to have seen a bearded ghost at Tapton City Farm.
References:
Eyre, 2016.
Tapton House, Chesterfield
The spirit of George Stephenson, who spent the latter part of his life (from 1838 to 1848) living at Tapton House, has been seen many times at the house. One such incident was the sighting by a young girl in the 1920s who had visited the house with a friend while it was unoccupied. While they were sitting in a coach in the old coach house, they saw a man standing against the wall, wearing a stove pipe hat. Her father when he worked there, had also seen the apparition several times.
Between 1951 and 1991 the buildiing was used as a grammar school. One sighting occurred when the caretaker’s wife was sweeping a corridor on the first floor. Whilst carrying out this duty, a man dressed as if from a previous age complained to her that she hadn’t brought up his water that day. The lady went and fetched her husband but when they returned, the figure was no longer there. No-one could have left the area in the meantime as the only exit was a locked door. The caretaker’s wife was able to identify the apparition as being that of George Stephenson from a photograph seen subsequently.
Since the 1980s, here have been many accounts of doors mysteriously opening and shutting and of masculine footsteps in the corridors which, on one occasion, were accompanied by the sound of a child skipping alongside. Such phenomena have continued since the house became a campus of Chesterfield College in 1993. It seems that computers in one particular area of the building do not function, even though they do function when moved to a different room.
On a footbridge over the railway line off Brimington Road, some people have reported seeing George Stephenson's ghost, watching the trains. He may have come down from the nearby Tapton House.
References:
Pearson, 1984; Armitage, 2005; Brindle, 2011; Siddon, 2012.
The spirit of George Stephenson, who spent the latter part of his life (from 1838 to 1848) living at Tapton House, has been seen many times at the house. One such incident was the sighting by a young girl in the 1920s who had visited the house with a friend while it was unoccupied. While they were sitting in a coach in the old coach house, they saw a man standing against the wall, wearing a stove pipe hat. Her father when he worked there, had also seen the apparition several times.
Between 1951 and 1991 the buildiing was used as a grammar school. One sighting occurred when the caretaker’s wife was sweeping a corridor on the first floor. Whilst carrying out this duty, a man dressed as if from a previous age complained to her that she hadn’t brought up his water that day. The lady went and fetched her husband but when they returned, the figure was no longer there. No-one could have left the area in the meantime as the only exit was a locked door. The caretaker’s wife was able to identify the apparition as being that of George Stephenson from a photograph seen subsequently.
Since the 1980s, here have been many accounts of doors mysteriously opening and shutting and of masculine footsteps in the corridors which, on one occasion, were accompanied by the sound of a child skipping alongside. Such phenomena have continued since the house became a campus of Chesterfield College in 1993. It seems that computers in one particular area of the building do not function, even though they do function when moved to a different room.
On a footbridge over the railway line off Brimington Road, some people have reported seeing George Stephenson's ghost, watching the trains. He may have come down from the nearby Tapton House.
References:
Pearson, 1984; Armitage, 2005; Brindle, 2011; Siddon, 2012.
Tapton Lane, Chesterfield
Many years ago, on a Saturday morning, as Tom Bates approached his father’s office at the junction of Holywell Street and Tapton Lane, he saw an old lady in the doorway. She was quite small and was wearing a heavy woollen shawl around her shoulders. As Mr Bates got nearer, he saw her turn and walk up the two stone steps to the door and disappear inside but he didn’t see the door open or close. The lady was not to be seen anywhere in the building, despite a search being made.
References:
Bates, n.d.
Temple Normanton
In 1982, Christine Carlile saw two stationary figures in period costume whilst driving very slowly up a steep hill from Grassmoor to Temple Normanton but when she looked back through her rear view mirror, the figures were no longer there. She later discovered that the spot was the entrance to a graveyard.
References:
Bell, 2005.
Theatre Royal, Theatre Yard, Chesterfield
The original Theatre Royal, located in Theatre Yard, had gone into decline by the 1840s. One evening in April 1857, a number of people noticed through the window of the Manager’s office that a light was burning in the abandoned theatre. They broke into the premises to investigate, wondering whether there was a ghostly cause. This building is not to be confused with the later Theatre Royal, which existed on Corporation Street from 1886.
References:
Eyre, 2016.
The Blue Stoops, High Street, Dronfield
The ghost of a little girl has been seen on various occasions, walking round the ground floor of The Blue Stoops public house. It is rumoured that she was illegitimate and that she had been murdered. The appearances stopped when there was a fire in 1980.
References:
Salim, 1983; Pearson, 1984; Armitage, 2005.
Many years ago, on a Saturday morning, as Tom Bates approached his father’s office at the junction of Holywell Street and Tapton Lane, he saw an old lady in the doorway. She was quite small and was wearing a heavy woollen shawl around her shoulders. As Mr Bates got nearer, he saw her turn and walk up the two stone steps to the door and disappear inside but he didn’t see the door open or close. The lady was not to be seen anywhere in the building, despite a search being made.
References:
Bates, n.d.
Temple Normanton
In 1982, Christine Carlile saw two stationary figures in period costume whilst driving very slowly up a steep hill from Grassmoor to Temple Normanton but when she looked back through her rear view mirror, the figures were no longer there. She later discovered that the spot was the entrance to a graveyard.
References:
Bell, 2005.
Theatre Royal, Theatre Yard, Chesterfield
The original Theatre Royal, located in Theatre Yard, had gone into decline by the 1840s. One evening in April 1857, a number of people noticed through the window of the Manager’s office that a light was burning in the abandoned theatre. They broke into the premises to investigate, wondering whether there was a ghostly cause. This building is not to be confused with the later Theatre Royal, which existed on Corporation Street from 1886.
References:
Eyre, 2016.
The Blue Stoops, High Street, Dronfield
The ghost of a little girl has been seen on various occasions, walking round the ground floor of The Blue Stoops public house. It is rumoured that she was illegitimate and that she had been murdered. The appearances stopped when there was a fire in 1980.
References:
Salim, 1983; Pearson, 1984; Armitage, 2005.
The Crispin Inn, Ashover
In the 21st century, workmen have felt themselves being pushed by invisible agents at The Crispin Inn. Many customers have reported feeling an unusually chilly atmosphere there. The music in the bar once blared out at full volume, even though no-one had touched the volume control. It is reported that 17 ghosts haunt this pub, including monks, cavaliers, animals, former landlords and children.
References:
Derbyshire Times, 1995; Brindle, 2011; Eyre, 2016.
In the 21st century, workmen have felt themselves being pushed by invisible agents at The Crispin Inn. Many customers have reported feeling an unusually chilly atmosphere there. The music in the bar once blared out at full volume, even though no-one had touched the volume control. It is reported that 17 ghosts haunt this pub, including monks, cavaliers, animals, former landlords and children.
References:
Derbyshire Times, 1995; Brindle, 2011; Eyre, 2016.
The Gardeners, Glumangate, Chesterfield
One evening at this public house the barman noticed that the door behind the bar leading to the cellar was open, that the light in there was on and that a figure was moving about down there. Worried that a customer might have gone down there by mistake, he checked the cellar but in fact there was no-one there – and the only other door to the cellar, leading from outside, was locked.
In 2005, a cleaner by the name of Janet switched the vacuum cleaner off but before she could unplug it, it had switched itself on again and she glimpsed the shadow of a figure going behind the bar.
Unexplained loud noises have also been heard from the living accommodation upstairs.
References:
Brindle, 2011.
The Grange, Southgate, Eckington
The Grange is used as a residential home for the elderly. In the late 1980s, one of the regular volunteers, Susan Herbert, was lifting boxes of jumble (intended for fund raising) from a downstairs room up a flight of stairs into storage, with the help of a colleague. They chatted to each other as they moved the boxes, with Susan leading the way up the stairs each time. After doing several runs, Susan noticed that her companion had become very quiet, although she could still clearly hear her breathing behind her. When they reached the top, Susan turned around and found that no-one was there. She returned downstairs and found that in fact her colleague had not moved from the downstairs room.
In addition, an unexplained smell often appears in various rooms and corridors, e.g. the smell of frying bacon appearing in the middle of the night.
References:
Linahan, 1996.
The Green, Hasland
In April 1994, a local resident reported that he had seen a man taking six dogs for a walk on The Green disappear. Also, the boy next door had become frightened upon seeing a headless and handless apparition in that area.
The phenomena were investigated by the author, assisted by Elizabeth and John Simpson.
References:
Eyre, 2016
The Hall, Calow Lane, Chesterfield
One family used to see the figure of a little lady in The Hall, whose appearance was similar to that of an old-fashioned Welsh or Cornish lady. She was once seen walking up a wall at the side of which, many years previously, had been a staircase. A ghostly white rabbit was often seen and the children experienced the sheets being pulled off their beds, with a cold hand being drawn across their faces. In 1856, the Mother had a premonition which led her to move her son from his bed and put him to sleep with one of her daughters. During that night, a whole section of the house collapsed and a ceiling beam crashed onto the bed where her son would have been sleeping had she not removed him. The Hall has since been demolished.
References:
Pearson, 1984.
The Hall, High Street, Dronfield
Although no phenomena have been reported since the Tym family took over The Hall for residential and business purposes in 1978, prior to that there was a reputation that the building’s garden was haunted by a white lady. In addition, several former occupants have experienced poltergeist activity such as strange noises.
References:
Pearson, 1984; Salim, 1987; Armitage, 2005.
The Loft, Alder Court, Saltergate, Chesterfield
Various phenomena have been reported during the 20th and 21st centuries at The Loft, including one proprietor, Phillip Richardson-Wood, being lifted out of his chair in the lounge bar.
References:
Read, n.d.; Eyre, 2016.
One evening at this public house the barman noticed that the door behind the bar leading to the cellar was open, that the light in there was on and that a figure was moving about down there. Worried that a customer might have gone down there by mistake, he checked the cellar but in fact there was no-one there – and the only other door to the cellar, leading from outside, was locked.
In 2005, a cleaner by the name of Janet switched the vacuum cleaner off but before she could unplug it, it had switched itself on again and she glimpsed the shadow of a figure going behind the bar.
Unexplained loud noises have also been heard from the living accommodation upstairs.
References:
Brindle, 2011.
The Grange, Southgate, Eckington
The Grange is used as a residential home for the elderly. In the late 1980s, one of the regular volunteers, Susan Herbert, was lifting boxes of jumble (intended for fund raising) from a downstairs room up a flight of stairs into storage, with the help of a colleague. They chatted to each other as they moved the boxes, with Susan leading the way up the stairs each time. After doing several runs, Susan noticed that her companion had become very quiet, although she could still clearly hear her breathing behind her. When they reached the top, Susan turned around and found that no-one was there. She returned downstairs and found that in fact her colleague had not moved from the downstairs room.
In addition, an unexplained smell often appears in various rooms and corridors, e.g. the smell of frying bacon appearing in the middle of the night.
References:
Linahan, 1996.
The Green, Hasland
In April 1994, a local resident reported that he had seen a man taking six dogs for a walk on The Green disappear. Also, the boy next door had become frightened upon seeing a headless and handless apparition in that area.
The phenomena were investigated by the author, assisted by Elizabeth and John Simpson.
References:
Eyre, 2016
The Hall, Calow Lane, Chesterfield
One family used to see the figure of a little lady in The Hall, whose appearance was similar to that of an old-fashioned Welsh or Cornish lady. She was once seen walking up a wall at the side of which, many years previously, had been a staircase. A ghostly white rabbit was often seen and the children experienced the sheets being pulled off their beds, with a cold hand being drawn across their faces. In 1856, the Mother had a premonition which led her to move her son from his bed and put him to sleep with one of her daughters. During that night, a whole section of the house collapsed and a ceiling beam crashed onto the bed where her son would have been sleeping had she not removed him. The Hall has since been demolished.
References:
Pearson, 1984.
The Hall, High Street, Dronfield
Although no phenomena have been reported since the Tym family took over The Hall for residential and business purposes in 1978, prior to that there was a reputation that the building’s garden was haunted by a white lady. In addition, several former occupants have experienced poltergeist activity such as strange noises.
References:
Pearson, 1984; Salim, 1987; Armitage, 2005.
The Loft, Alder Court, Saltergate, Chesterfield
Various phenomena have been reported during the 20th and 21st centuries at The Loft, including one proprietor, Phillip Richardson-Wood, being lifted out of his chair in the lounge bar.
References:
Read, n.d.; Eyre, 2016.
The Manor Hotel, High Street, Dronfield
The Manor Hotel appears to be haunted by the friendly spirit of an old lady who is thought to have lived in one of the constituent cottages which now make up the hotel at the turn of the 19th / 20th centuries. She appears looking as if she were about 70 years old, wearing long skirts, lace-up boots and tied back hair. Both visitors and staff have related experiences, including hearing the rattling of pots and pans on the shelves and feeling the lady clinging to their arms.
References:
Pearson, 1984; Armitage, 2005.
The Manor Hotel appears to be haunted by the friendly spirit of an old lady who is thought to have lived in one of the constituent cottages which now make up the hotel at the turn of the 19th / 20th centuries. She appears looking as if she were about 70 years old, wearing long skirts, lace-up boots and tied back hair. Both visitors and staff have related experiences, including hearing the rattling of pots and pans on the shelves and feeling the lady clinging to their arms.
References:
Pearson, 1984; Armitage, 2005.
The Manor House, Whitwell
Ghost stories have been attached to the Manor House at Whitwell for hundreds of years. A ghost consisting of a glow that fades has been reported by people in at least one bedroom. In the early 19th century a chamber was discovered with no doors or windows, containing a lady’s slipper and a gentleman’s sword. It is alleged that there used to be marks consisting of blood, which could not be cleaned off.
One legend is that a soldier billeted in the Manor in 1939, who was having difficulty in sleeping, got up and walked round and saw a scene from the past in the old banqueting hall, in which there were rushes on the floor, dogs lying around and a long trestle table laid out with good food.
References:
Hopkins, 2013.
The Queen’s Hotel, Chesterfield Town Centre
Various people have seen the figure of a Cavalier in various rooms and a maid from long ago has been seen, acting as if she were still carrying out her serving duties. Sometimes food and utensils have moved on the table by themselves.
References:
Pearson, 1984.
The Ragged School, Markham Road, Chesterfield
At the Ragged School, which has had many uses over the years, locked latch doors have been heard opening and closing, followed by echoing footsteps. In addition, a phantom lady has been seen several times, allegedly accompanied by smoke and flashes of light. Her legs are visible, presumably because the floor level has been raised since her time. The hum of machinery has been heard on tape and a voice has been heard saying "Colonel" or "kennel". The original room used as a Sunday school used to be known as the ‘dog kennel’.
References:
Pearson, 1984, 1986.
The Rectory, Whitwell
On a couple of occasions, children of Mrs Sternberg, the wife of a former Rector of Whitwell, saw her in locations of The Rectory quite different from where she physically was at the time. Presumably these were examples of bilocation.
References:
Hopkins, 2013.
The Rutland Arms, Chesterfield
At The Rutland Arms public house, now known as ‘The Rutland’ and located next to the Crooked Spire, witnesses up until 2009 have seen the white figure of a young woman gliding down the stairs and across the bar. Jane Randall, the manageress, would feel a presence watching her as she cleaned. Glasses have been seen to move along a shelf, and then drop to the floor without breaking. In the cellar the gas would switch off, as would the water in the ice-maker.
There is a suggestion that these sightings and PK incidents may be attributable to the possibly earthbound spirit of Hannah Owen, who was employed at the pub and who committed suicide there in 1875, apparently out of frustration of not being able to pursue a romantic relationship with Sam Walker of Clay Cross.
Both the Randalls’ son and the former occupant of his bedroom reported seeing the image of a man sitting on the end of the bed.
References:
Armitage, 2009a.
The Setts, Wingerworth
Several people have seen the image of an airman running across The Setts. This is an area where a fatal plane crash occurred during World War II.
References:
Armitage, 2010b.
The Spread Eagle, New Beetwell Street, Chesterfield
At The Spread Eagle, there is a legend that a murderer used to visit the pub and sit on one particular stool in the bar and that ever since people had experienced a feeling of coldness when sitting on that particular stool.
In April 2007 Mr and Mrs Tom Symon moved in to the pub to take over the running of it and during the first few months of their tenancy, a number of unexplained phenomena were reported as occurring. These included a mains water tap in the cellar being turned on by itself, the burglar alarm going off despite the lack of an intruder, the Symon’s dog jumping three feet in the air, running towards the trade kitchen and seeing something not visible to the human eye and a book being thrown across the bar floor.
The case was investigated by the author, together with other members of CPSG and ASSAP.
References:
Eyre, 2016.
Tiverton Close, Dronfield
Mrs Wendy Siddall of Tiverton Close reported pictures coming off the wall every so often and a clock flying across the kitchen.
References:
Eyre, 2016.
Travellers’ Rest, High Street, Apperknowle
The lounge of the Travellers’ Rest is reputed to be haunted by Charlotte Amiss.
Tupton
In 1981 a young Tupton woman took her dog for a walk and came across an old house that she hadn’t noticed before. She explored the dilapidated house, moving from room to room. On returning home, she mentioned the building to her husband, who insisted that there wasn’t any such house. They returned together to find that the house was no longer there. An old map, however, revealed that there had once been a house in that exact spot.
References:
Pearson, 1984; Armitage, 2005.
