Samlesbury Hall, Preston: Grade I Listed Gem Said To Be Haunted
Samlesbury Hall, Preston is said to be the one of the most haunted buildings in England.
The Grade 1 listed gem features incredible medieval architecture, both inside and out.
Samlesbury Hall was originally built to replace an earlier building destroyed during a raid by the Scots, during The Great Raid of 1322.
The hall has been many things in its past, including a public house and a girls' boarding school.
In 1924, it was bought by a building firm, who intended to demolish it and build a housing estate.
However, fortunately, after money was raised by public subscription, the hall was purchased in 1925 and put in the hands of the Samlesbury Hall Trust, who have managed it since then.
Samlesbury Hall Trust maintain the property and keep it open for visitors to enjoy.
In fact, the medieval manor house attracts more than 50,000 visitors each year.
From the Tudor priest holes to the Victorian kitchen, the Hall has history from (and for) every age.
With the turbulent tales of its Catholic families, witches and the haunting of Lady Dorothy, a captivating insight into life from the early 14th to the 21st century is all waiting to be discovered.
The Hall also boasts an award-winning restaurant, a shop brimming with top quality gifts and Dottie’s - Britain’s first ever wafflery.
Outside, visitors can explore the beautiful gardens, the rosarium and the woodland walks.
Visit the animals (including hens that supply the eggs for the kitchen) and get close to honeybees (safely behind glass of course) at the bee and heritage centre.
They also offer free guided tours, usually on Sundays, from 11am to 2pm.
These will give you an insight into the fascinating, educational and often bloody history of Samlesbury Hall, for grown-ups and children alike.
The tour guides are often in costume and often happy to talk on a one-to-one basis either before or after their tours.
Ghosts
Samlesbury Hall is renowned as one of the most haunted houses in the North West and Britain.
Resident spirits include the legendary Lady in White ghost, Dorothy Southworth who died of a broken heart and has since been seen on many occasions within the Hall and grounds.
Many TV programmes and magazines have attempted to record the ghostly activity at the haunted house in the North West.
Visitors have included UKTV's 'Most Haunted' team with Yvette Fielding and Derek Acorah, historian and ghost-hunter Richard Felix, Radio One DJ Edith Bowman and numerous international media teams.
One particular spot in the Great Hall is the place where strange things regularly happen - a slap to the back of the head, uncomfortable feelings by wedding guests and a shadow passing have all been reported.
The Hall hosts a regular programme of ghost-hunt events and haunted house tours in the North West, where audiences can experience and participate in live interactive paranormal investigations.
The story of the lady in white ghost
In a Romeo & Juliet like scenario, the catholic Lady Dorothy fell in love with a young protestant man.
Due to a difference in religion, the pair were not allowed to marry.
They defied their family and continued to see each other in secret along the riverbanks of the Ribble, planning to elope and marry.
However, their relationship was discovered and reported back to Samlesbury Hall.
On the night of their arranged elopement, Dorothy’s brother waited in ambush, killing the man and his two companions.
They were to be buried in the chapel grounds.
Dorothy, who was there to witness all of it, was inconsolable and had to be sent to a convent overseas where she would later die of a broken heart.
To this day, Lady Dorothy’s spirit has lingered in our haunted halls, being spotted by many guests and even staff.
The lady in white ghost is often seen floating down the many corridors of the hall.
The Hall is open to the public every day, except Mondays, Saturdays and occasional Fridays, when it is closed for weddings.
On this site today, you will discover an ancient, magnificently preserved manor house and gardens, with a colourful history and a wide-ranging programme of year-round events and activities.
The Gathouse (accommodation)
Samlesbury Hall is home to a beautiful Victorian Gatehouse in the grounds which has been designed with only luxury in mind.
The Gatehouse provides a sumptuous King bedroom, a dressing room with full length mirrors, bathroom with double shower and a slipper bath.
The dressing room can be converted into a second bedroom, with either a double or twin beds and there is a double sofa bed in the lounge meaning the Gatehouse can comfortably accommodate a family of six.
Not only is the accommodation superb but our guests have free access to the Hall (see website for opening hours) and our beautiful grounds and play trail for the family.
Recently refurbished to the highest of standards, with the latest smart frame HD TV with Prime, Nespresso and Alexa to keep you company, a luxurious night’s stay is a certainty.
The reviews on Samlesbury Hall on TripAdvisor are great, one recent visitor said: “Fascinating and unique house, Ian gave us a wonderfully detailed and interesting history of the hall.
”Such a pleasure to have someone explain all the interesting features and past owners, could have spent all day listening to him. Made a wet day into a day to remember. Highly recommended!”
Another person added: “I thoroughly recommend a visit to this place for all history lovers - dating back to the middle ages. It’s free to visit & I recommend the free tour as well, if available.
”Also grab a delicious waffle at Dottie’s.”
If you’d like to visit this lovely hall, the address is: Preston New Rd, Samlesbury, Preston PR5 0UP.
Tickets can be purchased in advance via their official website.
If you enjoyed this blog post, please follow Exploring GB on Facebook for daily travel content and inspiration.
Don’t forget to check out our latest blog posts below!
Thank you for visiting Exploring GB.
