Trixie Navarre

Visiting a manor house in England is just another lovely way to spend time learning about this country’s architecture and lifestyle of centuries past. I am all about exploring older homes and locations, seeing the craftmanship of furnishings and decoratives, as well as feeding my curiosity of how other people lived.

East Riddlesden Hall, which is owned by the National Trust, was an excellent location to discover- a haunted 17th-century manor house, with all its old treasures. Yes, I did say haunted! Read on for more information on the hall’s residing ghosts.

East Riddlesden Hall, located in Keighley, West Yorkshire, England, is a 17th-century manor house that was built by James Murgatroyd, a wealthy Halifax clothier. It was originally built in 1642, and then extended and re-built using local Yorkshire stone six years later. The hall is well preserved and is a Grade I listed building: a building of exceptional interest.

The hall itself is lovely with interesting features that include two Yorkshire Rose windows, two levels of well-restored living accomodations, and an intriguing Great Barn. The interiors of the rooms are rich with its 17th century style including stone floors and walls, dark oak paneling, and beautiful plaster ceilings. There is also a fine collection of furnishings and ceramics inside the hall.

The Great Barn

East Riddlesden Hall’s Great Barn is an excellent example of a northern ailed barn, which was used for both livestock and crops. The National Trust, who owns the hall, had kept the cattle byrnes in the aisles to give an example of how it would have been used during its working life. The construction of the barn is sturdily built with a timber frame and stone walls.

Today the Great Barn illustrates the estate’s agricultural past, with its collection of farming equipment including carts, a winnowing machine, and plows. There are also residing birds and bats that can be found inside the barn.

The Haunted East Riddlesden Hall

There are also noted ghosts at East Riddlesden Hall, and these ghosts are how I first became familiar with this location. I had first seen this hall on an episode of ,Most Haunted,, and I recognized the Great Barn right away when I first walked inside. We had not been to the manor house yet, and explored the barn first. I said to my relative whom I was with, “I knew this place looked familiar, I saw it on Most Haunted and this place is supposed to have ghost activity- great!”

Most Haunted Episode on East Riddlesden Hall

East Riddlesden Hall is said to be heavily haunted, with several resident ghosts. The most famous is the Civil War Grey Lady, who was left to slowly die bricked-up behind a wall. Her husband, who was the man of the house, returned from the war to find his wife having an affair. The lover was killed, and his wife was left to die alone behind a wall- the Grey Lady. She is said to roam through the hall looking for her lover.

Putting the ghosts aside, East Riddlesden Hall is an excellent place to visit in West Yorkshire. This historic house with its 17th-century past, intimate gardens, duck pond, and tea room make for a great way to spend a few hours.

Visiting information: For more info on the house, gardens, and tea room please visit their official website: East Riddlesden Hall

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