Littledean Hall
Encyclopedia
Littledean Hall is a country house in the village of Littledean
, Gloucestershire
, England
. It is reputedly one of the most haunted houses in England and is thought to be the oldest house in the United Kingdom
which is still occupied. Saxon and Celtic remains have been uncovered in the cellars.
hall, then a church, it was then converted to a Norman
hall, complete with a crypt
and undercroft
. Testing has shown that these remains date back to the 5th century. However, when records began of the house in 1080, it had evolved into a substantial medieval manor house which was eventually replaced with a Jacobean house in 1612.
The hall boasts seven bedrooms, a coach house, a dining room, sitting and drawing rooms, a stable, living room and cellar. The estate covers four acres. The horse chestnuts which line the driveway are at least 500 years old and the remains of a Roman road have been found underneath the drive itself.
In 2007 the building suffered damage after lightning struck nearby and in 2008 the owners of the hall were ordered to rebuild a section of wall they had knocked down. The wall was deemed to be a Grade II listed building alongside the main hall.
The hall is currently home to greater horseshoe bats which makes it a Special Site of Scientific Interest which is closely monitored by English Nature
.
In 1741 Charles Pyke, former occupant of the house, was accused of raping the sister of his servant. The servant promptly murdered Pyke before being put to death himself. The servant's ghost is thought to haunt the hall to this day and is often reported carrying a candle. Two other Pyke brothers are said to wander the halls, having killed each other in a duel in 1740.
However, there have also been sightings of a headless horseman and a 'Lady in Yellow' which have not been ascribed to any particular event. Since the halls were opened to visitors in 1983, there have been many reports of strange sightings, dizziness and other disturbances felt by guests.
Littledean
Littledean is a village in the Forest of Dean, west Gloucestershire, England. The village has a long history and formerly had the status of a town. Littledean Hall was originally a Saxon hall, although it has been rebuilt and the current house dates back to 1612. The remains of a Roman temple are...
, Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is reputedly one of the most haunted houses in England and is thought to be the oldest house in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
which is still occupied. Saxon and Celtic remains have been uncovered in the cellars.
Architecture and History
Originally a SaxonAnglo-Saxon architecture
Anglo-Saxon architecture was a period in the history of architecture in England, and parts of Wales, from the mid-5th century until the Norman Conquest of 1066. Anglo-Saxon secular buildings in Britain were generally simple, constructed mainly using timber with thatch for roofing...
hall, then a church, it was then converted to a Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
hall, complete with a crypt
Crypt
In architecture, a crypt is a stone chamber or vault beneath the floor of a burial vault possibly containing sarcophagi, coffins or relics....
and undercroft
Undercroft
An undercroft is traditionally a cellar or storage room, often brick-lined and vaulted, and used for storage in buildings since medieval times. In modern usage, an undercroft is generally a ground area which is relatively open to the sides, but covered by the building above.- History :While some...
. Testing has shown that these remains date back to the 5th century. However, when records began of the house in 1080, it had evolved into a substantial medieval manor house which was eventually replaced with a Jacobean house in 1612.
The hall boasts seven bedrooms, a coach house, a dining room, sitting and drawing rooms, a stable, living room and cellar. The estate covers four acres. The horse chestnuts which line the driveway are at least 500 years old and the remains of a Roman road have been found underneath the drive itself.
In 2007 the building suffered damage after lightning struck nearby and in 2008 the owners of the hall were ordered to rebuild a section of wall they had knocked down. The wall was deemed to be a Grade II listed building alongside the main hall.
The hall is currently home to greater horseshoe bats which makes it a Special Site of Scientific Interest which is closely monitored by English Nature
English Nature
English Nature was the United Kingdom government agency that promoted the conservation of wildlife, geology and wild places throughout England between 1990 and 2006...
.
Hauntings
There are at least three distinct tales which are said to have led to hauntings at Littledean Hall. The first is the deaths of Colonel Congreve and Colonel Wigmore, who both died when the Kings garrison met with roundheads in the dining room. It is reported that visitors can still see the bloodstains where they fell.In 1741 Charles Pyke, former occupant of the house, was accused of raping the sister of his servant. The servant promptly murdered Pyke before being put to death himself. The servant's ghost is thought to haunt the hall to this day and is often reported carrying a candle. Two other Pyke brothers are said to wander the halls, having killed each other in a duel in 1740.
However, there have also been sightings of a headless horseman and a 'Lady in Yellow' which have not been ascribed to any particular event. Since the halls were opened to visitors in 1983, there have been many reports of strange sightings, dizziness and other disturbances felt by guests.
External Links
- A page about Littledean Hall at the Heritage Trail website (accessed on 15 July 2006)
- English Nature citation sheet for the site (accessed on 15 July 2006)