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Overview
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780752481791 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | The History Press |
| Publication date: | 01/31/2012 |
| Series: | Haunted |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 96 |
| File size: | 5 MB |
| Age Range: | 18 Years |
About the Author
Read an Excerpt
Haunted Barnsley
By Richard Bramall, Joe Collins
The History Press
Copyright © 2012 Richard Bramall & Joe CollinsAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-7524-8179-1
CHAPTER 1
Birdwell
Rockleigh Furnace
Numerous strange phenomena have been witnessed at the furnace over the years. Notably, a man who was walking his dog late one evening saw light from the fiery furnace burning brightly through the trees. Walking over to take a closer look, he saw a blacksmith dressed in leather overalls, busy about his work. The smith did not acknowledge the man, he just carried on his business. Suddenly, there was a large blast from the furnace and a bright white flash caused the man to shield his eyes for a second. When he opened them again, the scene had disappeared and all that was left was the empty ruin of the furnace.
The engine house is also said to be the epicentre of strange phenomena; supernatural lights have been seen encircling the building, and ear-piercing screams have been heard echoing throughout the woods. The sounds emanate from the bowels of the tower, where a child is said to have fallen after playing there. One brave motorist went to investigate the lights one evening, after seeing them from the roadside, but as he moved through the trees the lights vanished and a deathly silence fell about the area. As he approached the tower, he couldn't shake off the eerie feeling of being observed from a distance – he quickly returned to his car.
CHAPTER 2Carlton
Railway Line in Carlton
Carlton railway line opened in 1885 and stretched for a total of 66 miles; its name was changed in 1905 to the Hull & Barnsley Railway, even though the line never entered into Barnsley (it finished at Stairfoot). Today, the line is closed and people walk along the old tracks.
A woman out walking her dog on a crisp and frosty New Year's morning noticed another woman approaching. As they drew level, she saw that it was an elderly lady dressed in an old knitted shawl, clasping it tightly to shelter herself from the wind. The walker thought this was a little odd, due to the lady's advanced years and the remote location, but greeted the lady with a friendly 'Good morning'. The old woman returned the gesture with a kind smile, but the dog wasn't too pleased to see the old woman and dropped to the floor, cowering and crying. A little embarrassed by the dog's actions, the walker looked up at the old lady, whose smile had now changed into a sadistic and knowing grin. At that moment the woman started to fade, and disappeared right before her eyes. The dog walker still visits the area often, but has never seen the old woman again.
CHAPTER 3Central Barnsley
The Room
The Room is one of Barnsley's most infamous haunted hotspots, with strange things occurring after hours. The building was built at the turn of the nineteenth century and has passed through the hands of many landlords and ladies – very few of whom escaped without being touched by its dark secrets.
All four floors of the establishment play host to a unique haunting. The most frequently encountered is that of a lonely spinster wandering around the main bar area, who is believed to be in search of a man to marry. The woman died in a tragic accident before she could find the husband of her dreams.
An old man dressed in a butcher's apron lurks in the shadows of the cellar; staff have reported that when they are changing the barrels, the man appears from the darkness and stumbles towards them reeking of gin, causing much distress.
On the second floor, footsteps have been heard on the floorboards, even though at the time the area was carpeted; and on two separate occasions a loud, clear knock has been heard on the bedroom door, rousing the sleeping occupants – who find the hallway empty.
Cries of a young lady have also been heard, but upon investigation nothing is ever found in the empty attic.
Barnsley Chronicle Offices
Barnsley's biggest newspaper offices are allegedly haunted by a weeping woman in white, and an ethereal figure, seemingly made from black smoke, which drifts from room to room. The building is said to have been built partly over the site of a former morgue, which perhaps accounts for the phenomena. It is claimed that morgues are the favourite hunting ground for demons waiting to reap the souls of the damned. Could this black entity be unaware that the site is no longer a morgue?
Hedonism Nightclub
Hedonism nightclub has been a popular venue for many years, and even the loud music doesn't stop a mysterious spectre from showing up. The ghost has been seen standing on the balcony wearing a brown smock. Many clubbers and staff have reported seeing the man observing the dance floor before disappearing from view.
Oakwell Football Ground
The West Stand is the only original part of Oakwell Stadium still remaining, and the seats are the originals from the early 1900s. Staff say that if you go into the West Stand, one of the seats will fold down on its own as if someone has taken a seat. Rumour has it that this is an old fan who still comes to watch the game.
Cemetery Road
A strange figure has been spotted standing by the side of the cemetery gate. Eyewitnesses have described him as tall and thin, wearing an old top hat with a black silk ribbon and very smartly dressed. Some people believe that he only appears when a burial is imminent in the graveyard.
Barnsley Picture House
During the 1980s, an electrician was called to the building to service the emergency lighting. As he went down one of the emergency exit corridors, he shuddered; he claimed it was like walking into a freezer. Later, he met the caretaker of the cinema and asked why the corridor was so cold. The caretaker said, 'Can you feel it too?' The lighting in the corridor had all blown and not one of the bulbs was now working. The caretaker explained that the reason for the lights blowing was a fire that had broken out one Saturday back in 1908. Sixteen children had been killed in a crush when they went to see the novelty of moving pictures at the public hall in Eldon Street. Some of the children died in the corridor from smoke inhalation, and, ever since then, the lamps have all blown shortly after fitting. To this day the corridor remains cold, despite the heating being on full. Staff have reported hearing children's screams and smelling smoke when the building is closed.
Harberhills Road
A former resident of a terraced house just off Harberhills Road, Barnsley, reported a strange haunting to us, which had occurred eleven years ago whilst they lived there.
The first unusual occurrence was the smell of cigarette smoke, although no one in the house was a smoker. The activity slowly increased during their time there, including an incident where a small vase of flowers flew off the television set and smashed on the opposite wall. On another occasion, the resident was sat downstairs with all of the doors closed when an invisible hand poked her quite violently, causing her to jump up and spin around, only to discover that she was alone in the room. The final straw came when she was lying in bed and heard someone walking upstairs. The creaking of the floorboards stopped and started; she jumped out of bed and opened the door, but there was no one there. Disturbed by the frequency of unexplainable happenings, she moved shortly afterwards.
CHAPTER 4Cundy Cross
The Mill of the Black Monks
The Mill of the Black Monks dates back to the eleventh century. In order to provide the priory with running water, the monks redirected the course of the River Dearne; the mill was built in what was once the riverbed.
The mill stood empty for many years, boarded up and heading for ruin, until, finally, it was bought in order to renovate it into a public house and restaurant. However, having been built on the original riverbed, planning permission was flatly refused for safety reasons. Over the years the building began to sink further into the silt bed, and the only way to restore it was to raise it up and place it on a concrete raft. This massive undertaking took place in 1991 and finally the mill was restored and opened up for business as a public house and restaurant; it is still in use today, and is said to be one of the oldest and most haunted pubs in Britain.
The building is known locally as the Ale House of the Dead. The fleeting black figure of an eleventh-century monk has been seen on many occasions gliding through the grounds of Monk Bretton Priory, over the road to the old mill, before disappearing in the doorway. This phantom monk has also manifested in the shadows of the bar, and has been described as so lifelike that witnesses think it's someone in fancy dress – but their blood quickly runs cold when he disappears.
The phantom monk is not alone in haunting the site: the spirit of the old church minister has been seen lurking around the restaurant seating area known as The Granary; he is often confused as a customer, but disappears when approached.
Bar staff have described how unseen icy-cold grappling hands have groped and touched them in a menacing manner. Moreover, sightings of mist have been reported emerging from the outer walls of the building, before evolving into the perfectly formed incarnations of souls from the past, spanning all periods of time. These sightings include a Cavalier and a woman dressed in a habit. Upon reaching the middle of the room, they disperse back into the atmosphere.
Customers have seen small objects – such as ashtrays and glasses – move apparently of their own free will. On occasion, it is as though someone has lifted their glass and tossed it across the room; at other times as if someone has stolen their drink, sliding it across the table to an empty seat.
During our radio interview with BBC Radio Sheffield, presenter Toby Foster told us of a strange encounter he experienced whilst he was landlord of the Mill of the Black Monks. Toby recounted how one evening, after closing, he and a friend were playing cards in the bar when the sound of footsteps came from the gangway above. There were two stairways to the balcony, one to the left and one to the right. He shouted upstairs, thinking there was someone else in the building, but there was no response. So, Toby ascended one staircase whilst his friend ascended the other, blocking any escape route. But to their shock they met in the middle and discovered that they were the only two people in the building. Even though he is a sceptic, this incident still puzzles Toby.
Whether you believe in ghosts or not, the atmosphere inside the Mill of the Black Monks is something to be sampled at leisure; many fine old beams and ancient stone walls add to the character of the place, giving visitors the impression that they're back in the days when it was used as a mill.
CHAPTER 5Darfield
Low Valley Arms
In April 2006, at approximately 1 a.m., the landlord of the Low Valley Arms public house was woken by noises coming from downstairs. Thinking he was being burgled (the pub had recently undergone a refurbishment and he had installed several state-of-the-art flat-screen televisions), he armed himself with a large piece of lumber and went to investigate.
Once downstairs, to his surprise he found that all the TVs in the pub were switched on. His wife, who had followed him down, turned them all off, whilst he went to check the bar toilets. Swinging the ladies' toilet door open, he saw the back of a woman standing there; she wore a long, black gypsy skirt and shawl, and was facing away from him towards one of the cubicles. As he took half a step back in surprise, she turned around to reveal that the left-hand side of her face was mutilated; all the skin from the left eye socket to the throat was hanging in a flap of rotten flesh, with the eyeball protruding over the shattered cheekbone. Her muscle and teeth were exposed, and part of her jaw was missing. Terrified, and gripped with immense fear and repulsion, he bolted into the bar, where his wife called the police to report the incident.
When the police arrived they went to investigate for themselves, but instead of seeing the figure described by the landlord, all of the toilets began to flush, one at a time, by themselves. They shouted to the landlord, who also witnessed this. Although in a state of shock, he didn't want a fuss – but the police explained that due to them also witnessing a paranormal event, they would have to fill in a report. The newspapers subsequently got hold of the story and made it public.
At that time we were active paranormal investigators, and contacted the landlord as soon as we heard the report. There was much interest from national and international media and paranormal groups, but we were the only paranormal group allowed in to investigate. On arrival, we were told that the brewery had forbidden any investigation from taking place. But the landlord did allow us to interview him and take some base readings, as we had been the first people to contact him.
This was just the beginning; more incidents took place, including barrels being moved in the cellar, bottles being smashed, and the gas pressure inexplicably failing several times. They also noticed many more cold spots, and customers would often complain about the temperature in the toilets, even though the heating was on.
The landlord was so curious that he looked into the history of the pub. He discovered that a gypsy woman from the 1800s had been murdered on the site by a farmer, after she had cursed him for blaming her for a theft from his farm. The farmer had brayed the woman with his hoe, smashing her face and killing her instantly. The landlord left the pub and it changed hands twice in quick succession, before it was demolished.
Lundhill Colliery
On 19 February 1857, nearly 200 men and boys were killed in Lundhill Colliery, near Wombwell, when a gas explosion ripped through the underground workings. Of the 214 miners who went down the pit that day, only twenty-five survived the explosion. Ninety women were widowed and 220 children were orphaned.
The blast was heard and felt miles away; when rescuers tried to go down the shaft to look for survivors, they found that the coal was alight like the fires of Hades and had to abandon any attempts at rescue. Not long after the rescue team surfaced, flames began to writhe from the shaft, illuminating the countryside around the pit. After numerous attempts to put out the fire, drastic measures were taken by diverting a stream into the shaft and flooding the colliery. It wasn't until several months later that 185 bodies were eventually recovered – but some were never found amongst the devastation. Most of the deceased were buried at the church in Darfield, where a monument to the explosion still stands. The cause of the explosion was declared accidental, but an inquiry did find that there had been criminal negligence at the colliery, as they had been using naked lamps and candles instead of safety lamps. The Derbyshire Times, 2 May 1857, reported:
... such was the extreme devastation, that it was rendered impossible for any engineer to explore and report upon the state of the mine. The enquiry would have to be again further adjourned to allow time for the removing of the debris, after which two engineers would be called to speak to the state of the pit. Mr Morton, in making an application for a further adjournment, said he was of opinion that an interval of probably three weeks would be required for clearing away the falls of roof, restoring the ventilation, and recovering the bodies.
The body got out of the pit on Wednesday morning was identified as that of Wm. Moore. Ann Horsfield, widow, identified him. The deceased belonged to Leicester. No more bodies will have to be viewed by the Coroner and Jury, and the bodies will be interred on being recovered. The Inquiry was then adjourned until the 21st of May.
Two other bodies have been recovered, one yesterday morning, and another yesterday forenoon.
When the surrounding pits were in operation during the twentieth century, the ghosts of several Victorian miners were reported. Miners often worked in fear of hearing disembodied screams whilst working there. Many of the workmen would report the sounds of cries coming from the pit seams, and dark fleeting shadows running around as if they were trying to escape. Ethereal men were also witnessed at the pit head, as if they were leaving their shift to go home; but the poor souls would never make it that far. What makes these sightings horrific is that they seem to be reliving their nightmare over and over again, and their screams of terror have made many a miner quit. On one occasion, a miner saw a burning torso emerge from a coalface, before disappearing into the opposite one. Today, the pits are all closed and many of the old sites have now been built upon; we often wonder if the inhabitants of the new buildings have witnessed the strange phenomena that once terrified the miners.
CHAPTER 6Elsecar
Elsecar Steam Railway
There have long been legends about a ghostly lady haunting the site, but her late-night saunter still came as a shock to the nightwatchmen one fine summer's night. It was around 12.15 a.m. when one of the security guards started his patrol, whilst the second guard watched over him through the CCTV. As he left the guardhouse and turned the corner to his right, he noticed a glowing white shape drifting across his path from the direction of the train station. At first he thought it was a carrier bag blowing in the wind, but it was too big and its movement was too controlled; he stopped and stared hard, trying to work out what it could be. It seemed to be emitting a fluorescent blue haze. As his eyes focussed on it, he could clearly see a lady wearing a fine white-laced afternoon dress and bonnet, with a parasol over her left shoulder and a blue ribbon around her waist, tied in a bow. It was so vivid, like a hologram floating in space. He could not have been more than 15m away from the guardhouse at this time, and shouted to his colleague while frantically waving at the security camera and pointing at the ghost.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Haunted Barnsley by Richard Bramall, Joe Collins. Copyright © 2012 Richard Bramall & Joe Collins. Excerpted by permission of The History Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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Table of Contents
Contents
Title,Dedication,
Acknowledgements,
Introduction,
A Short History of Barnsley,
one Birdwell,
two Carlton,
three Central Barnsley,
four Cundy Cross,
five Darfield,
six Elsecar,
seven Gawber,
eight Goldthorpe,
nine Grimethorpe,
ten Hemingfield,
eleven Hickleton,
twelve Higham,
thirteen Hoyland,
fourteen Kendray,
fifteen Lundwood,
sixteen Monk Bretton,
seventeen New Lodge,
eighteen Newmillerdam,
nineteen Penistone,
twenty Royston,
twenty-one Silverstone,
twenty-two Skelmanthorpe,
twenty-three Staincross Common,
twenty-four Stairfoot,
twenty-five Tankersley,
twenty-six Thurgoland,
twenty-seven Thurnscoe,
twenty-eight Wombwell,
twenty-nine Worsbrough,
About the Authors,
Copyright,