Spooks

In this week when the clocks have gone back and Halloween is just around the corner, ghosts and ghouls are on everyone’s mind. And as we’re preparing for our spooky tours, they are certainly on ours too!

Have you heard the story of the grey lady who haunts Lytham Hall? She is sometimes seen in the long gallery, but also in the grounds. She is thought to be the ghost of Eleanor Cecily Lowther, whose husband Colonel John Talbot Clifton died in 1882 in Algeria. She was first seen during the Second World War when the Hall was used as a convalescence home for wounded soldiers who rested in the Long Gallery. It is possible that she is searching for her lost love and thought that she may find him amongst the wounded soldiers. Eleanor survived her husband, but also had to bury her son at the age of 35.

Her grandson John Talbot Clifton the traveller inherited Lytham Hall aged 14.

But it’s not just human ghosts that roam here. There are many dog graves on site, one of which mentions ‘Dear Bogie’. The Cliftons were incredibly fond of their dogs, and Bogie was one of them. Some people have reported seeing a small shadowy figure running from the corner of their eye, others have felt something the size of a dog walking closely and brushing against their leg. Could this be Dear Bogie?

People have believed for centuries that light keeps ghosts and ghouls away. Bring a torch when you visit us this week; it may just keep you safe from all the spooks flying around!