Gainsborough Old Hall - Gainsborough, Lincolnshire
With so many ghosts who or what will you encounter when you spend the night inside this old hall?

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Gainsborough Old Hall is one of the most well-preserved manor houses in England not to mention one of the most spookiest and formidable buildings we have been in.  We are so fortunate to be able to spend the night ghost hunting inside this magnificent building investigating its many layers of haunting history.  Work in the dark as we ghost hunt within many of the haunted areas including the chambers, dining parlour, Great Hall and a kitchen that dates back to the middle-ages.  The Great Hall sits at the heart of this 15th Century Manor House and is truly awe inspiring bringing a sense of life at it once was. 

With links to Henry VIII and his then Queen, Catherine Howard, Gainsborough Old Hall has a distinctly intrepid feel to it.  As you walk around the location you will find each room has its own unique atmosphere.  With sightings of apparitions, shadows and people generally feeling terrified, we cannot wait to discover who or what is haunting this foreboding medieval manor house.

Hauntings at Gainsborough Old Hall

The Hall is said to be haunted by Elizabeth Burgh (the grey lady) who was the daughter of the former Lord of the Manor, Thomas Burgh.

Elizabeth was thought to be planning to leave with her lover who was of lowly status.  When her father discovered their plans he was allegedly furious and locked Elizabeth away in one of the rooms in the hall. It was not long after this that she reportedly died, said to be from a broken heart. Elizabeth's spirit is still said to haunt the hall and visitors and workers have reported seeing her figure gliding along the Tower Room and disappearing into a wall.

In more recent times part of the corridor walls were stripped back which revealed a secret door that had long been hidden away. This is the area where the grey lady has been witnessed to vanish on so many occasions.

There have also been sightings of a young boy in the hall who is said to haunt the West Range. Upon researching the house’s history there is the record of a boy who died in this area during Victorian times.

Strange light anomalies have been seen and many have also heard whispered voices and footsteps have been heard walking up the Newell Staircase by staff and visitors alike.

History of Gainsborough Old Hall

Gainsborough Old Hall stands near the banks of the River Trent in North-West Lincolnshire.  The Hall was built in 1460 by Sir Thomas Burgh with many Elizabethan additions.  The Burgh’s liked to showcase their wealth and power and as an affluent family the Hall served as a home, displaying their position on the social ladder.

Upon Sir Thomas Burgh's death in 1496, Edward, his son, was declared 2nd Lord Burgh of Gainsborough. Sadly, he was pronounced insane in 1510 and was therefore never called to parliament.

In 1528 Sir Edward died, leaving his son, also called Sir Edward, possessing the family’s estate. Sir Edward married the soon to be Queen, Catherine Parr, in 1529. They lived at Gainsborough until 1530.

The hall entertained many established guests during the 16th-17th centuries, the most notable being King Richard III in 1484 and King Henry VIII in 1509 and again in 1541.

In 1541, he visited the hall with then Queen Catherine Howard, and it was here where one of her alleged indiscretions took place.

She was executed shortly after, and after this, King Henry VIII married Katherine Parr, who was widowed following Edward’s death.

The latter history of the Hall combines domestic use with workshops and business.  It has been used as a place for preaching, performance and civic institutions.  Passing onto the Hickman family, they made additions and improvements to The Old Hall until the 1700's.  The Hall was then leased to various tradespeople and entrepeneurs including the Freemasons.  In 1970 the Hickman family gave the manor to the nation and it is now cared for and managed by English Heritage.