Lil

Staff and servants over the years have related hearing disembodied footsteps all over the house, but especially on the wide wooden central staircase, where the creak of ghostly footsteps tread with some regularity.

The chilling sounds of children playing has been reported just after midnight, emanating from dark, empty rooms, as well as unexplained noises from the kitchen and the sounds of crashing coming from the china cabinet. Over the years, the hall changed ownership and eventually went out of private residence and into service as a hotel. But the noises continued.

The chilling sounds of children playing has been reported just after midnight, emanating from dark, empty rooms, as well as unexplained noises from the kitchen and the sounds of crashing coming from the china cabinet. Over the years, the hall changed ownership and eventually went out of private residence and into service as a hotel. But the noises continued.

the sound of bells ringing in the kitchen long after things like servants' bells had ceased being used, the phantom crashing from the china cabinet, apparently continuing even after the cabinet itself had been moved to a different location. Many of the reports from staff were related to an owner who took over the hall in 1914, a retired headmaster called Percy Shaw Jeffery.

the sound of bells ringing in the kitchen long after things like servants' bells had ceased being used, the phantom crashing from the china cabinet, apparently continuing even after the cabinet itself had been moved to a different location. Many of the reports from staff were related to an owner who took over the hall in 1914, a retired headmaster called Percy Shaw Jeffery.

During his ownership, one visiting local photographer had the fright of his life when he witnessed a piece of crockery inexplicably fly from a cabinet and, turning to look in the direction of the stairs, saw the ephemeral figure of a woman in white dissolve right before his eyes.

During his ownership, one visiting local photographer had the fright of his life when he witnessed a piece of crockery inexplicably fly from a cabinet and, turning to look in the direction of the stairs, saw the ephemeral figure of a woman in white dissolve right before his eyes.

When a maid of Shaw Jefferies told him that a duster had flown out of her hand towards the kitchen while she had been cleaning the library, he simply replied, that things like that happen quite often at Bagdale Hall. And if that sounds rather nonchalant, then it's probably because Shaw Jeffery was no stranger to the world of the strange and supernatural.

When a maid of Shaw Jefferies told him that a duster had flown out of her hand towards the kitchen while she had been cleaning the library, he simply replied, that things like that happen quite often at Bagdale Hall. And if that sounds rather nonchalant, then it's probably because Shaw Jeffery was no stranger to the world of the strange and supernatural.

Not only did he actually write a book on it, penning the title Whitby Law and Legend in 1923, but he also had a connection to a very famous paranormal case indeed, the haunting of Borley Rectory.

Not only did he actually write a book on it, penning the title Whitby Law and Legend in 1923, but he also had a connection to a very famous paranormal case indeed, the haunting of Borley Rectory.

Long before he retired from his career as a headmaster and took up residence in Whitby, Percy Shaw Geoffrey became among the first of the witnesses of the strange happenings at Borley Rectory, during visits there to stay with his college friend Harry, or Henry as he was better known, who was the son of Reverend Ball, rector of the parish of Borley.

Long before he retired from his career as a headmaster and took up residence in Whitby, Percy Shaw Geoffrey became among the first of the witnesses of the strange happenings at Borley Rectory, during visits there to stay with his college friend Harry, or Henry as he was better known, who was the son of Reverend Ball, rector of the parish of Borley.

Percy and his friend the Rector's son both reportedly had a multitude of inexplicable experiences at the home. In an article titled The Mysteries of Borley Rectory that he wrote for the Cape Times in later years, Percy wrote...

Percy and his friend the Rector's son both reportedly had a multitude of inexplicable experiences at the home. In an article titled The Mysteries of Borley Rectory that he wrote for the Cape Times in later years, Percy wrote...

The rectory was a comparatively new building, but it was generally believed that it was built on the foundations of an old convent, which accounted for the ghostly nun, who or which I saw several times. The ghostly coach and four I heard sweep down the much too narrow lane beside the rectory so often that I used to sleep through the noise, and a variety of disconcerting incidents happened.

The rectory was a comparatively new building, but it was generally believed that it was built on the foundations of an old convent, which accounted for the ghostly nun, who or which I saw several times. The ghostly coach and four I heard sweep down the much too narrow lane beside the rectory so often that I used to sleep through the noise, and a variety of disconcerting incidents happened.

And Percy went into even more detail about his visits in a letter to investigator Harry Price after reading Price's book about the supernatural happenings at the rectory. Dear Mr Price, I have just been reading your book about Borley Rectory. I'm very interested because Harry Bull and I were born in the same year, 1862.

And Percy went into even more detail about his visits in a letter to investigator Harry Price after reading Price's book about the supernatural happenings at the rectory. Dear Mr Price, I have just been reading your book about Borley Rectory. I'm very interested because Harry Bull and I were born in the same year, 1862.

We went to Oxford together and in the long vacations I used to go and stay with him at Borley. I had lots of small adventures at the rectory, stones falling about, my boots found on top of the wardrobe, etc., and I saw the nun several times and often heard the coach go clattering by.