Charnwood Ghost stories

20 October 2024

It’s the time of year when thoughts turn to ‘ghoulies and ghosties and long-legged beasties, and things that go bump in the night.’  Or in other words, to the festival of Halloween, also known as All Saints’ Day.

Stories of ghosts abound across the country, with many locations designating themselves ‘the most haunted in England’.

Loughborough and the surrounding area are no exception, with a multitude of pubs and buildings claiming to have supernatural ‘residents’, ghosts reported in the old magistrates court on Woodgate, and a well-publicised supposed haunting of a house in School Street.

The ruins of Grace Dieu Priory, a 13th century Augustinian nunnery in Thringstone, claim to have a plethora of presences,  amongst them the poet William Wordsworth and a more humble white lady, who is said to stand at the nearby bus stop and then disappear as buses draw near.

Bradgate Park is said to be traversed by a coach pulled by four black, headless horses, whilst Lady Jane Grey is believed by some to be so fond of Bradgate House that her spirit has decided not to leave it.

Ghost hunters at Donington le Heath Manor recently claimed to have recorded the voice of King Richard III and both Kegworth Village and the Great Central Railway are proud of their ghosts

Whether ghosts are real or not is a matter of personal opinion and people will argue each side of the case till the end of time.  One thing is for sure, however, the topic has fascinated people for thousands of years and there’s no shortage of scary stories to entertain people with on a dark, windy All Hallows Eve!

Discover more:

Read a blog post by John Rippin, former editor of the Loughboorugh Echo, about the reported ghosts of Loughborough.

Find out about Leicester’s Most Haunted.

Buy a book about the history of Grace Dieu Priory or stories of it’s Ghosts.