Haunted!
Haunted!
On the last Saturday in October we went to visit Gainsborough Old Hall in Lincolnshire. The three sided building dates from 1460 and was owned by just two families, the Burghs and the Hickmans, before being given to the nation in 1970. It's now run by English Heritage.
There have been several visitors of note. Richard III, Henry VIII and Catharine Howard, and John Wesley to name but three. There are also connections with the pilgrim fathers.
It's a hall full of corridors and rooms and there's plenty to see and do. There are dressing up boxes for the children and, when we were there, a Halloween trail around the hall.
What's to see?
An original panelled room, set out as it would have been in Wesleyan times.
A great hall with spectacular vaulted ceiling and Victorian iron supports to the trusses made by a railway engineer to replace the worn out wooden ones.
The tower is where the haunting comes in, with a 43 step climb to the roof and a ghost! The grey lady is supposed to haunt the corridor and walks through the wall where a bricked up door was found.
Last, but not least, isn't the large double fireplace kitchen. The best preserved medieval one in the country. There is much to see, from the oven, spit and even a wild boar ready for butchering, to amazing brickwork in both floors and walls, and a huge chimney
We spent about a hour and a half wandering around and then finished at the cafe for a 'meal deal' - home made tomato and basil soup, sandwiches and coffee for £6.50 each.
There isn't any parking at the hall. We left the car in a small car park by the river Trent, about a 10 minute walk away. The hall is on the edge of town. It was market day when we were there (Saturday)
