Derbyshire & Peak District Ghosts

[Sid]

Coal Clough Laneis in Burnley, Lancs., unfortunately.

maximus ottet

"Ah!" Cheers 'maximus otter.' At least I found out what the word 'Boggart' describes, and it could possibly turn out to be the place of the words origin?

 

[Floyd]

I remember that tool shop, well if it’s the one which was on the corner near the tourist information and next door to the gift shop, Sears. Noticed recently Sears too is no more, which is very sad as I always liked to pop in there and have a look round.

After having not gone there for years, around 2012 ish I drove through and was very disappointed to find that the old static/prefab library wasn't there anymore. And what happened to the cattle market? B******s!

 

[Floyd]

Concerning the term 'Boggart';

There are also lots of sightings of supernatural dogs in the land of the Peaks, most centring around a big black dog called a’boggart.’ Sightings of the spectral dogs are usually strongest on the moorlands of the Peak District, and tales of the Kinder Boggart terrify walkers. It’s not hard to imagine how scared you would feel lost on the moors up there when thick fog descends.

The Gurda boggart has a long history of scaring travellers around Gurdal Farm near Winster. A young woman named Sarah Wild was once walking back home when she swears she was accompanied for part of the way by ‘something’ – she could only ever describe it as a ‘face’. Birchover Shale Hillock Boggart lived beside the road at Birchover and hid deep inside a wall so the legend goes, a wall built against a bank of trees. Nobody ever saw it but they heard it plenty of times though, strange gulping noises coming from the hole and nobody wanted to ever pass it, especially at night.

https://www.peakdistrictonline.co.uk/spooky-stories-of-the-peak-district/

 

[Mooka]

After having not gone there for years, around 2012 ish I drove through and was very disappointed to find that the old static/prefab library wasn't there anymore. And what happened to the cattle market? B******s!

Do you mean the modern cattle market building with the roof pods?!

We used to visit Bakewell a lot but not so much these days as it is always too rammed with people, in fact you have to choose your times carefully going anywhere in the Peak District now as everywhere gets so busy.


@Spookdaddy, I found this tale from wondersofthepeak.org.uk, just folklore or maybe the same ghostly figure seen by your dad?!

The Woman who Disappeared​

Long ago, a horseman was riding beside the River Dove on his way home to Hartington when he met a young woman, alone and distraught. When he asked her what was amiss she couldn’t answer; she merely sobbed. So he lifted her on to his horse, told her to grip his coat so she wouldn’t fall, and rode onwards, resolved to put her into the care of the vicar at Hartington.
Part way through the journey he turned to speak to her but she was no longer there. Alarmed, he turned his horse and rode back the way he’d come, but he found no sign of her, though it was a bright moonlit night. He called, but there was no answer.
In the end he was obliged to give up the search. The woman had disappeared. He never saw her again, or heard news of her.

 

[SimonBurchell]

Do you mean the modern cattle market building with the roof pods?!

We used to visit Bakewell a lot but not so much these days as it is always too rammed with people, in fact you have to choose your times carefully going anywhere in the Peak District now as everywhere gets so busy.


@Spookdaddy, I found this tale from wondersofthepeak.org.uk, just folklore or maybe the same ghostly figure seen by your dad?!

The Woman who Disappeared​

Long ago, a horseman was riding beside the River Dove on his way home to Hartington when he met a young woman, alone and distraught. When he asked her what was amiss she couldn’t answer; she merely sobbed. So he lifted her on to his horse, told her to grip his coat so she wouldn’t fall, and rode onwards, resolved to put her into the care of the vicar at Hartington.
Part way through the journey he turned to speak to her but she was no longer there. Alarmed, he turned his horse and rode back the way he’d come, but he found no sign of her, though it was a bright moonlit night. He called, but there was no answer.
In the end he was obliged to give up the search. The woman had disappeared. He never saw her again, or heard news of her.

Before there were phantom hitch-hikers, there were phantom horse passengers...

 

[SimonBurchell]

It would be more accurate to say that it's the place that I think my dad was referring to, rather than the place he definitely told me he was referring to. It fits all the other aspects of the story, and is on the cross field route from the area just south of Biggin to the village of Hartington, both places where family lived and worked at the time.

Is this the footpath on the OS that is the continuation of Reynard's Lane, heading southeast to Dalehead?

 

[Spookdaddy]

Is this the footpath on the OS that is the continuation of Reynard's Lane, heading southeast to Dalehead?

That's the one. Reynard's Lane becomes a dirt track, heading towards Biggin Dale.

...And what happened to the cattle market? B******s!

The livestock market lasted until surprisingly recently, the late 90's, I think - at which point it had been in continuous existence for something around seven hundred years officially, and a bit longer if you count the period before it was give royal assent.

As you probably know, it used to, quite literally, take over the whole town centre. It's moved not far away, to a purpose built site.

 

[SimonBurchell]

That's the one. Reynard's Lane becomes a dirt track, heading towards Biggin Dale.

Yes, I've seen the building from aerial view, and the OS, which doesn't have any name at all... No handy nearby photos on Wikimedia Commons or Flickr that I could see... and not a listed building either, so no records there...

 

[Spookdaddy]

Yes, I've seen the building from aerial view, and the OS, which doesn't have any name at all... No handy nearby photos on Wikimedia Commons or Flickr that I could see... and not a listed building either, so no records there...

That's it. I'm going to have to head out there, aren't I?

I'm away for a couple of weeks, but when I'm back I'll try and get over and take some pictures.

Hold on! Lonely, abandoned building? Winter's afternoon? Curious traveller with antiquarian interests?

If you don't hear from me for a while - don't come looking until the days are getting longer.

And bring a friend.

Maybe two.

 

[Mooka]

That's it. I'm going to have to head out there, aren't I?

I'm away for a couple of weeks, but when I'm back I'll try and get over and take some pictures.

Hold on! Lonely, abandoned building? Winter's afternoon? Curious traveller with antiquarian interests?

If you don't hear from me for a while - don't come looking until the days are getting longer.

And bring a friend.

Maybe two.

Sounds like a plan! Maybe take a couple of essentials with you - a horseshoe in one pocket and a bag of salt in the other - as protection against boggart encounters. Good luck!

 

[Floyd]

I remember that tool shop, well if it’s the one which was on the corner near the tourist information and next door to the gift shop, Sears. Noticed recently Sears too is no more, which is very sad as I always liked to pop in there and have a look round.

And 'Skidmore's Grocers' with the pheasants hanging up outside?

 

[Floyd]

I've had a quick search and nothing is coming up but - there were always tales of a ghost (woman on a horse iirc) at Lady Manners school (the boarding part).

 

[RuthRoperWylde]

It would be more accurate to say that it's the place that I think my dad was referring to, rather than the place he definitely told me he was referring to. It fits all the other aspects of the story, and is on the cross field route from the area just south of Biggin to the village of Hartington, both places where family lived and worked at the time.



Yes. In this instance, searching the boggart name seems to be a non-starter. I've been looking, on and off, for years. I suspect it was a local folk name that never made it onto a map, and is now lost to time. Another possibility is that it wasn't a name, as such, but a reference. As for instance, you might refer to a house as 'Mr Smith's house' without intending to imply that the house's name is 'Mr Smith's House' - if that makes sense. If this is the case, there's a chance it may have only used by the family.

As I said, what's quite unusual is that 'boggart' isn't a very common usage in this particular area. 'Hob' is far more common - Hob being a woodland spirit who's antics have more in common with fairy lore, I think.

I've got a Boggart's Barn in Yorkshire, but not Derbyshire - sorry!

 

[SimonBurchell]

Could that have been Matlock Bath station, rather than Matlock (sounds pernickety, but they are actually a fair distance from each other)?

As far as I know, (although I could have got this wrong) the latter's always been operational, and its associated buildings used for railway purposes - whereas the former's buildings, which were built in a quite unusual chalet style, were taken over by a wildlife charity back in the 1980s.

Are you happy for me to add this in to my databases, Simon?

I've been looking at Matlock and Matlock Bath stations on satellite and streetview, and I really think it was Matlock station, the long red brick building visible in streetview from the car park, which jolted my memory as soon as I saw it - I've also always had memories of the station sign just saying plain Matlock.

 

[Sid]

I've got a Boggart's Barn in Yorkshire, but not Derbyshire - sorry!

Don't know if this is really relevant or not, but here goes. . .