Haunted Houses

Samlesbury Hall

Location: Blackburn, Lancashire

Origin: 16th Century

Background: The hall dates from 1370 and is built almost wholly of timber with very little plaster or masonry. During the reign of Queen Elizabeth, the hall was Sir John Southworth 's home. He was Sheriff of Lancashire and a staunch Catholic. This is his daughter Dorothy's story.

Story: I know people's religious beliefs are sacred and I respected my family's feelings. But sometimes love is stronger than any religion. I fell in love with the heir to a local knightly house; the only problem was that my love was a Protestant. We had no choice but to elope. My brother must have overheard our plans and he lay in wait on the evening of our escape. There was a terrible fight. My love and his two friends were killed.

I was sent away to a convent where I was kept under constant observation. This imprisonment and the loss of my love drove me insane and I went to my grave a raving lunatic. I return home to see my love, we meet in the grounds and share a few precious moments together.