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admin sinfulldude · Posted: Thu Nov 30, 2006 6:52 pm Post subject: Levens hall Cumbria

(was written and posted by madmart THIS SITES former ADMIN )

The first dwelling at Levens dates from circa 1350, and was built by the de Redman family as defence against the Scottish raiders of the time. It was then a primitive pele tower, with underhousing for the women and cattle in time of raids, and a large room where smoke from the open fire would escape through a hole in the roof. The medieval structure was built around in Elizabethan times when the Bellingham family created a mansion and beautified it with fine panelling and plasterwork still to be seen today. All building was completed by the addition of the Howard Tower in 1820.

There are several ghosts at Levens Hall. The most famous one is that of the Grey Lady, who is thought to have been a gypsy woman who laid a curse on the family of the house, after being turned away starving from the front door. Before she died of starvation, she declared that no son of the house would inherit Levens Hall until the River Kent was still and a white deer was born. It is perhaps coincidence that for several centuries the ownership of Levens Hall passed from relative to relative, but never father to son, until 1913, when the River Kent froze over and an albino deer was born in the deer park.

In the days of coaches, the barefooted Grey lady was often seen to appear in front of the horses as they pulled their coaches up the driveway to the Hall. In more modern times, she suddenly appeared in front of several motorists making their way to the Hall, and they had to brake suddenly or swerve to avoid hitting her, only to find when they got out of their cars that the Grey Lady had disappeared. On one occasion, a member of the Bagot Family actually cycled straight through her.

Another phantom of Levens Hall is that of a lady, wearing a pink dress and a mob cap. It is thought that the Pink Lady was an 18th century nanny at the Hall, and she is said to only appear when children are present. In the early 1970's, a party of women, visiting the Hall, were surprised to see her standing on the stairs. She has also been seen standing in the gardens.

The other ghost of Levens Hall is that of a black dog who looks that earthly that some visitors have actually mistaken it for one of the household pets, as indeed it probably was at one time. So real did it appear to one gentleman, visiting the Hall, when it brushed against him as it dashed upstairs, whilst he was walking upstairs himself, that he actually complained to the owners that the dog should be kept under proper control. Ironically, none of the rest of the gentleman's party saw the dog.

The same dog has also been seen in the local village, accompanying one of the members of the family, out on her shopping expedition, and would appear to have been so life-like that it was actually chased by a real dog.

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