Locally the Ghostly stories of Worksop Priory are fairly known with our team member Aimee Sirdifield having a strange experience herself here before investigating the paranormal professionally.
Aimee recalls walking passed the Priory one day and feeling incredibility unwell, this resulted in Aimee having a panic attack at this point, prior to this she had never had one before. This continued for years and Aimee is still nervous and panics when she even passes it to this day……
Aimee isn’t the only person to report becoming suddenly ill and panicked in this area.
Its strange how certain locations can do this to you…..
Brief History
I n 1103 the Priory of Our Lady and St Cuthbert was founded
by the Canons of St Augustine, the first 18 of whom are believed to have
come from Huntingdon. At that time the Lovetots were the local landowners, living at Worksop Manor. Their descendents, the Furnivals, Talbots, and Howards, rose to become one of the most powerful family dynasties in England and the fortunes of the Priory rose with them.
Worksop Priory (formerly also known as Radford Priory) became a centre of learning and piety, always moderately well provided for—in 1291 its taxable income amounted to £167 making it the third wealthiest monastic house in the county. The original church on the site would have been a small Norman parish church subsequently rebuilt for use by the canons. In about 1140 the present nave was commenced at the east end and the subsequent nine bays of the aisle arcades, dating from c.1170, have impressive carvings and alternating round and octagonal piers.
The first master mason was almost certainly recruited from Southwell Minster which was being built at the same time. The twin west towers also belong to the 12th century, except for their tops which are of the 15th century. The Lady Chapel dates from the 13th century and is of fine design and beauty. The fine gatehouse was built in the early 14th
century, permission being granted in 1314 by the Archbishop of York to fell
200 oaks for its construction.
The early 14th century gatehouse was constructed in the main to accommodate travellers. The ground floor is divided by what was once a public road. The ceiling above the archway has original medieval timbers and the upper room is accessed via a stone stairway added in the 15th
century. The original access to the upper floor was by a staircase on
the exterior north-east corner. A chapel, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and shrine were added at the south-east corner later in the 14th century. Guests were accommodated in the upper chamber where they were allowed to stay for three days. To one side of this chamber is a room for the brother
guestmaster.
Through centuries of wars and peace, the Canons continued their daily round of work and prayer until changes in English religious life under Henry VIII brought all this to an end. On November 15th 1538, the King’s Commissioner demanded entry to the Priory at the Gatehouse. He had brought the order for closure. The Prior, William Stokes and sixteen Canons were to be pensioned off, the last in a series of 19 priors over
436 years. Over two thousand acres of land, the buildings and the treasures
were to be seized by the Crown. All the fine buildings were to be dismantled.
Little remains today of the monastic buildings but a wall running north retains an entrance doorway and several windows of the cellarium, above which would have been the dormitory. When the nearby school was built many animal bones were excavated indicating that this area may have been the kitchen. A well was discovered and evidence for the Chapter House
Ghosts
The Blue Lady
A ghostly apparition known as the ‘Blue Lady’ dressed in a medieval -style gown is said to haunt the grounds of the priory, walking from the gatehouse to the church before vanishing into thin air.
The Blue lady is also famously known to show herself on the roof of the priory church but others have described the apparition as a man.
The Ghostly Monk
It is thought the man seen may be a monk as he appears in monk type dressing and he normally appears to people between 1am and 4am in the morning. Witnesses have reported that the ghostly monk as appeared frustrated or frightened and jumps around on top of one of the towers. He has also been seen peering over the edge of the towers as if hes looking out for someone before quickly fading away…….
The Witches Tree
There is a Legend of a witches tree. Aimee and other locals remember this tree being here, however it seems to have gone but Aimee and other locals recall a tree in which children used to run around 3 times anticlockwise and rumor had it a witch would appear!
I want to add on our investigation there is 3 graves covered in ivy, I do wonder if these 3 graves are contacted and if 3 ladies buried in the graves were 3 sisters of craft or even healing. That was my general feeling.
Also another common trait mediums tend to pick up is that a lady was bricked up in the walls of the gatehouse, I am yet to find any historical evidence of this documented but that isn’t to say it didn’t happen, it may be that a skeleton as not surfaced yet!
A Black Dog with Red Eyes as also been seen at the canal nearby, many have said this resembles a blood hound.
A lady also has been seen at the canal who it is believed drowned here.
Take a look at out haunted walk of Worksop for more Ghosts Tales.