Built to impress by craftsmen’s hands more than 500 years ago, Little Moreton Hall in Congleton, with its crooked walls and uneven floors, may seem fragile but it’s a remarkable survivor – and a spooky one at that. Of course, Little Moreton Hall was a feat of Tudor ingenuity, when there was a genuine belief in witches and the power of evil.
The Tudors especially feared the night and the dark. From the time of Henry VIII and up to the Civil War and Commonwealth years, there was a period of religious turmoil. People felt they could no longer turn to the church as a remedy for their worries, in the same way as they had done before. It was also a time when the north-west region was affected by the plague. The burn marks seen around the hall were likely one of the many things that people did to deal with their fears – they were a form of protection.
Research volunteers at Little Moreton Hall have discovered over 250 of these burn marks as well as two other types of marks; circle designs and criss-cross webs of lines. These marks have been found near windows, fireplaces, and blocked doorways. They’re also in places where the building has been altered and where there is a hollow space behind walls.
In an unanswered, slightly spooky turn of events, the extreme wonkiness of Little Moreton Hall has long been suggested to be a result of marshy ground. However, trial hole excavations in the orchard proved to be dry – if the ground had been boggy, the holes would have rapidly filled with water. There’s also evidence that the moat was clay puddled to seal against leakage, suggesting that the ground was free draining and would not hold water… just a bit unnerving, until you learn that the late Long Hall extension was probably the culprit.
But most frightening of all, Little Moreton Hall is said to be haunted by a grey lady who drifts past visitors in the Long Gallery. In case you don’t already know, grey ladies have usually suffered a tragic death after a betrayal or broken heart, so the atmosphere at Little Moreton Hall is likely to be pretty sad.
The sobs of a child have also been heard in the chapel, which is still used most Sundays for regular services, so you may get more of a brush with history than you bargained for. Have a chat with the costumed Living History team on the ground floor, to find out more about how people lived at the Hall, and those who may have hung around after death.
It’s not your eyes playing tricks on you. Seeing the tumbling architecture of Little Moreton Hall for the first time, engineers in 1990 could not believe their eyes either. This timber-framed building, curled around with a scenic moat, has defied logic for over 500 years. Step back in time inside this higgledy-piggledy house that is a wonder of British heritage, and discover what every day Tudor life tells us about the way we live today.
Little Moreton Hall is a National Trust property around an hour from Manchester city centre by car, and you can find entry fees and opening times here.
đź“Ť National Trust – Little Moreton Hall, Newcastle Rd, Congleton CW12 4SD.