The Paranormal Database

Just a Child?

Location: Longstone Edge - Bleaklow Farm
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Mid twentieth century?
Further Comments: The farm is reputedly haunted by a child. Faint cries can be heard coming from the trees at night, and two people witnessed a shadowy figure walk up to their sleeping children and lean over their beds.

Shadowy Lad

Location: Lount - Road outside of the Landfill site
Type: Unknown Ghost Type
Date / Time: Early 1980s
Further Comments: A witness thought he had run over a teenage boy who ran out in front of his car, though there was no bump - a search of the area revealed no body, indeed, not even a sign that the collision ever took place.

Stone Spirit

Location: Lumsdale - The Wishing Stone
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Rock still present
Further Comments: Wayne Anthony, in Haunted Derbyshire and the Peak District, writes the wishing stone was once thought to be the home of a benevolent spirit who would grant wishes to strangers who walked around it three times, on the condition they were not selfish or self-centred.

Small Pipes

Location: Mam Tor - General area of the barrows
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Two small clay pipes are reported to have been discovered here, thought to have been used by fairies and the local pixie folk.

Happy Puppy

Location: Mappleton - Bank House
Type: Shuck
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: This shuck is most likely the friendliest on record - it would run around the children's bedroom, hide under beds, and was also once found in the attic.

Bed Lift

Location: Marehay - Cottage (likely no longer standing)
Type: Poltergeist
Date / Time: Circa September 1958
Further Comments: Mr & Mrs Wilding, while looking after their twelve year old granddaughter, had their bed lifted in the air and drop back to the ground. Rapping began to plague their home while doors opened, and pictures were moved from the walls and left undamaged on the floor. The entity left at the same time as the granddaughter returned home, but as a final goodbye, threw heavy furniture and clothing around the cottage.

Lord on Horseback

Location: Marlpool - Shipley Hall (now ruined)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1940s / 1950s lion, other sightings unknown
Further Comments: A former owner of the hall is now said to ride around the area on horseback. A lion was seen by several people just after the Second World War, though no tangible evidence was ever found - it is unclear whether is qualifies as an ABC or a feline phantom.

Horseman

Location: Matlock - Bakewell Road, outside of the Railway Hotel
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: February 2001
Further Comments: One woman being driven along this street reported seeing a dark man on horseback. He wore a long cape and a large floppy hat partly covered his face.

Strangulation

Location: Matlock Bath - Grand Pavilion Theatre
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A presence in the basement is reputed to create the sensation of being strangled. The site is also said to be home to two phantom children.

Sir Richard Arkwright

Location: Matlock Bath - Masson Mills
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Mid-to-late-twentieth century
Further Comments: The ghost of one-time cotton tycoon Sir Richard is thought to haunt one of his former factories. His shadowy form has been spotted by at least one worker in the older part of the mill.

Vanishing Tools

Location: Mickleover - Beech House (no longer standing)
Type: Poltergeist
Date / Time: Pre-1994
Further Comments: While working in and around this site, workmen claimed their tools would go missing, only to reappear a few days later at different locations.

Half a Man

Location: Mickleover - Station Road
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Circa 1944
Further Comments: A teenager said he was 'shaken' after encountered the upper half of a ghostly man while walking along the road in the early hours of the morning.

Grey Lady

Location: Middlesbrough - The Tree Bridge Hotel
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: There are reports of a grey lady who wanders through the halls.

Musketeer

Location: Middleton - Road to Youlgreave
Type: Other
Date / Time: 1993, early evening
Further Comments: One misty evening, a driver observed a man dressed like a musketeer smoking a pipe. The witness passed the spot again after a couple of minutes and the figure had gone.

Orphans

Location: Miller's Dale - Litton Mill (no longer operational)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: This nineteenth century mill is said to have exploited its child labour - several deaths were involved and covered up. The orphans were rumoured to have come back to protest.

Giants of Derbyshire.

Hulac Warren

Location: Monsal Dale - The Warren Stone
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Stone still present
Further Comments: Monsal Dale was once known as Demon's Dale, and a race of sadistic giants lived there. A shepherdess killed herself rather than be kidnapped by the giant's leader Hulac; the gods were so outraged by his actions that the giant was instantly turned in to the Warren Stone.

Robert Lomas

Location: Monyash - Church
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Late 1960s - early 1970s
Further Comments: The Reverend Lomas died after falling from his horse, although his shade was seen in his former church several times. The presence was said to be comforting.

Nature Spirit

Location: Morridge Moor - Doxey Pool, on rocks known as the Roaches
Type: Other
Date / Time: 1949
Further Comments: A woman now about to enter the water of the pool for a quick swim was horrified as an entity pulled itself together from weed, mud and water. The creature was about six metres tall and stood on the surface of the water pointing a finger at the woman. Then, as quickly as it had composed itself, the entity dissolved back into weed and mud.

Hanged Men

Location: Mottram - Gallows' Clough
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Likely nineteenth century
Further Comments: This area was said to be haunted by all the men hanged here, and locals would avoid the site, even during the day.

Mary Hollingworth

Location: Mottram - Roe Cross Inn
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Late twentieth century
Further Comments: Seen near the four hundred year old fireplace, the ghost of old Mary wearing a long dress is reportedly quite harmless.

Not a Horse

Location: Mugginton - The Halter Devil Chapel
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Chapel still stands
Further Comments: A drunken farmer told his wife he intended to ride to nearby Derby, even if he had to ride on the Devil's back to do it. He then tried to place a saddle on his horse's back, only to find the creature had horns. The farmer ran back to his wife, gave up drinking, and soon built the chapel to thank the Lord for his lucky escape. No one ever had the heart to tell him he had tried to saddle a bull.

Icy Hand

Location: Nether Padley - Private residence near Grindleford Station
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Circa 1985
Further Comments: A visitor to this property felt an icy hand grab their arm. The family dog would not go near the room where it occurred.

Large White Face

Location: Newbold - Highfield Park
Type: Other
Date / Time: Summer 2014
Further Comments: A dog walker in this park became aware of something the size of a beach ball growing a few dozen metres away. The ball continued to grow before it dashed forwards and expanded into a large white face with wide mouth and eyes which then vanished. Both walker and dog refused to return to the park for several months after the event.

Footsteps

Location: Newbold - Nag's Head public house
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1960
Further Comments: Heard by the landlord and his family, these phantom footsteps were described as quick and heavy.

Road Block

Location: Offerton - Road to village from Shatton
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Pre-twentieth century
Further Comments: A traveller along this road reported that his path was blocked by a Boggart, which refused to allow him to pass. Frightened, the man returned the way he came.