Skip to main content

Helpful Horse Boggart

Hackensall Hall, Fleetwood, Lancashire Fairy Georgian

Hackensall Hall in Fleetwood is home to a most unusual ghostly inhabitant - a boggart that took the form of a horse. This helpful entity was known to plough fields and work around the farm in return for a warm place to spend the night. It's a curious tale that has been passed down through the years, leaving many to wonder about the nature of this supernatural creature.

The history of Hackensall Hall dates back to the 18th century, and it's likely that the horse boggart was active during this time. Boggarts are a type of fairy from Lancashire folklore, often described as mischievous but sometimes helpful. In this case, the horse boggart seems to have been a welcome presence on the farm, assisting with chores in exchange for shelter. While we don't know the exact date or time of the haunting, it's clear that the locals had a positive relationship with this ghostly horse.

Historical Context

18th-century country house in Lancashire

Location

Location Details

Location Type
Country House
Activity Types
Visual
Witness Credibility
Local Legend
Threat Level
Harmless
Accessibility
Private Residence
Date / Era
Unknown
Postcode Area
FY1

Nearby Haunted Places

Apparition 0.5 mi

Muttering Yokel of Olde Rock

Olde Rock House, Barton on Irwell

Olde Rock House in Barton on Irwell seems like an unassuming place but it holds a secret. A royalist, fleeing from his Cromwellian pursuers, once disguised himself as a farmer and walked about the area muttering 'Now thus, now thus', until the roundheads had passed. Locals believe that his shade still re-enacts his escape, reliving that anxious time when his life depended on staying hidden. It's a strange and intriguing tale that has become part of the house's folklore.

Historic House English Civil War
Read Full Story
Poltergeist 0.6 mi

Martha's Poltergeist Haunting

Finishers Arms Public House, Bolton

At the Finishers Arms Public House in Bolton, a rather mischievous presence is said to reside. Locals have long whispered about Martha, a mill worker whose body was allegedly found in a nearby lake - now a car park - after she'd been drinking at the pub. It's said she likes to make her presence known through poltergeist activity, moving glasses and creating unexplained footsteps. Some have even claimed to have seen her apparition, dressed in a flowing white gown.

Public House Victorian
Read Full Story
Apparition 0.6 mi

Ghostly Toilet Visitor

Farrars Arms Public House, Grasscroft

Farrars Arms Public House in Grasscroft is home to a rather unusual ghost. A male spirit is said to haunt the women's bathroom, which is a bit of an oddity. The upper part of the building is reportedly haunted by the ghost of a maid who died on site. It's not clear what connection, if any, the male ghost has to the maid or the rest of the building, but his presence is certainly felt by those who've encountered him.

Public House Victorian
Read Full Story
Apparition 0.6 mi

Phantom Publican Robert Adams

Engineers' Arms Public House, Nelson

The Engineers' Arms Public House in Nelson, Lancashire, has a long history of paranormal activity centred around the ghost of Robert Adams, its former landlord. After Adams passed away, his spirit reportedly returned to the pub, where he would be seen drinking behind the bar through a window. The new landlord, eager to investigate these strange occurrences, would often turn up to find the ghost, only for it to vanish upstairs, creating a great deal of noise in the process. This eerie manifestation has left many to wonder about the connection between Adams and his former establishment.

Public House Victorian
Read Full Story
Apparition 0.6 mi

Phantom Lady of Preston

Spindlemakers Arms Public House, Preston

The Spindlemakers Arms Public House in Preston was once home to a phantom woman, reportedly the daughter of a former landlord. This ghostly apparition was said to appear in the 1980s, long after the scandal that led to her untimely demise had faded into memory. They say she was involved in a sensationalist scandal, but details of her story remain shrouded in mystery. The pub itself has a rich history, but it's the lady in white that really draws people in. Sadly, as of 2017, the Spindlemakers Arms was no longer open to the public, but that hasn't stopped people talking about the phantom lady who used to roam its halls.

Public House Victorian
Read Full Story
Apparition 1.1 mi

Ghostly Apparitions at Marine Hall

Marine Hall, Fleetwood

Marine Hall in Fleetwood has a reputation for being haunted by a former caretaker known as Old Bill. Anne Shipway, the waterfront co-ordinator at the hall, reported seeing a middle-aged man in a white shirt walking through a wall. This sighting was widely reported in the local press. It's said that Bill now walks around the site, possibly reliving his old routine.

Public Hall Victorian
Read Full Story