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Thurstaston Hall is an ancient sandstone and brick dwelling in the heart of Thurstaston village which
dates back to at least 1350, ad although there is strong evidence to suggest that it may be even
older; possibly up to 1070 ad. Most of the current building dates from between 1680 and 1835 and is
reputedly haunted by several ghosts. When the house was fist built it would have been a larger than
life, imposing building which would have dwarfed everything which the eye could see. At that time the
house had huge thick walls and a deep moat system, not for cosmetic reasons but to form a defence
and show which land belonged to the owners. The oringinal walls which sadly no longer stand,
encompassed a large area and wrapped around the Church of St Bartholomew next door. In the
century which it was built Hugh Lupus presented the manor house which had formerly belonged to
Levenot, and other estates in Wirral and North Wales to his relative Mr Robert de Rodelent.
Samuel Bagshaw writing in 1850 describes the Hall as:
"An ancient structure with gables and bay windows, the seat of John B. Glegg Esq."
He also mentions that additions and alterations were made to the Hall in 1836, creating the East Wing
of the house. The central part of the Hall bears the date 1680 and the entrance goes back even
further to 1350 proving that the origins of the Hall are mediaeval. Although Thurstaston Hall dates
back to medieval times it has the distinction of having remained in the same family for at least six
centuries. There is a ‘Tudor’ fireplace and carved panels in the main entrance hall which date from the
late sixteenth century.
In August 1971 workmen stumbled across an old ‘smugglers’ tunnel whilst laying a new water main.
The tunnel appeared to run in the direction of Thurstaston Hall, most likely from the old port of
Dawpool. It is also likely that several centuries ago before the Dee began to silt up that Dawpool was
an anchorage point, and the Red Bank was situated on the shoreline of the Dee estuary at
Thurstaston. Philip Sulley in 1889 confirmed that Dawpol was indeed used frequently but mainly as an
embaration point for a voyage to Ireland which lasted until the rise of Liverpool.
The hall has its share of ghosts, a white lady has been well documented in many books on the
paranormal, the figure has been seen many times in the west wing bedrooms, appearing to be
distraught, wringing her hands, and looking for something. The story behind this haunting tells of the
lady of the manor, possibly a Glegg, who killed her infant son, and upon being disturbed, dropped the
knife. When the knife was finally found by one of her servants, she was tried, and brought to justice,
she continues to search for the weapon, in order to escape her punishment of execution. The white
lady was last seen in 1980, when a team of archaeologists from Liverpool university, witnessed the
phantom in one of the halls' many windows.
dates back to at least 1350, ad although there is strong evidence to suggest that it may be even
older; possibly up to 1070 ad. Most of the current building dates from between 1680 and 1835 and is
reputedly haunted by several ghosts. When the house was fist built it would have been a larger than
life, imposing building which would have dwarfed everything which the eye could see. At that time the
house had huge thick walls and a deep moat system, not for cosmetic reasons but to form a defence
and show which land belonged to the owners. The oringinal walls which sadly no longer stand,
encompassed a large area and wrapped around the Church of St Bartholomew next door. In the
century which it was built Hugh Lupus presented the manor house which had formerly belonged to
Levenot, and other estates in Wirral and North Wales to his relative Mr Robert de Rodelent.
Samuel Bagshaw writing in 1850 describes the Hall as:
"An ancient structure with gables and bay windows, the seat of John B. Glegg Esq."
He also mentions that additions and alterations were made to the Hall in 1836, creating the East Wing
of the house. The central part of the Hall bears the date 1680 and the entrance goes back even
further to 1350 proving that the origins of the Hall are mediaeval. Although Thurstaston Hall dates
back to medieval times it has the distinction of having remained in the same family for at least six
centuries. There is a ‘Tudor’ fireplace and carved panels in the main entrance hall which date from the
late sixteenth century.
In August 1971 workmen stumbled across an old ‘smugglers’ tunnel whilst laying a new water main.
The tunnel appeared to run in the direction of Thurstaston Hall, most likely from the old port of
Dawpool. It is also likely that several centuries ago before the Dee began to silt up that Dawpool was
an anchorage point, and the Red Bank was situated on the shoreline of the Dee estuary at
Thurstaston. Philip Sulley in 1889 confirmed that Dawpol was indeed used frequently but mainly as an
embaration point for a voyage to Ireland which lasted until the rise of Liverpool.
The hall has its share of ghosts, a white lady has been well documented in many books on the
paranormal, the figure has been seen many times in the west wing bedrooms, appearing to be
distraught, wringing her hands, and looking for something. The story behind this haunting tells of the
lady of the manor, possibly a Glegg, who killed her infant son, and upon being disturbed, dropped the
knife. When the knife was finally found by one of her servants, she was tried, and brought to justice,
she continues to search for the weapon, in order to escape her punishment of execution. The white
lady was last seen in 1980, when a team of archaeologists from Liverpool university, witnessed the
phantom in one of the halls' many windows.
| Thurstaston Hall |
| The Hall in 2005 |
| The Entrance in 1905 |
| The Entrance in 2005 |
| The Hall in 1905 |
The Grey Lady
In 2006 a photograph of a painting called "Carte de Visite" and a hand written note which
accompanied it, appeared on E Bay and sold for over $400. The painting was of the ghost which is
said to haunt Thurstaston Hall. Beneath the photo is the inscription "Photo of a ghost seen by 23
people at Thurstaston Hall, Cheshire and painted by W Easton RA in the haunted room.
The letter that accompanied it read as follows:
"Copy of a letter to the Hon Mrs G Denman aunt of Mr Hope, Thurstaston Hall, 13th June 1882
My Dear Aunt Charlotte
We were much interested with the picture of our ghost . I am bound to say we have never seen her, nor
have any of our friends for the simple reason that we never use the room for sleeping purposes, but from
time to time we have much been alarmed by the violent ringing of the bell, rung so loudly and persistently
that it could not be the work of rats.
Mr Easton stayed here about a year before we came to the place. I never met him, i believe he is wrong in
calling the lady a Clegg. The only female lady who ever lived here is an old lady of 90 who is still in the
flesh. The lady who haunted the arch room (so called because it is a vaulted room forming part of the old
chapel many centuries old) was one of the Whitmore family who lived here for 600 years or more. Nothing
more of her is known than that she was a Miss Whitmore and murdered her child. The family died out
entirely at the early part of the century. There were 12 daughters and no sons and none left any issue.
Mrs Lucy Brown of Marchwick Hall in the county of Denbigh whom you know, was one of the 12 daughters
and left the Thurstaston Hall property to her godson Clegg of Treby.
Your affectionate Nephew
William Hope"
A second scrappy paper also appeared in the auction which seemed to be from somebody called
Barbara who had received the letter from her friend Mrs G Denman, the aunt of the boy who wrote
the letter. The paper read:
"We first heard of the ghost from Mr Easton RA who was doing a minature of Evy. He told us he had often
seen the lady and that she used to appear in the early morning and that he had time to take a likeness of
her."
In 2006 a photograph of a painting called "Carte de Visite" and a hand written note which
accompanied it, appeared on E Bay and sold for over $400. The painting was of the ghost which is
said to haunt Thurstaston Hall. Beneath the photo is the inscription "Photo of a ghost seen by 23
people at Thurstaston Hall, Cheshire and painted by W Easton RA in the haunted room.
The letter that accompanied it read as follows:
"Copy of a letter to the Hon Mrs G Denman aunt of Mr Hope, Thurstaston Hall, 13th June 1882
My Dear Aunt Charlotte
We were much interested with the picture of our ghost . I am bound to say we have never seen her, nor
have any of our friends for the simple reason that we never use the room for sleeping purposes, but from
time to time we have much been alarmed by the violent ringing of the bell, rung so loudly and persistently
that it could not be the work of rats.
Mr Easton stayed here about a year before we came to the place. I never met him, i believe he is wrong in
calling the lady a Clegg. The only female lady who ever lived here is an old lady of 90 who is still in the
flesh. The lady who haunted the arch room (so called because it is a vaulted room forming part of the old
chapel many centuries old) was one of the Whitmore family who lived here for 600 years or more. Nothing
more of her is known than that she was a Miss Whitmore and murdered her child. The family died out
entirely at the early part of the century. There were 12 daughters and no sons and none left any issue.
Mrs Lucy Brown of Marchwick Hall in the county of Denbigh whom you know, was one of the 12 daughters
and left the Thurstaston Hall property to her godson Clegg of Treby.
Your affectionate Nephew
William Hope"
A second scrappy paper also appeared in the auction which seemed to be from somebody called
Barbara who had received the letter from her friend Mrs G Denman, the aunt of the boy who wrote
the letter. The paper read:
"We first heard of the ghost from Mr Easton RA who was doing a minature of Evy. He told us he had often
seen the lady and that she used to appear in the early morning and that he had time to take a likeness of
her."
Left: The picture sol on
E Bay with the writing
underneath.
E Bay with the writing
underneath.
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