The history of this location can be dated back to the 7th Century, when a wooden fort called 'Udeburg' was built on this site. The site next appears in the Domesday Book, noting a Manor owned by a Saxon Thane called 'Ulchel' who held over 540 acres of land there. The Manor and lands were then given by William the Conqueror to his loyal friend and knight William Peverel. He then gifted the Manor to another Norman knight called 'Ralf' who took on the name 'de Wodeburg'.

 

The Manor stayed in possession of the de Wodeburgs until 1336, when it passed to Richard de Strelley, son of the famous Sampson de Strelley who built the chancel in St. Swithun's Church. It would remain in the de Strelley family for almost 300 years until the Manor was passed to a woman called Isabel Bold, whose grandson sold the lands off to George Lacock in 1640, marking the end of the 600 year long family ownership between the de Wodeburgs and the de Strelleys.

 

The de Strelleys were Royalists during the English Civil War, hence their need to sell the property and land. George Lacock, a wealthy Nottingham solicitor, purchased the Manor when the family needed the money, but it was George's third son Philip Lacock who drastically pulled down the medieval house in 1660, replacing it with a new two storey house.

 

Philip died in 1668 and the house passed from his wife Mary to her spinster daughter Elizabeth Bainbridge, who's documented living there. When Elizabeth died in 1797, the Hall passed on to Rev. Philip Story who was Elizabeth's cousin. It was during the Story's occupation here that the old gable and tiled roof was removed in favour of a third storey being added.

 

The Hall was eventually sold in 1842 with 53 acres of land to John Ingall Werg, making this the second sale of land since the Norman Conquest. However John Ingall Werg had 'invested unwisely' (History of Woodborough 1897) and was forced to sell up. He sold Woodborough Hall in 1852 for the sum of £4,500 to Mansfield Parkyns, the son of 5th Baronet, Sir Thomas Parkyns, who is mostly noted for his exploration after spending many years in Abyssinia & Egypt. When he returned to England to settle at Woodborough, he brought with him his faithful African servant, who slept outside his bedroom door to guard him. He had eight daughters and was also an incredible woodcarver, with examples of his work seen on the Hall's oak staircase and in St. Swithun's Church. In 1862 he became Lieutenant Colonel Parkyns. It's likely that the staircase stained glass windows were installed during Mansfield's ownership, as the Parkyns Shield of Arms are shown. Mansfield Parkyns died of an illness from his foreign travels in 1894.

 

Just before World War 2, Woodborough Hall was purchased by the Government to become the official residence for the A.O.C. No. 12 Fighter Group in Nottinghamshire. Famous names that occupied the Hall during this time include Trafford Leigh Mallory and Air Vice-Marshall R. L. M. Atcherley. In 1959 the Hall was passed over to the Army and became the official residence of the G.O.C. 49th Division. In 1984 the Army sold the Hall to Mr. Oxby, before being sold again in 1988 and turned into a nursing home.

In the Snug, the smell of tobacco materialises as if someone is smoking a pipe, and next to the fireplace staff have witnessed white smoke appear and disappear. We believe this gentleman is the spirit of Mansfield Parkyns, who chooses to stay at Woodborough Hall. On a private investigation here in February 2023, staff members had the name Mansfield spelled out on the Ouija Board, providing further evidence that his energy is still around.

 

Another ghost is that of a female dressed in black, who was seen by one of the owners through the Snug window whilst she was gardening. Who could this Lady be? Unsettling words like 'Hanged' and 'Hangman' have also come up on our ALICE ITC, indicating that someone was possibly hanged on these grounds.

 

A little boy and girl have been heard and sensed on the oak staircase leading up to the second floor. Not much is known about the boy, but the feeling of death after falling down the stairs has been felt with the little girl. In the upstairs bedrooms and landing, lights flicker with no electrical faults causing it, which has spooked staff from going up there on their own.

 

And apparitions have been seen walking across the Hall's gardens, only to vanish without a trace. With Woodborough's history going back over 1,400 years, who will we encounter on our night's investigation?

DATE: Friday 8th November 2024

 

TIMES: 10:00pm - 3:00am (arrive 15 minutes early and wait patiently outside the front entrance until a member of our team greets you at the door)

 

LOCATION: Woodborough Hall, 1 Bank Hill, Woodborough, Nottinghamshire NG14 6EE

 

PARKING AT EVENT: Car Parking on site.

 

REMAINING BALANCE: Needs to be paid FOUR WEEKS prior to the event date. Failure to pay your remaining balance before this deadline will result in you forfeiting your places and your places will be sold on.

 

WHAT TO BRING: A torch, a warm coat/jacket, sensible footwear, any equipment you wish to bring along (your responsibility), your positive and open-minded energies.

 

PLEASE NOTE: Bringing alcohol or drugs to this event is strictly prohibited. If anyone arrives at the event under the influence of alcohol or drugs, they will not be allowed to stay for the night and will be asked to leave immediately.