Shipley Park and Hall
Paranormal Activity Associated With The Hall.
During the late 1940’s to the early 1950’s, numerous reports of a lion roaming
the then enclosed grounds was reported by various people. No lion was ever found.
In 1992, i picked’ up certain ‘knowledge’ concerning an
event in the remains of a small circular ruined
clinker built ice-house standing in the now open
grounds. This concerned two young girls, of about
7 or 8, playing inside the ruin. They were
watching a small lad of about 6, as he endeavoured
to climb up the inner wall.
During 1994, several of us visited the site of the ruin, thick with bushes and
trees. The story of the climbing lad had never been mentioned to anyone and in
fact was entirely forgotten by myself. One of our party and went into the overgrown
ice-house, appearing a few moments later. When asked how it was in
there, she just replied – “I saw a small lad in there. This was a heart thumping conformation to
me. I never said anything.
One of the Lords of the Hall, (a Mundy?) of the ‘recent’
Past, has been seen by a few witnesses, on horseback,
galloping up the deserted long lane leading to the Hall. This usually occurs on
frosty moonlit winter nights.
The ghost of a 19th. Century bookmaker, who once worked at the
Hall, has been seen quite a few times in the old bungalow where he lived.
(on the periphery of the Hall grounds).
Approximately a half mile from the Hall, stands ‘John’s Wood’, once part of
the ancient Hall’s grounds. This is where several people, including myself, witnessed several
‘Scenic Shifts’ over a matter of months in the early 1990’s. These events occurred near the
Western edge of the wood, next to the reservoir.
Today, the Hall ruins stand in the large ‘Shipley Park’. A large tract of fields, woods,
ponds, streams and a reservoir, open to the public. The large grounds of the Hall itself
consist of large lawns, woods and ruins, which are generally deserted at night, from about 9 pm
onwards.
The Hall’s large grounds are an ideal site for an all night vigil..... or two –
and free.
THE PARK
From records it would seem that Shipley was a sporting estate.
Robert Strelley claimed to have two deer parks in 1331, though this was disputed
and he was only allowed to have one. It was recorded as late as the early 1500s that there was a park
keeper at Shipley named Walter. The village of Mapperley, next to Shipley, also belonged
to the Strelleys and some of the family lived there. Hugh de Strelley and his wife founded a
chapel in the enclosure of their
Mapperley mansion and were allowed a chaplain there c.1230.
THE HALL
The earliest reference and description of a house at Shipley
appears in a document of 1599. This says there was a house, part stone, part timber and plaster,
which was large, well seated and dry, some of the rooms being wainscoated.
Attached to the house was a brewhouse, a bakehouse, barns, stables,
dovecotes, gardens, orchards and fish ponds.
A chapel at Shipley is mentioned in the will of Sir
Nicholas Strelley, 1430.
THE MOST RECENT HALL
The main
entrance was formed by the single story stone
Porch, leading into the main entrance hall.
Immediately facing the main entrance was the Grand
Marble Staircase, which was reported to have been
taken to America after the demolition of the Hall
in 1943.
To the right was an octagonal room,
the dining room, which contained portraits of the
Miller Mundy Family.
The dinin
purchasing it in 1930.
But, eventually, during
the last War, the Colliery Company decided that
the building should be demolished and Watts of
Nottingham duly tore down 300 years of Shipley
History.
Shipley Hall ruins are
approximately 6½ miles to the East of Derby. It’s
midway between the small ‘town’ of Marlpool and
the village of Mapperley. There’s no road, just a
narrow long lane which connects all 3 places.
MORE HISTORY
Published on 18/02/07 at 17:53:21 GMT - posted by: Azzabuv
