Monday March 28th 2022
Within the last week, I happen to have visited a couple of sites that I'd not seen in quite some time... namely, Turls Hill Lane / Wood and the Ellowes Hall area. As Black Country residents will surely know, these locations are within a stones throw of one another, falling under the closely neighbouring Sedgley and Gornal regions.
I'd first learned of - and visited - the former, during the mid 1980's, while in the latter half of my teenage years, and had carried out a few (albeit rather cack-handed, at that point in time) 'stake-outs' in the locality. I'll never forget that my very first visit was just following a period of considerable rainfall, which made the woods and quarry area both boggy and terribly slippery! (The ground thereabouts is rather clay-heavy). As a result, my descent into the latter had been somewhat treacherous at best... but it transpired that this was absolutely nothing, compared to the horrendous struggle I had getting back out again! A slope of solid ice couldn't have been harder to navigate, under foot, and it eventually took me the best part of an hour to climb out of the pit concerned! Lol!
Thankfully, this recent visit occurred in a period of ridiculously fair weather (for this time of year, certainly), so, apart from the difference that 40 or so years have on a persons fitness and general stamina, it proved relatively easy to negotiate the hills and hollows within the wood... this time!
I would include a much needed run-down of the alleged 'ghostly history' of the area within this post, but, in checking back just a couple of years, I find that a previous entry - from June 2020 - covers the topic reasonably fully. Instead then, I shall advise anyone not familiar with the case to visit that page by clicking HERE.
In coming to cover the second location, it should probably be mentioned that, apart from the obvious similarities - white clad, female ghost, etc - both hauntings do follow similar lines. Both can be said to fall into the (Albeit modern-ish) 'local legend' category and both have questionable origins, chronologically speaking, because of the dates of the reported encounters. It would seem that the Ellowes Hall lore pre-dates Turls Hill, simply because of dates received from witnesses. Both would initially give the impression of being fairly 'historic hauntings', but, equally, neither can be traced back more than a small handful of decades, it seems? Neither - apart from scant, friend-of-a-friend style anecdotes - can accurately be found to date back any further than the 80's, where Turls Hill is concerned, and the 60's with Ellowes Hall. (Though, of course, the old adage 'Absence of evidence doesn't necessarily point towards evidence of absence' should be applied, for true objectivity).
In coming to cover the second location, it should probably be mentioned that, apart from the obvious similarities - white clad, female ghost, etc - both hauntings do follow similar lines. Both can be said to fall into the (Albeit modern-ish) 'local legend' category and both have questionable origins, chronologically speaking, because of the dates of the reported encounters. It would seem that the Ellowes Hall lore pre-dates Turls Hill, simply because of dates received from witnesses. Both would initially give the impression of being fairly 'historic hauntings', but, equally, neither can be traced back more than a small handful of decades, it seems? Neither - apart from scant, friend-of-a-friend style anecdotes - can accurately be found to date back any further than the 80's, where Turls Hill is concerned, and the 60's with Ellowes Hall. (Though, of course, the old adage 'Absence of evidence doesn't necessarily point towards evidence of absence' should be applied, for true objectivity).
Both cases are well-known, it is clear, so the general bias rules applying to a region 'known to be haunted' should invariably be considered in such instances. There is also, sometimes, a tendency to 'back-date' experiences and alleged encounters... especially of the 2nd and 3rd-hand (etc) variety, at times.
So, with the above in mind.... Ellowes Hall itself was a large mansion house, built in 1821, and standing in it's own, considerable, grounds. It was situated on the border of Gornal and Sedgley villages, initially serving as the grand home to a local, wealthy businessman and his family. While the hall itself had a relatively short life - sadly being demolished in 1964 - a lot of the estate remains, being incorporated into what is now Cotwall End Nature Reserve, which spreads off into the Sedgley area, to the North.
As with Turls Hill, there is, according to local legend, a suggested focus area to the alleged haunting - i.e. the immediate area of the hall - though reports of ghostly happenings in the region transcend such a suggestion considerably... and appear to not only involve the hall estate, but also the surrounding streets beyond. Interestingly, there is no talk of 'ghosts' to be found associated with the history of the hall (as far as can be ascertained, at least), nor the area concerned prior to it's erection.
So, with the above in mind.... Ellowes Hall itself was a large mansion house, built in 1821, and standing in it's own, considerable, grounds. It was situated on the border of Gornal and Sedgley villages, initially serving as the grand home to a local, wealthy businessman and his family. While the hall itself had a relatively short life - sadly being demolished in 1964 - a lot of the estate remains, being incorporated into what is now Cotwall End Nature Reserve, which spreads off into the Sedgley area, to the North.
As with Turls Hill, there is, according to local legend, a suggested focus area to the alleged haunting - i.e. the immediate area of the hall - though reports of ghostly happenings in the region transcend such a suggestion considerably... and appear to not only involve the hall estate, but also the surrounding streets beyond. Interestingly, there is no talk of 'ghosts' to be found associated with the history of the hall (as far as can be ascertained, at least), nor the area concerned prior to it's erection.
Within the past few years, I have been lucky enough to speak with a number of different parties who have independently told me of peculiar experiences in the area, including sightings that could be said to point towards the 'white lady' apparition, as well as more obscure-sounding incidents. In the 60's incident, referred to above, a group of boys apparently saw a hooded, female, figure... while a later incidents - again, involving boys - spoke of a woman, wearing a shawl, 'appearing from a mist'! In a further account - received only this week (and inspiring my recent visit to the area) - details of a 'white shape', seemingly able to negotiate steep, topographical features with great ease, were reported!
One matter that would appear to be potentially 'out of whack' with common lore is the fact that Ellowes Hall School is long said to have been built on the site of the hall. (The suggestion is in the name, I guess!) However, from a brief look at maps of the area, it actually appears that the school sits a hundred or so yards to the South-East of the hall site. It has long been said that the school itself - now named Ellowes Hall Sports College - was haunted. An old acquaintance of mine was lucky enough to have obtained permission to investigate the site with his group - perhaps some 25 years ago now - and, of course, both students and staff have often hinted at ghostly activity there too. (Having said that, what school isn't supposed to be haunted though, eh!? I can't imagine there are many? In this instance, however, the brother of a former member of the W.M. Ghost Club was a teacher here and knew all-too-well the reputation of the place, it seemed!)
Unfortunately, given the general topography of the area as it stands today, my initial attempt to take a look at the region - well over 20 yrs ago now - turned out to be fairly confusing at best. In those pre 'handy-internet-access-at-your-finger-tips-wherever-you-might-be' days, I was purely navigating from my dog-eared 'A To Z', which left a lot to be desired, it has to be said! Quite ironically, in utilising some old O.S. maps and my Grandfathers ancient 'A To Z' (from the late 60's / early 70's) on this occasion, I was able to immediately locate the site of the hall, which is today occupied by a most pleasant street.
One matter that would appear to be potentially 'out of whack' with common lore is the fact that Ellowes Hall School is long said to have been built on the site of the hall. (The suggestion is in the name, I guess!) However, from a brief look at maps of the area, it actually appears that the school sits a hundred or so yards to the South-East of the hall site. It has long been said that the school itself - now named Ellowes Hall Sports College - was haunted. An old acquaintance of mine was lucky enough to have obtained permission to investigate the site with his group - perhaps some 25 years ago now - and, of course, both students and staff have often hinted at ghostly activity there too. (Having said that, what school isn't supposed to be haunted though, eh!? I can't imagine there are many? In this instance, however, the brother of a former member of the W.M. Ghost Club was a teacher here and knew all-too-well the reputation of the place, it seemed!)
Unfortunately, given the general topography of the area as it stands today, my initial attempt to take a look at the region - well over 20 yrs ago now - turned out to be fairly confusing at best. In those pre 'handy-internet-access-at-your-finger-tips-wherever-you-might-be' days, I was purely navigating from my dog-eared 'A To Z', which left a lot to be desired, it has to be said! Quite ironically, in utilising some old O.S. maps and my Grandfathers ancient 'A To Z' (from the late 60's / early 70's) on this occasion, I was able to immediately locate the site of the hall, which is today occupied by a most pleasant street.
In speaking to a local lady, she pointed out some of the older-looking trees in the locality, which, due to their association with the long demolished hall, apparently have preservation orders protecting them. I had to comment on the sheer irony of the situation, of course, given that the hall itself was so callously 'done away with', while trees, purely by association with the lost building, are seemingly now 'cherished' to such an extent...!?
In conclusion of this post, I would personally be inclined to imagine that something paranormal might well be 'going on' in both of the locations concerned... though with little relation to the legends and tales 'projected onto' the sites by local beliefs, etc, over time? There is potentially a wider-ranging effect, of some kind, at play in the regions, though - through fictitious lore suggested by media sources and appealing, local rumours / belief - such 'activity' is now shoe-horned into a story framework, and geographical area, much smaller and basic than probably, initially, involved?
Whatever the truth behind such matters, it was certainly enjoyable to be able to re-visit the locations concerned after such a considerable time. Both regions are relatively accessible to interested parties - Turls Hill and Wood entirely, while the old driveway to Ellowes Hall sits in the Nature Reserve - though, needless to say, I'd strongly suggest a degree of care be taken, and certainly company sought, if endeavouring to visit either....
In conclusion of this post, I would personally be inclined to imagine that something paranormal might well be 'going on' in both of the locations concerned... though with little relation to the legends and tales 'projected onto' the sites by local beliefs, etc, over time? There is potentially a wider-ranging effect, of some kind, at play in the regions, though - through fictitious lore suggested by media sources and appealing, local rumours / belief - such 'activity' is now shoe-horned into a story framework, and geographical area, much smaller and basic than probably, initially, involved?
Whatever the truth behind such matters, it was certainly enjoyable to be able to re-visit the locations concerned after such a considerable time. Both regions are relatively accessible to interested parties - Turls Hill and Wood entirely, while the old driveway to Ellowes Hall sits in the Nature Reserve - though, needless to say, I'd strongly suggest a degree of care be taken, and certainly company sought, if endeavouring to visit either....
