This Month in History - Emily Warren Roebling's Birth
In the month of September, on the 23rd, in 1843, Emily Warren Roebling was born in Cold Spring, New York. She grew up in a large, supportive family where her parents valued higher education for both their sons and daughters. Emily was encouraged to push against 19th century norms by obtaining a higher education studying science, mathematics and literature. She would grow up to play an indispensable role in the creation of one of America's greatest architectural marvels, the Brooklyn Bridge. In 1872, her husband Washington Roebling, became bedridden with decompression sickness. Washington was the chief engineer of the Brooklyn Bridge project and Emily stepped forward as his vital link to the construction site. She did not merely carry messages; she mastered complex higher mathematics, material science, stress analysis, and cable construction to effectively communicate with contractors, engineers, and day laborers. For more than a decade, Emily managed the project's daily operations, inspected materials, dealt with competing politicians, and defended her husband's position as chief engineer. Her profound dedication and engineering competence were so widely recognized that she was given the honor of being the first person to cross the completed bridge on horseback in 1883, carrying a rooster as a symbol of victory.
Haunted County Durham (Derr um)
County Durham has a deep mining and farming heritage and is located in the northeast part of England near Scotland. This is the only English county prefixed with the word "County." The history spans so many eras that are reflected in the architecture, from Roman conquest to the Anglo-Saxons to the powerful medieval palatinate ruled by Prince Bishops. And all along the way, spiritual residue was left behind. Join us for the history and hauntings of County Durham.
Durham is a town of quaint cobbled streets lined with boutiques and restaurants. Towering above it are two of its most distinct buildings, Durham Castle and Durham Cathdedral. Both have stood for nearly 1,000 years. Winding through Durham is the River Wear (we're), which hugs the city on three sides. The Roman Empire occupied County Durham starting in 71 AD. After that, the Romans built strategic military roads and Fort Vinovium, known now as Binchester and Fort Longovicium, now known as Lanchester. These supported the infrastructure and garrisons of Hadrian’s Wall, which was built starting in 122 AD under Emperor Hadrian. The Romans withdrew in the 5th century and County Durham became part of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Bernicia, which lasted for four centuries, eventually becoming the Kingdom of Northumbria. It was during this time that Christianity arrived, as did St. Cuthbert. He became one of England's most venerated saints. When the Vikings invaded Northumbria, Lindisfarne monks fled with the body of St. Cuthbert in 995 AD, and settled at a high peninsula called Dun Holm after a vision. This would be the beginning of Durham. And while we love stories of supernatural visions, historians poo poo this fanciful story by pointing out that the area was readily defensible and the Earl of Northumbria granted them the land. The Normans conquered in the 11th century and William the Conqueror built Durham Castle in 1072 AD to secure the northern border against Scottish invasions. After the Normans left, the county was governed by the Bishops of Durham as a county palantine (pal uh tine). Palantinates emerged in England after the Norman conquest and this arrangement gave Bishops or Earls the power that the King had, but just in one small area. County Durham was unique in that the power of this arrangement endured until 1654 when Durham got parliamentary representation. The county took part in northern uprisings against the English Reformation. The region transformed through coal mining, shipbuilding, and the opening of the pioneering Stockton and Darlington Railway in 1825. Today, it's a great spot for tourism.
Durham Castle
Durham Castle sits atop a hill overlooking the medieval city of Durham. The River Wear (Wee-ar) circles around the castle. Construction of the castle began in 1072 and there are differing accounts on whether parts of it were originally made from wood or stone.
As was the case with many castles built at this time, wood was an easily sourced material and many parts of a castle were built from it and then later replaced with the more durable stone. William the Conqueror ordered the building of the castle. He was William I, the first Norman king of England, and he had descended from Viking raiders and been the Duke of Normandy. He was the victor at the Battle of Hastings. This battle began the Norman conquest of England. The castle was built six years after that conquest was complete. William the Conquerer ushered in the medieval era and introduced modern building techniques for castles. A main characteristic of Norman castles was the use of a motte, which was a large man-made mound of dirt and stones, and a bailey, which were inner and outer fenced in areas. Many times, the outer bailey was at the bottom of the mound. The day to day activities took place in the bailey, while the castle keep was built atop the motte. William the Conquerer died in 1087 in an unusual way. He was sitting atop his horse watching a Norman village burn when his horse was suddenly startled and reared up. The horn of the saddle struck William in the abdomen with much force. It was hard enough to cause internal injuries and William bled to death internally. It took several days for him to succumb to the injury. The coffin that was built for him was too small and he was stuffed inside. Legend says that his putrifying body split open. Many centuries later, in 1562, grave robbers stole what was buried in the coffin, leaving only a thigh bone.
Supervision of the construction of the castle was under the Earl of Northumberland (nawrthuhmberland), Watheof. His supervision ended in 1076 when he rebelled against William and was executed. Walcher (waw lchur), the Bishop of Durham, took over control of the castle and was given the title of Prince-Bishop of Durham. This title remained until the 19th century. It was the only title of its sort and made Durham unique in England.
Walcher was in charge when many of the buildings of the castle were constructed. The castle today has a gatehouse, two chapels, a Great Hall, kitchen, a courtyard, the Black Staircase and another large building known as the Northern Range with several rooms that was built in the 12th century by Bishop Le Puiset (Pwee zeh). He more than likely built it as two large halls that were later subdivided. One of the chapels and the bell-tower were built by Bishop Tunstall in the 16th century. The Tunstall Chapel is gorgeous with stain glassed windows and carved wood. Durham Castle was crucial to protecting the border with Scotland and quelling English rebellions. The Historia Regum states that the castle was needed "to keep the bishop and his household safe from the attacks of assailants." The Palace Green that runs between the cathedral and the castle was once the old marketplace and originally had several wooden houses built there. Bishop Flambard had the houses taken down during his time to prevent fires. In 1837, the castle was donated to the University of Durham. It was named University College and the castle was restored by architect Anthony Salvin who followed the plans of the original keep. The restoration was completed in 1840 and now provides accomodations for students. More than just students reside here though. It would seem they are joined by the Grey Lady. She is reputed to be the spirit of Isabella Van Mildert. She was the wife of one of the bishops who served during the 17th century. The story goes that she was coming down the Black Staircase when she suddenly fell and broke her neck. Witnesses, many of whom are college students, claim to see a ghostly woman that appears to be grey, floating down the staircase.
There also is reputed to be a ghost from more modern times. Frederick Copeman was one of the university's first students and he had big dreams and expectations. Unfortunately, he did not do well on his final exams. He flunked them all. He was devastated. He climbed to the top most part and threw himself off. He is now seen around the castle grounds and paces the upper rooms. The Grammar School that sits along the Palace Green is reportedly haunted by a young pupil that was killed when one of the school masters threw him from a balcony.
Durham Cathedral
Durham Cathedral is directly opposite from Durham Castle. The Durham Cathedral started off as The White Church, which was a wooden structure built to house the relics of St. Cuthbert. Upon entering the Cathedral, there is a grotesque knocker that provides comfort and protection against evil to those who touch it.
The Galilee Chapel is at the Western end of the Cathedral and was built in 1170 and looks different from the rest of the cathedral. This started as a Lady Chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary. This has pointed arches and slender columns. This was renovated in the 15th century with a new roof and windows. St. Bede (Bead) has this as his final resting place as he was moved here in 1370. He was a Benedictine monk and scholar. The Nave is the main room of the cathedral and has these giant stone pillars measuring over 22 feet high, supporting the nave’s vaulted stone ceiling. The famous Rose Window is here. All the stained-glass windows had to be replaced after Cromwell ordered them smashed during the 17th century civil war. The Quire is where daily worship takes place. It is just behind the crossing of the Nave. In 1640, the Cathedral suffered significant damage when Scottish soldiers burnt much of the wood. Bishop John Cosin commissioned George Clement in 1665 to create new quire stalls that are gorgeous. They feature Gothic canopies with slender supporting columns adorned with elegant scrollwork. Behind this is the organ with red and gold coloring, built by Father Henry Willis and a staggering 5,746 pipes. The South side of the choir has the tomb of Prince Bishop Thomas Hatfield with the Bishop's throne above that. The Gilbert Scott Screen looks out of place since it clashes with the Romanesque design, but the construction from marble and alabaster is gorgeous. The building originally started to house and honor St. Cuthbert and he remains here in The Shrine of St. Cuthbert, buried beneath a stone slab. He wasn't always at peace here.
In late 1539, King Henry VIII's commissioners were ordered to dismantle the shrine and they stripped it of the gold, silver, and jewels. But when they discovered Cuthbert's body in its priestly garments not rotted, they reinterred him. The Chapel of the Nine Altars was built between 1242 and 1280 and actually has three altars in it today. There is a wooden Pieta on display.
Lewis du Beaumont was a poorly viewed 'Prince Bishop' of Durham and was appointed because of his relation to the queen. He died in 1333. Some of the vergers in the Cathedral called him the Evil Bishop because he was so "rubbish" (illiterate, lazy, spent all of the cathedral's money.) Yet he was buried in a prime space in front of the high altar steps. His grave is marked by a large blue marble slab. Such was the disrespect for him, that they chipped away at the decoration of his tomb over time and now his tomb is hidden by a large wooden board and a large rug.
An interesting piece of legend about the Durham Cathedral is that a secret passage runs from the Cathedral to Finchale Abbey and that the journey through that passage is a dangerous one. In fact, it is apparently so terrifying that no person is able to make the trek and live to tell about it.
Durham Castle and Cathedral were awarded the status of World Heritage Site in 1986. And then there is the Sanctuary Knocker, which is a famous bronze knocker on the north door with a grotesque face that was designed to ward off evil spirits from the holy grounds. If criminals touched it, it allowed them 37 days of protection in medieval times. Spirits here include the Jumping Man with local folklore claiming that this was a man who jumped from the top of the cathedral and survived, but then he fell and died on a second attempt when his target was accidentally moved. His confused figure can sometimes be seen repeating the fatal leap in ghostly form. Another legend connected to the cathedral, and specifically to St. Cuthbert, is this story about a mist that showed up during World War II in May 1942. German bombers had targeted Durham. Witnesses claimed a miraculous, localized fog created by St. Cuthbert, rose from the river and completely hid the building, saving it from destruction.
Dun Cow Pub
The Dun Cow is a historic pub located at 37 Old Elvet and is said to be the oldest surviving pub in the town. The building dates back to the late 1500s. A story is told that when those Lindisfarne monks were searching for a resting place for the body of St Cuthbert, they came across a milkmaid looking for her lost cow. She directed them to Dun Holm or Durham and so the pub is named after the story, Dun Cow.
This pub is said to be haunted by the notorious 17th century serial killer Mary Ann Cotton who killed 11 of her 13 children and three of her four husbands. Mary Ann grew up in Durham and became a nurse and a dressmaker. She married for the first time in 1852 and had eight or nine children with him. Everybody in the family, but one daughter, died from gastric fever, believed to be arsenic poisoning. She married one of her patients and he ended up dead. Mary Ann was collecting insurance money all along the way. She killed her mother and then the daughter who had survived. She found work for a widower named James Robinson and soon his children were succumbing to gastric fever. The two married and had two children and one of those children died. Robinson threw her out. Mary Ann married another widower and well, yeah, he died too. And two more children. This woman was poisoning everybody with arsenic. She was hanged for her crimes. The executioner went to the Dun Cow Pub afterward for a pint and apparently, Mary Ann Cotton followed him there. She also apparently haunts her former home in another town too. She's probably mad at the executioner cause he bumbled her hanging with the trap door not high enough to break her neck. He had to push down on her and it took 3 minutes for her to die.
Barnard Castle
Barnard Castle is a market town named for a ruined medieval castle that it is built around. The castle was built in the 12th century and passed down through the Balliol family until Richard Neville became the owner. King Richard III inherited it and it fell into ruin after his death.
In the 18th century, the town was a center for hand-loom wool weaving and in the 19th century, the spinning and manufacturing of shoe thread. Visitors and locals report seeing the spectral figure of Lady Ann Day who was a 16th-century noblewoman. Legend says she either plunged to her death while fleeing soldiers or threw herself from the battlements after her lover was beheaded. Her body was swept away by the swift current of the River Tees and never recovered. People see her ghostly figure tumbling from the castle's high tower. Some people hear a heart-rending scream as she falls. Visitors to the medieval Round Tower often report a sudden, heavy feeling of inexplicable dread.
Lumley Castle
Lumley Castle is a 14th-century quadrangular fortress built in 1389 by Sir Ralph Lumley with Norman and Gothic elements. This became a family seat and a defensive stronghold. Sir Ralph plotted against King Henry IV and when he was found out, he was executed.
The castle became a bishop's residence and then a university hall. In 1976, it opened as a four-star luxury hotel. The interior features rich wood-paneling, ornate tapestries , regal suites and grand fireplaces. The opulent Knights Restaurant serves up elegant dining, while the Library Bar is a cozier restaurant with an a la carte menu. The ghost here is Lily of Lumley. She was the wife of Sir Ralph Lumley who was murdered by two priests after she converted from Catholicism to Protestant. They threw her body down a well to hide it. Her spirit is rumored to float up from the well and wander the corridors, rooms, and grounds of the historic fortress.
Jimmy Allan - The Gypsy Piper
Under Durham Castle is Elvet Bridge, which is said to be haunted by Jimmy Allan, the Gypsy Piper. Jimmy Allan was known by many names; Jimmy, Jemmy, Jamie, James, The Duke’s Piper, the Piper of Northumberland, and The Gypsy Piper. Just as he went by many names, he was also known as a musician and a friend of the aristocracy, a thief, a bigamist, and a deserter.
Jimmy’s parents were thought of around Northumberland as Gypsies, although they did not self identify with that label. Jimmy’s father Will was a tinkerer and he was also very good at playing the bagpipes. Jimmy’s mother Betty kept the home and looked after their six children. Jimmy was the youngest and he was born around 1734. Jimmy was taught to play the bagpipes by his father and quickly made a name for himself with his prodigious musical abilities. He began to travel Northumberland playing when he was a young man. He first played for the Duchess of Northumberland in 1746 or 1747 (exact date unknown). She was so impressed that she made him her official piper. In fact, the Duchess was so fond of Jimmy’s playing, she procured special pipes for him from Edinburgh that were made of ivory and decorated with silver chains. He played on these pipes at the coronation of King George III. The Chamberlain of Alnwick appointed Jimmy to the prestigious position of the town waits (musician). But he was soon fired from that post and from his job at King George’s castle when he committed theft. Jimmy Allan was married three times during his lifetime and two of those marriages were simultaneously, which made Jimmy a bigamist. Jimmy also enlisted in the army only to subsequently desert several times. In 1803, in Gateshead, he was convicted again of theft for stealing a horse and was sentenced to death. King George stayed his execution and remanded him to live on Botany Bay, which was a penal colony in Australia. But before he could be moved to Australia, he died in the Durham’s House of Corrections beneath the Elvet Bridge on November 13, 1810. His body was buried in St. Nicolas’s churchyard in Durham City. Nine months before he died, there was a petition for his release that was presented to King George. However, the King was too sick to sign it. His son, the Prince Regent, signed the document after the King’s death, but it arrived four days after Jimmy Allan had died. His famous pipes were given to two gentlemen in North Shields.
That was not the end of Jimmy the Gypsy Piper though. He would continue to play his infamous bagpipes in the afterlife and the living would hear them. Jimmy favors the Elvet Bridge and many times people have reported hearing the haunting sounds of a bagpipe from underneath and around the Elvet Bridge.
Ceddesfeld (Seddes feld) Hall
Sedgefield is a historic market town and civil parish in County Durham. This was a hunting center during the 1800s. The first parsonage in Sedgefield was built in 1791. It was headed by Reverend John Gamage. One of the parsons of Sedgefield died unexpectedly one week before the Parson's tithe was due. This was a tax consisting of one tenth ‘tithe’ of a crop, a herd, or the harvest from a woodland. As time went on, cash payments replaced actual crops. His wife was dismayed because they really needed the money, so she hatched a morbid plan. She made a pickling solution from brine and brandy and she put his body in it to pickle him, thus preserving his body and delaying decomposition. Then she propped him up in the Parsonage window, so that passers-by would still think he was alive and bring their tithe. After she had collected all the tithes on his behalf, she announced that the parson had died. The pickled parson wasn't happy about his wife's deception and strange ghostly things started happening at the rectory. For almost 50 years the parson haunted the place until a major fire destroyed the building. Ceddesfeld Hall now sits on that spot. It was a new rectory for a time and is now a community center.
The Pickled Parson's phantom is said to still haunt Sedgefield and roams the grounds between Ceddesfeld Hall and St. Edmunds Church.
Crook Hall & Gardens
Crook Hall is the only open hall in County Durham. The main house is believed to have been built in 1217 and was known as the Manor of Sydgate. It is one of the oldest inhabited houses in the area. The house was granted to Peter del Croke not long after and the current name Crook Hall is in honor of him. John Copeland lived at the Hall from 1340 to 1372. From 1372 to 1657, it was owned by the Billingham family. Thomas Billingham piped water from a spring to the Hall in 1450. In 1615, Cuthbert Billingham cut off that water supply to the area and diverted it to his own mill but he was later forced to restore the pipes to the town. The current building mainly survives from the 14th century and represents three eras: The 14th century, the Jacobean Era and the Georgian Era. The Medieval Hall is the surviving section from the 14th century. The Mikletons built on an extension that is on the other side of the Screens Passage around 1657 during the Jacobean Era. The Hoppers built the main block in 1736 during the Georgian Era. The Manor House was built from sandstone and has a Welsh slate roof. The hall is 14th century sandstone and brick. The buildings on the property include two barns, a coach house, granary and farm house. There is the Main Hall and then the Great Hall that is sparsely furnished with just a table and chairs. Most doors to the hall have been closed in. The fireplace and minstrel's gallery remain. On one end of the table, there is a niche set into the wall. One opening from the Screens Passage leads to a narrow tunnel and the other side leads to a sitting room furnished with artifacts from the history of the Hall. A staircase leads to the minister’s gallery. An ancient set of stairs has been closed in so they appear to go up to the ceiling and stop. To get to the top floors there is a tower staircase. The gardens are constantly noted as being spectacular and contain a Secret Walled Garden, Shakespeare Gardens and maze. and sit across from the River Wear with a view of the Cathedral and encompass four acres. Reverend Hopper Williamson leased the property from 1834 to 1858 and the poet William Wordsworth visited the house often when Williamson lived there.
The Fowler’s owned the house starting in 1859. They lost the property in the 1920s during the Great Depression. The halls fell into disrepair at this time, but in 1979, the Hawgood family moved to Crook Hall and restored the home and grounds. They lived there until 1995.
At that time, Keith and Maggie Bell purchased Crook Hall and they still own the property. They realized that it cost a lot of money to maintain the property and they opened it to the public creating special areas like the Tea Room. Crook Hall has been fully restored. The Hall is open all year from Sunday through Wednesday. They have tours, afternoon teas in the gardens and are available for private events and weddings. They also have special events ranging from theatrics, Halloween festivities and traditional English Christmas. The property plays host to more than just the living. Several spirits are here, the most famous is, of course, the Lady in White. The White Lady at Crook Castle is said to be the niece of the tempestuous Cuthbert Billingham (the same one who cut off the water supply to the town). No one quite knows why she haunts the house but she is said to glide down the stairs and then disappear on St. Thomas Eve, December 20th. Christmas seems to be a favorite time for hauntings. One year, a feast was set out in the hall and there was a loud crash. Everything had been overturned or broken and a glimpse of the White Lady was seen as the guests went to see what had happened.The stairway that rises to the ceiling is a spot where she is seen running up quickly and then disappearing into the ceiling as well. She seems to be a residual haunting because she is silent and never talks to anyone, nor acknowledges anyone.
As mentioned earlier, there is a nook in the corner of the Medieval Hall. This nook is rumored to be haunted. A soldier was murdered here and the means by which he was killed was unusual. He was bricked into this nook. People feel cold spots near here or the rush of a cool breeze that seems to slip past them. The soldier's ghost likes to tap people on the shoulder.
Another bizarre haunting experience is the sound of disembodied footsteps on a stairway and what makes this really creepy is that the stairway no longer exists. The Bells were skeptical when they heard stories about their new home being haunted. They became believers when they heard those very footsteps themselves. Maggie Bell wrote on This is Durham, "Many visitors have also had strange experiences at Crook Hall – including one who saw children playing on the gallery an hour after the last child had left the premises. Another visitor rang from the coach he was traveling home on to report that he had seen an old man in bedclothes asleep in a chair before he left. Other people on his coach had also seen the man."
Is Durham County truly one of the more haunted areas in the UK? These various locations and experiences make that premise seem to be true. Does the Gypsy Piper still play his bagpipes in death? Is Durham Castle haunted? Is the beautiful Crook Hall hosting spirits from the past? That is for you to decide!
