Allerton Castle Knaresborough Ghost Hunt

Step back in time and explore the historical significance of Allerton Castle, a hidden gem in North Yorkshire. This Grade I listed building is surrounded by acres of beautiful countryside and has a gothic-style architecture that dates back to 1843. However, the land has a much older history, dating back to the 1100s when a former monastery was located here. 

Join our team for a ghost hunt and be a part of uncovering the castle's secrets. The grand staircase and landing area are said to be haunted by a lady spirit believed to be one of the former ladies of the house. The servant quarters are also believed to be haunted by a playful young boy. Many staff members have reported hearing footsteps and lights turning on and off. 

From the ballroom window, you can see the Grand Old Duke of York Mound, a monumental landmark. Allerton Castle has many layers of historical significance waiting to be explored, and our team has exclusive access to this location. We will take you to explore the many bedrooms, the grand staircase, cellars, attic space, library ballroom, and games room. Join us after dark for a ghost hunt, and let's uncover the untold history of this fascinating location. We are confident that Allerton Castle will not disappoint.

History Of Allerton Castle 

Allerton Castle is a Victorian Gothic house situated at Allerton Mauleverer in North Yorkshire, some ten miles(16 km) to the east of Harrogate.

Formerly known as "Allerton Park", Allerton Castle is Grade I listed and was rebuilt by George Martin in 1843-53. The site on which Allerton Castle stands has a history of the Norman Conquest when the Mauleverer family owned it. The founder of the family was William Mauleverer, who came to England with William the Conqueror and fought at Hastings. The nearby church of St Martin contains several tomb monuments to the family.

When Richard Mauleverer died without an heir in 1692, Allerton passed to his wife and the estate was later inherited by Richard Arundell, her son by her second marriage. Arundell, a Member of Parliament for Knaresborough, rebuilt the house in the 1740s and 1745 and remodelled St Martin's Church, which stands outside, in Norman Revival style. The mid-eighteenth-century interior of the church remains unaltered to the present.

After Richard Arundell died in 1758, Allerton passed to Viscount Galway, whose son sold it in 1786 to Prince Frederick, Duke of York, the second son of King George III and brother of King George IV. Prince Frederick rebuilt the house to designs by Henry Holland. He also constructed the Temple of Victory, a fine octagonal building of Palladian design, visible from the A1 on a 200-foot (61 metres) high hill. According to local legend, workers’ activity constantly ascending and descending to build the mound inspired the famous nursery rhyme about the Grand Old Duke of York and his 10,000 men. Prince Frederick sold the estate shortly afterwards in 1789.

The estate changed hands yet again in 1805 when it was purchased by Charles Philip Stourton, 17th Baron Stourton. The Hon Edward Stourton's family (the Lords Mowbray) owned the house from 1805 to 1983, when it became known as 'Stourton House', and the Catholic peer added a chapel in Gothic style. However, in 1843 his son demolished the Georgian house and employed George Martin to build the present house in a Tudor-Gothic manner. In 1856 work halted due to a lack of funds to complete all the interiors. The Royal Canadian Air Force used the house during World War II and 1965. The family ceased to live there after the death of the 22nd Baron Stourton. The contents were sold off in 1965.

In 1983, Dr Gerald Rolph purchased the house, an American businessman. The purchase included the house and gardens but not the surrounding park, which Lord Mowbray retained. Dr Rolph renovated the building to a high standard, filling the house with furniture and pictures of appropriate scale and splendour. The estate is now run by the Gerald Arthur Rolph Foundation for Historic Preservation and Education.