Happy Haunting !

A Memory of Middleton.

I spent my youth living just around the corner form the Hall. Many happy memories playing in the surrounding woods and snow permitting sledging down the steep hill just in front of the photo. You had to pull up really sharp though at the end of your run, or risk over-shooting into the river at the bottom of the hill.

There used to be an Italian ice crean dairy in the outbuildings just behind the hall, very tasty. There are also local ghost stories associated with the hall and woods. Most of these originate from the early owners, the Leaver family. Mr Leaver was a collector of curiosities including strange and deformed animals. I believe the collection eventually went to the British Museum.

Playing dares one night, me and a mate walked through the woods in pitch blackness to the hall and back. On the way back we heard a rustling and rattle of chains behind us. We dismissed this but never the less started to walk faster. The rustling was getting louder and closer. We started to run but whatever ever it was also picked up the pace and I swear we could hear loud breaths behind us. At full sprint we ran down a passage connecting out onto our road. As we emerged into the road, lights out came next door's Boxer dog behind us, dragging his lead !

Fond memories. I now live in Surrey, but on occasion have been back and driven around the old haunts.