These are some of the most haunted places in Greater Manchester
From a skeleton that reportedly refuses to be buried, to a mischievous, goblin-like creature who is thought to creep amongst the trees, these spots in Manchester have got some really spooky stories.
If you’re looking for a real fright this Halloween, be sure to check out these frightfully spooky places in Manchester.
From well-known haunted spots like Ordsall Hall in Salford, to some lesser-known spooky haunt, we’ve rounded up some of the most terrifying places in Greater Manchester below.
Keep reading to discover some of Manchester’s most haunted hot spots, perfect to get you in the spirit for Halloween.
Ordsall Hall
Salford
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Many ghostly tales surround Orsdall Hall, which dates back to the Tudor times. There are three main ghosts that haunt the manor house: The White Lady, who has been spotted repeatedly; Cecily, who is a young girl, is said to roam the hall; and Sir John Radclyffe, the former occupant of the hall.
You can tune into their ghost cams between 5 pm – 8 am – or if you’re feeling brave you can attend a ghost night there.
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Barnes Hospital
Cheadle
The hospital was originally opened in the 1870s and was used to treat soldiers in the Second World War. It can definitely be said that the hospital has seen a lot of deaths in its time, which we expect leads to the ghostly activity reported here.
Nurses have reported the feeling of being watched, another nurse was delighted to see one of her patients walked up and down the stairs ready to go home only to find out he died the previous night.
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More recently the bell in the tower has rung excessively by itself and the shapes of patients sitting in their rooms have been seen.
Barnes Hospital & / Credit: Flickr | Geograph
Ryecroft Hall
Audenshaw
Things certainly do go bump in the night at Ryecroft Hall which once used to be a morgue during the war. It dates back to the mid-1800s and visitors have witnessed items being thrown across rooms, a Victorian child wandering around the hall and mysterious apparitions.
The cellar seems to have the most activity with screams and cries being heard from this dismal area. Many believe the grand staircase is haunted by a girl who fell to her death there too.
Boggart Hole Clough
Blackley
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Just three miles outside Manchester city centre lies the beautiful and very ancient woodland of Boggart Hole Clough. Covering 170 acres of dense woodland, the forest has roots dating back to the Bronze Age.
The name comes from the Boggart which is a mischievous, goblin-like creature who is thought to creep amongst the trees. Boggarts have the ability to make objects disappear and even make dogs unable to walk. Boggarts also have a strong penchant towards children and the cases of missing children here has been numerous since the 18th century.
Bramall Hall / Credit: TripAdvisor
Wardley Hall
Salford
Built back in 1500, this manor house is as haunted as they come. The hall is oddly home to the skull of a Benedictine monk who was hung, drawn, and quartered in 1641.
The monk is thought to be St Ambrose Barlow and his skeleton apparently refuses to be buried. It was once thrown into the moat after many unsuccessful burial attempts but this resulted in a terrible storm believed to have been caused by the spirit himself.
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Greengate Brewery
Middleton
This brewery has been visited by the Most Haunted team and made some pretty spooky discoveries. Previous workers have reported strange things like the feeling of someone being behind them, equipment being moved, and some spooky figures being seen in certain areas of the brewery.
The spirit of a lady is often seen sitting in the boardroom, a woman in a dark dress is seen floating down the halls and a man in a white cloak can disappear through cracks in doors.
Bramall Hall
Stockport
This Tudor manor house dates back to the Middle Ages and is haunted by The Maid of Bramall Hall. She has been spotted haunting the bedrooms of the hall and is a regular visitor to the residence.
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The chapel on the grounds has had reports of sounds of a child crying, the Paradise Room is said to be the most haunted room and is nicknamed ‘The Ghost Room’ due to its priest’s hole.
Other sightings have been a man on horseback and ghostly servants.
Smithills Hall & Ring O Bells Pub / Credit: Geograph | Manchester History
Smithills Hall
Bolton
As one of the oldest spots in the North West it is a prime destination for ghost hunters.
Sightings include a preacher who was executed in 1554. The Green Room where he was questioned is particularly active. He stamped on the floor as a gesture to his faith and left a footprint. The room has since had a massive amount of poltergeist activity.
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There is also a story that the footprint bleeds every year on the anniversary of his death. Other sightings and hearings include horses, soldiers, orbs, sudden drops in temperature and the smell of burning wood.
The Ring O’Bells Pub
Middleton
Gin and vodka aren’t the only spirits making a name for themselves in this pub. Named as one of the most haunted places in the UK, it is brimming with strange happenings and ghostly goings-on.
The site has foundations dating back to the Saxon period and is said to sit on land that was once an ancient Druid temple. The practise of dark rituals and even human sacrifice makes the site home to many unhappy spirits.
The resident spirit, known as the Sad Cavalier likes to move glasses along the bar, stomp heavy footsteps makes odd-sounding moans and grunts, and even throws rocks at the landlord or regulars.
Featured Image – Visitor Manchester
Boroughs
Dujour Bakehouse: yet more proof of why tiramisu and banana pudding are having ‘a moment’
Danny Jones
Banana pudding and tiramisu might be two of the biggest foodie phenomena around right now, and while each has a long history of its own, Greater Manchester’s fascination with them seems to be only just beginning, to the point where you have places like Dujour dedicated entirely to the duo.
Dujour Bakehouse, to give them their full name, is a story that started a few years ago, and whose latest chapter has seen them open up over at The Trafford Centre.
And upon paying our first visit, they had such a strong few hours that they were already running low on stock by the time we turned up.
Opening a simple stand within the Selfridges Foodall, the name might be a play on the French phrase for ‘of the day’, but make no mistake: this isn’t just here today and gone the next – they’re of the moment as these two ubiquitous desserts continue to dominate.
Popping up on the first floor of the large department store within the already giant collection of stores, Dujour is probably one of the smallest vendors within the entire shopping centre, but the somewhat unassuming yet classic-looking kiosk easily catches the eye.
In truth, it looks like a taste of France – what with the font and the striped canopy and signage that almost puts you in mind of a Parisian patisserie – and then you see the menu with just two items on it: banana pudding or tiramisu.
This makes for a relatively small operation, but the real fun is to be had with the toppings.
From all the sauces and toppings you’d usually expect with this sort of thing, to pretzels and even red velvet crumbs, this is about that extra little bit of decadence without going overboard.
There aren’t dozens of extras to choose from, so as to risk overindulging yourself and straying into sickly territory, but it easily satisfies any sweet tooth.
Being served in the takeaway, iced coffee-style cups also make it feel more grab-and-go, but don’t worry, the serving you get is plenty.
It’s also worth noting that this is very intentional, too; they have lots of experience running large-scale stuff, what with their dark kitchen in Bolton (where this all started back in November 2023) and their sadly short-lived setup in Leigh, but this feels like a conscious walk before running step.
They’ve clearly learned lots from both, and this latest venture does feel like it’s pitched perfectly, not only for the location but timing-wise, as well.
Yes, they may do way more at their OG unit, but this kiosk is very much capitalising on the ever-increasing craze and is already proving a hit even just with busy shoppers passing by.
Like with any trend, some people can’t stomach that saturation of a market, but we can safely say this Selfrigdes stand is one, well, we can more than comfortably stand.
If this sort of thing is right up your street, you’ll also be glad to know that they do wholesale and delivery across the region.
Once again, only a short trip out of the city centre or an easy option when you’re spending the day out shopping, this serves as yet another reminder that you should always venture out to the boroughs and find out what else Greater Manchester has on offer.
For instance, Rochdale Food and Drink Festival returns once again at the end of May to mark 10 years of the annual street eats celebration.
League One set for an all-Greater Manchester playoff final as Bolton book trip to Wembley
Danny Jones
It’s official: we’re all set for a fully Greater Manchester League One playoff final as Bolton Wanderers are the latest to secure a return to Wembley against Stockport County.
The resurgent old Lancashire club clinched their spot in the knockout conclusion of the third division with a single strike in the second leg of the semis, and it wasn’t a bad finish, either.
Beating Bradford City 2-0 on aggregate, Bolton will now play familiar regional rivals Stockport, with Wanderers set to clash with County in a decisive derby once again.
Bolton‘s instinctive volley from Chelsea youth product and former Hull City man, Xavier Simons, resulted in some very satisfying limbs at Valley Parade.
The home fans did have plenty to cheer on the night, with efforts from Metcalfe, Power and Wright all either hitting the woodwork or being deflected just past it.
They thought they were level in the tie at one point after Kayden Jackson put the ball in the back of the net, but it was ultimately ruled out.
Agonising stuff for the Bradford supporters to burst into bedlam before the flag was raised for offside.
Many supporters will argue that the key moment came somewhat against the run of play, but The Trotters won’t care one bit as they book another trip down to the capital.
You can watch the rest of the highlights, including those scenes in the away end, down below.
Speaking even before the game, head coach Steven Schumacher told Sky Sports: “It’s a club we believe is bigger than this division, but this division is not easy to get out of.
“The expectation and the demand to get to the Championship is there, and once you’re in the building and you feel the mood when you win games, when you lose games, you can sense that this is a club that is desperate to get out and get to the next level.
“When you look at the size of both Bolton and Bradford and how well they are supported, both clubs are probably too big to be in League One. But that’s where both clubs find themselves, and one of us has got to find our way out of it if we can.”
You’d dare say he can practically smell promotion via the playoffs now; the local side has come quite a way since the lows of administration in 2019 and the bottom tier of the EFL – not without some heartbreaks in previous playoff finals – but could he be the one to get them back where they belong?
In case you missed the action from the other game, you can see more HERE, and to hear Schumacher’s thoughts after the decisive result, look no further…
The Manc -
27th October 2023 
