Plan B

We had planned to go to Blackpool Zoo today, but the traffic had other ideas. The motorway was gridlocked (due to an accident and traffic heading to the Blackpool air show) so we gave up at Preston and decided to visit Samlesbury Hall instead.

Again, this is a place we are both familiar with from childhood, but have never been. I used to like driving past as a kid as it usually meant we were stopping off at KFC for tea!

The hall is a fabulous half-timbered black and white medieval house built in 1325 as a family home & is beautifully maintained for the enjoyment of today's visitor.

The current building and grounds are administered by a registered charity known as the Samlesbury Hall Trust, whose aim is to preserve the Hall for the people of the area and visitors to Lancashire.

The Trust was founded in the 1920s when the Hall was about to be demolished. Since then the Hall has been a museum and Gallery, and host to many grand functions.

Samlesbury Hall is renowned as one of the most haunted locations in Britain. Resident spirits include the legendary White Lady, Dorothy Southworth who died of a broken heart and has since been seen on many occasions within the Hall and grounds.

One particular spot in the Great Hall is the place where strange things regularly happen - a slap to the back of the head, uncomfortable feelings by wedding guests and a shadow passing have all been reported.

The 19th of August 2012 saw the four hundredth anniversary of the trials of the Samlesbury 'Witches,' when three innocent women were unjustly and maliciously accused.

The events took place towards the end of a long drawn-out, complicated time in Britain's history and it has taken nearly four hundred years to break down the prejudices which were formed back in the 16th and 17th centuries.

According to the account prepared by Thomas Potts, (the Clerk of Assize), a priest named Christopher Southworth, (alias Master Thompson), 'did persuade, counsel, and advise' fourteen years old Grace Sowerbutts to accuse her grandmother Jennet Bierley, her aunt Ellen Bierley, and the recently widowed Jane Southworth, of witchcraft.

Christopher's persecution of the women must have begun in late February or early March – certainly before Jane 'had conference' with him and 'challenged him for slandering her to be a Witch.' Despite the fact that 'there was not any one witness able to charge them with one direct matter of Witchcraft, ' they continued in captivity. Sir Edward questioned the accusers and then other people 'told his lordship the truth…'

So the lives of Jennet, Ellen and Jane were saved, but it had been a terrifying, degrading ordeal and they would have had little hope until their desperate appeal to the judge flummoxed Grace and he adjourned the case.

The three 'witches' were released.

We had a great time wandering around the hall, and had cake and coffee in the restaurant.

On the way out, we spotted a new feature; the bee and heritage centre. This isn't officially open yet but we had a long chat with the beekeeper there who was so passionate about bees. He said it's going to be an education centre mainly for kids, but they will also host events for adults too. We liked the idea of getting suited up and getting 'up close and personal' with the bees, so we signed up for that!

Considering it wasn't what we had in mind for today, it's been a great day :-)