GHOST LOSES HOME

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXI, 14 January 1928, Page 2

GHOST LOSES HOME

SALE *)F KIDDALL HALL RELIC OF OLD TIMES Kiddall Hall, reputed to have been built jn the twelfth century, is now being-pulled down, packed up,.and sent to Scotland. This being so, the ghost of John Ellis, murdered by the Roundhead followers of Fairfax, is put out of residence unless it goes northwards too. The. foreman in charge, who is a Londoner, says: "We shall see." The place, which was known in years gone "by as Kidd Hall, is a charming old farmhouse which stands on the north side of the road from Leeds to Tadcaster, about two miles from Seacroft. i. Its new owner and its destination are kept a close secret by the.firm making the removal. For all that, good English people and antiquarians will feel kindly disposed to this anonymous purchaser for saving, this fine building for Britain. i Every, stone which has an important position has been marked, so helping, when the building is being re-erected, for they will all be placed in the same relative position in Scotland as they were in Yorkshire. The timber and stonework is in excellent condition. There was a very beautiful oriel window attached to the building, but this has been removed to London for safe keeping. Oh it ran a Latin inscription which, translated, reads: "Pray for the good estate of Thos. Ellys and ihis wife, Anna, who made this window, 1300." The hall was in the possession of the Ellis family from the thirteenth, to the eighteenth century. The unfortunate John who was murdered was a staunch Royalist. Everybody in the village lhas heard of the ghost, but no one has ever seen it. Another tale that centres round the hall is "uTTvt Dick Turpin once broke into it and stole a large sum of money that had been collected as rates and taxes from the people of the country-, side.