Langley Hall, Burnhope

The fortified manor house known as Langley Hall is a Grade II listed ruin, dating from the early 16th century. Thought to be built by Henry le Scrope, 7th Lord of Bolton (Born 1494 – Died 1533), the estate passed down his family until Emanuel Scrope, 1st Earl of Sunderland, 11th Baron Scrope of Bolton, Lord President of the King’s Council in the North (Born 1 August 1584 – Died 30 May 1630), who died without an legitimate heir. A large part of his estate including Langley Hall and Bolton Castle passed through the marriage of his illegimate daughter, to Charles Paulet, 1st Duke of Bolton, 6th Marquess of Winchester (Died 27 February 1699). Langley Hall deteriorated and eventually passed to the Lambton family, though by this time it was being used as a farm.

There is a story associated with Langley Hall and a phantom coach driven by a headless driver. It is mentioned in ‘Notes on the Folk-lore of the Northern Counties of England and the Borders by William Henderson’ (1879), who says ‘Night after night, too, when it is sufficiently dark, the Headless Coach whirls along the rough approach to Langley Hall, near Durham, drawn by black and fiery steeds.’ This is related to a tale about one of the owners of Langley Hall who was in financial strife and unable to afford to maintain the building. He decided to marry a young woman in order to get her dowry. There was no love involved and after the first night she fled the house in a carriage to return to her father. Desperate to keep the money the husband gave chase and beheaded the coachman and killed his bride, before driving the coach into the marsh by Esh. It is this phantom coach that was said to be seen.