Gunby Hall

Built for Sir William Massingberd, 2nd Baronet (Born 1650 – Died 1719) and dating from 1700*, Gunby Hall is a Grade I listed country house owned by the National Trust with a reputation of being haunted.

The ghost in question is said to be the coachman of a Sir William Massingberd who fell in love with his employers daughter (or wife). On the night the two lovers intended to leave Gunby Hall, Sir William shot his servant dead and threw his body in the pond. He then according to the story shot his daughter. The servants ghost is said to have been seen on the ‘Ghost Walk’ which is a path running by the pond. Apparently there was rumours of a curse following the killing that no male heir would inherit Gunby Hall.

According to ‘A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland(1833)’. ‘Sir William Massingberd second baronet who m Elizabeth daughter of Richard Wynn esq and was father of another Sir William Massingberd, third and last baronet, MP for Lincolnshire, who died about 1720 leaving his estates to his sister, the wife of William Mieux esq, who then assumed the name of Massingberd. The house at Gunby and a great part of the original property have again passed through a female, Elizabeth Mary Ann Massingberd, sole daughter of Henry, son of Thomas, son of William Mieux Massingberd, to Peregrine Langton esq, second son of Bennet Langton esq of Langton, in the county of Lincoln who upon his marriage took the name and arms of Massingberd and has issue the Rev Algernon Langton Massingberd and other children.’

*It was built after the family’s previous home, Bratoft House was demolished.