# Extwistle Hall, Worsthorne



## Obi Wan (Jul 3, 2009)

Extwistle Hall is a dark and ominous building that looms high on the moors above Worsthorne, brooding and forgotten.
Although the building is very old there is little history in existence, save for the infamous stories regarding one of it's former residents Captain Robert Parker.
The first story is one of folklore steeped in witchcraft and dark magic, and involves the tale of Capt Parker returning home late one evening from a Jacobite meeting. As he neared the property it is said he was passed by a Goblin funeral procession. Capt Parker apparently took a closer look at the ghastly procession only to find it was his own name upon the coffin being carried.

Oddly enough the second story is a more factual one and does involve Capt Parker's unfortunate demise.
On the 17th March, 1718, Capt Parker returned to Extwistle Hall from a day of shooting on the surrounding moors. The day had become wet and stormy and upon his return he draped his coat over the fireplace in order to dry it out from the rain. 
What he had forgotten was that his powder flask (still containing gunpowder) remained in his coat pocket and subsequently exploded. 
Capt Parker, and his family (including both daughters and a baby) were seriously injured in the blast, and although his family eventually recovered he himself died from his injuries a month later.

Before the Capt there had been generations of Parkers residing at the hall as far back as 1600. Beyond that, the earliest date I can find is that the hall was sold to a William Ramsden in 1537, however it is more than possible that the hall was in use even before that.

Aside from the infamous tale of Capt Parker, the hall and surrounding areas factored greatly during the times of witchcraft and the Pendle Witches, and it is also said that it was used as a place for locals to raise the devil. 

One other random piece of information I did discover was that during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, bull baiting was a fashionable sport and there existed a bullring close to the hall.

The site is as spooky as one would expect from outside, with an ominous silence inside that seems to drown out the sounds of the countryside outside. The only sounds that break the silence are the occasional startled flight of a pigeon, the creaking of woodwork and sounds of falling plaster and masonry from other parts of the building. Also I came across an odd grunting and growling sound in one of the ground floor rooms but could not quite track its origin, obviously some resident member of the animal kingdom but a little freaky non the less.

The site has stood the test of time reasonably well considering its age, however it is seriously unstable, especially on the upper floors.















































To see more pictures from this explore take a look here - http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/sets/72157620897154934/detail/

Enjoy, and may the force be with you.


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## Foxylady (Jul 3, 2009)

Ooh, fantastic, loads of atmosphere...very Wuthering Heights! 
Love all the original features, especially the iron-studded door. 
Fab photos and write-up, Obi. Great bit of history and legends there. 

Btw, the grunting animal sounds may have been from a badger.


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## Obi Wan (Jul 3, 2009)

Foxylady said:


> Btw, the grunting animal sounds may have been from a badger.



Ah, I did wonder, glad I didn't find him then as I believe badgers are pretty vicious!


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## Marley85 (Jul 5, 2009)

very nice wounderful building.


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## Obi Wan (Jul 5, 2009)

Marley85 said:


> very nice wounderful building.



It certainly is, shame it has been left to rot.


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## Seahorse (Jul 5, 2009)

I want that door.


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## Obi Wan (Jul 5, 2009)

Seahorse said:


> I want that door.



LOL! It is pretty cool isn't it?
To be honest though the way in has only just enough room for a slim person so you would stand little chance of taking the door!


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## E30Elaine (Jul 7, 2009)

Really interesting and spooky looking place - I especially love the picture of the toad


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