Ghost of Pasture House
Barrowford, Pendle 1781
“I never believed in ghosts until I moved into the home of an 18th Century writer who was abused by her husband” Carrie Kay
Pasture House is an impressive Grade II listed Georgian building with a wealth of history within its walls. It’s a pretty believable notion that this mansion might have some ghoulish visitors when you learn who once resided there, and the tragedy that took place.
Elizabeth Parker, born into landed gentry in London in 1726, came from a rather wealthy family with her father earning a whopping £500 a year - which is a tidy £90k in today’s money. With the expectation of carrying on the family’s wealth, Elizabeth was to marry into a wealthy family but shocked and appalled her father by eloping with her second cousin Robert, who only earned a measly £290 a year. She moved in with him in Alkincoats Hall in Colne, of which her father deemed to be beneath her status.
Elizabeth Shackleton
Robert passed away in 1758, leaving Elizabeth alone. She went on to become a diarist, much like the greats such as Louisa May Alcott or Virginia Woolf, and continued to cause outrage amongst her family when she ran away to get married in Gretna Green with John Shackleton of Clitheroe in 1765. The two moved into Pasture House, in Barrowford, in 1775.
Unfortunately for Elizabeth, John turned to drinking, hunting and embarrassing his family within the community. This led to Elizabeth falling victim to John’s drunken abuse, and she died (supposedly at the hands of John) in Pasture House in 1781.
Pasture House, Barrowford
Fast forward to 8 years ago, couple Jamie and Carrie Kay moved into Pasture House, almost 250 years after Elizabeth’s demise. They have reported some strange goings-on in Pasture House, could Elizabeth’s poor soul still be trapped within its walls?
"Jamie has never believed in ghosts but he's had a few things happen here," Carrie said. "One night I was tucked up in bed upstairs, all snuggled up, and he came up and said 'were you just downstairs?' and I said 'no, I'm in bed'.
Jamie described the feeling of someone downstairs with him, when he suddenly heard a light ‘hey’ whispered into his ear. When asking if Carrie had gone downstairs, she stated she’d never left the bedroom…
Carrie’s mother used to live with them in Pasture House, and she once claimed to see a woman, wearing a garment with a ruffled neck standing ominously in the corner. It would make sense for Elizabeth to remain stuck in Pasture House, given the tragic circumstances of her untimely death.
