Bygone Times at Grove Mill, The Green, Eccleston, Nr Chorley in the UK is a unique day out experience. By providing customers with a different shopping experience to the norm Bygone Times has incorporated local and on site history into the mix by setting up their own in house ghost trail.
In use since the seventeenth century the site known as Grove Mill is reputed to have more than it’s fair share of ghostly stories. Over the past few months I have become well acquainted with Bygone Times as a stall holder and have experienced first hand many of the psychic elements that the mill has present. I will be expanding on these elements in later posts as I may well be available as an in house reader at Bygone Times each Sunday from March 2008 onwards, so watch out for more Bygone info from then on.
Back to the ghost trail. There are ten ghost areas listed on the Bygone Times ghost trail…..
Ghost 1 is to be found on the main isle in an area classed as bygone one. An apparition of a 1920’s suited gentleman has been witnessed by more than one person pacing up and down the main isle.
Ghost 2 is to be found at Millbrook House situated at the far end of Bygone one. The face of a lady has been seen looking out of the window toward the cobbled alleyway (which was the main thoroughfare through the site). She is believed to be awaiting the imminent arrival of a loved one or family member by way of a horse and carriage.
Ghost 3 is also to be found at Millbrook House. The sounds of a lady by the name of Florence can be heard as she rocks to and fro in her rocking chair. Many people have commented on the sound of a creaking wooden chair.
Ghost 4 is to be found by the heater area in Bygone two. This one is obviously a little miffed about someone or
something. His name is Patrick Scott and evidence proves that he was an overseer in the weaving shed known now as Bygone two. He has been seen hurriedly pacing the floor at night rapping his stick against objects in some state of unease. Objects on the floor do tend to move around quite a lot (any movements are as yet unexplained) and it would seem that Mr Scott is our culprit.
Ghost 5 is to be found at Lower Millbrook House. Apparitions of two unruly children have been seen misbehaving outside the lower floor of Millbrook House which used to be a meeting room for a religious gathering.
Ghost 6 is to be found in the isle running outside the penny arcade in Bygone three. Apparitions of two people, a tall Victorian lady and gent can be seen strolling past the entrance of the penny arcade hand in hand.
Ghost 7 is to be found in Bygone three, right next to my stall as it happens! The ghostly outlines of small children can be seen running around the whole of the ground floor. Some cries of pain have also been witnessed. It is well documented that small children who worked in the weaving sheds of the time were often badly injured and sometimes killed whilst climbing through machinery.
Ghost 8 is to be found in the penny arcade in Bygone three. This one is an outsider. It’s the ghost of a man called Arthur Jones, who used to be an arcade manager in the early Edwardian era. When the old penny arcade machines were moved in, Mr Jones was attached to one of them and has remained ever since.
Ghost 9 is to be found on the riverbank. The figure of a lady can be seen walking from Heskin to Syd Brook (Grove Mill) along the riverbank late at night.
Ghost 10 is to be found at Millbrook House in Bygone one. Something quite disturbing is believed to be hidden in the fireplace of Millbrook House. We haven’t looked yet, we’ve been advised not to!
Bygone Times is an ideal way to spend a few hours and the Bygone ghost trail certainly adds to the old world atmosphere. If you get the opportunity I would definitely recommend a visit.
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