Haunted Nottingham: Frightening tales of ghostly apparitions and disembodied voices at historic Clifton Hall

Nottingham is a historic place with its fair share of local legends.

From tales and adventures of Robin Hood and his merry men to an unchanged park that inspired Peter Pan's Neverland.

But of course, with such a wealth of history comes some slightly more unsavoury (and spooky) stories of times gone by.

Today, we're exploring some of Nottingham's most frightening ghost stories, starting at Clifton Hall.

(Nottingham World does not take responsibility for any nightmares caused...)

Clifton Hall, located in Clifton Village, is a historic mansion with a reputation for being haunted.

Read more: Your Nottingham

The hall has a long and varied history, dating back to the medieval period, and it has undergone several renovations and changes over the centuries.

It was home to the Clifton family from the 13th Century until 1958. However, there is a reference to a residence on this land as early as the 11th Century, as noted in the Domesday Book, from 1086.

The building as it stands today was constructed in the 18th century. In its current role, Clifton Hall acts as an administrative building for Nottingham Trent University.

The hall is often associated with various ghost stories and paranormal encounters. Some reported phenomena include mysterious sounds, ghostly apparitions, and a general sense of unease experienced by visitors and residents. Clifton Hall made the papers in 2007 after millionaire businessman Anwar Rashid fled his home because of overwhelming amounts of paranormal activity.

Mr Rashid purchased the 52-room hall for £3.6 million in 2007 as a family home, however, felt terrorised in the building since their first night in the home.

The family reported hearing knocking on the walls, a ghostly voice asking “Is anyone there?” and ghostly figures.

After discovering unexplained blood spots on his young son's clothes, the family packed up and left the building for good.

Reports of hauntings stretch back to the time when it was a school. After the Clifton family sold the property in 1958 it became the Clifton Hall Girls' Grammar School until the late 70s.

Staff and pupils would also reportedly experience many strange things, ranging from dark apparitions the height of children, unexplained banging and tapping on walls and doors, and disembodied voices as though a conversation is taking place.

Tell us about your ghostly encounters in Nottingham by emailing [email protected]