Is Levens Hall haunted?

For one night only, join BBC Cumbria to find out.

Webcam from Levens Hall near Kendal -

Take a look again at our webcam recorded on the evening of Halloween 2002 10pm to 2am»

It is a dark cloudy night and the wind is whistling through the trees. The power has been out for many hours and the only light comes from a few candles on the mantlepiece. You hear a creaking from the hallway...

Coming soon to this page, our 'spooktacular' ghost cam, live from the haunted hall at Levens in South Cumbria.

Dictionary definition: ghost /g:st/ noun apparition of dead person etc, disembodied spirit.

With many recorded ghostly encounters this is sure to exorcise your mind...

Levens was first built in 1350 as a simple pele tower to give protection from marauding Scots. Most of the mansion seen today was constructed in Elizabethan times. The rear wing of the house was built in the Jacobean times, with the final addition of the Howard Tower in 1820.

A true ghost story from Levens
As told by the current owner.

A priest named Father Stonor called at Levens to see someone ill in bed upstairs. He let himself into the house - main door always unlocked in those days - about 40 years ago.

Passing through the main hall, he noticed someone was playing the harpsichord, with a bright electric light burning above him. Took care not to disturb the player, knew where the bedroom was, went upstairs to see the patient. Spent 20 mins. or so, came down again, player still playing, again did not disturb.

About to leave the house when noticed a faint light under the door, and voices, from an adjacent room. Went in there to find my mother and tea party guests. After pleasantries, told them of the scene outside, wondering why they were sitting in candlelight when the player had an electric light. Mother said mains power cut - frequent in those days - Rushed out, but no light and no player!

Mother now very concerned as no-one at that time could play the harpsichord except my father, and she knew he was away on business. She thought this was his ghost, he having possibly been killed in a car crash or similar. No means of checking in those days, no mobile phones...

After very worried conversation, resolved that the priest would come back next day and, it was hoped, meet my father. This duly happened, priest confirmed it was indeed him playing the harpsichord, and could even indicate what he was playing if my father could play some of his repertoire.

He did so, and the third piece he played was a Ground - a piece where the bass line constantly repeats - by an early composer. The priest said that that indeed was the piece he was playing yesterday - when he was not there - or was he?