Gressenhall Farm & Workhouse
Gressenhall Farm & Workhouse, located in Norfolk, England, dates back to 1777 when it was established as a House of Industry. In 1834, it became a workhouse under the Poor Law Amendment Act, housing the destitute and providing labor in exchange for food and shelter. The facility operated as a workhouse until 1948 when it was converted into an old people’s home. Today, it serves as a museum showcasing rural life and workhouse history.
Throughout its long history, Gressenhall has accumulated numerous ghost stories and reported paranormal activities. Staff and visitors have experienced unexplained phenomena, particularly in the old workhouse buildings. One frequently reported apparition is that of an elderly woman in Victorian-era clothing, often seen wandering the corridors or sitting in empty rooms. Some witnesses claim to have heard her weeping or calling out for help.
In the former children’s wing, people have reported hearing the sounds of children playing, laughing, and running through the halls when no children are present. Visitors have also described feeling a sudden chill or sense of unease in certain areas, particularly in the old dormitories and the punishment cells.
The laundry room is another hotspot for paranormal activity, with reports of washing machines turning on by themselves and the smell of soap and bleach lingering in the air long after the building has closed. Some staff members have reported seeing shadowy figures darting between the machines or feeling an unseen presence watching them.
In the surrounding farmland, there have been sightings of a ghostly horse-drawn cart, believed to be connected to the workhouse’s past as a working farm. Witnesses describe seeing the cart and hearing the sound of hooves, only for it to vanish when approached.