Ripon Union Workhouse
The Ripon Union Workhouse, located in Ripon, North Yorkshire, was established in 1854 to provide accommodation and work for the poor and destitute. The imposing brick building was designed by William Perkin and Son and could house up to 150 inmates. Life in the workhouse was intentionally harsh to discourage all but the truly desperate from seeking assistance.
The workhouse operated until 1945, witnessing decades of hardship and suffering. Families were separated upon entry, with men, women, and children assigned to different areas. Inmates performed grueling labor in exchange for basic food and shelter. Many elderly and infirm residents spent their final days within its walls.
Several ghost stories have emerged from the workhouse’s grim history. Staff and visitors have reported hearing disembodied footsteps echoing through empty corridors and the sound of children crying in the former nursery wing. Some claim to have seen the apparition of a stern-faced man believed to be a former workhouse master patrolling the grounds.
In the former morgue area, people have described feeling sudden cold spots and an overwhelming sense of sadness. There are accounts of objects moving on their own in various rooms, particularly in the kitchen and infirmary.
One of the most frequently reported phenomena is the ghostly figure of a woman in Victorian-era clothing seen wandering the upper floors. Witnesses describe her as appearing distraught and searching for something or someone.
The workhouse’s bell tower is said to be a paranormal hotspot, with reports of the bell occasionally ringing on its own and shadowy figures seen peering from its windows at night.
Address
Workhouse Museum, Allhallowgate, Ripon, HG4 1LE, United KingdomAllhallowgate
HG4 1LE Ripon, England,