Wilderhope Manor, located in Rushbury, Shropshire, England, is a Grade I listed Elizabethan manor house dating back to 1585. Built for Francis Smallman, a local landowner, the manor features distinctive stone walls, mullioned windows, and a striking great hall. The property remained in the Smallman family until the late 17th century when it was sold to the Milward family.

During the English Civil War, Wilderhope Manor played a role in local history. Royalist officer Major Thomas Smallman, while fleeing Parliamentarian forces, is said to have leapt his horse from a high window to escape capture. Legend claims hoof prints were visible on the lawn for years afterward.

The manor has been associated with several ghost stories over the centuries. One of the most prominent tales involves the spirit of Major Thomas Smallman himself. Visitors and staff have reported seeing a ghostly figure in Civil War-era clothing walking through the halls and rooms, particularly near the window from which he allegedly made his daring escape.

Another frequently reported apparition is that of a young woman in a white dress, often seen on the manor’s staircase or in the upper floor bedrooms. Some accounts suggest she may be a member of the Smallman family, though her precise identity remains unknown.

Unexplained sounds are also common at Wilderhope Manor, with reports of footsteps echoing through empty corridors, doors opening and closing on their own, and the faint sound of music playing when no source can be identified. Some visitors have described feeling sudden cold spots or an inexplicable sense of being watched while exploring certain areas of the house.