Annesley Old Church (Nottinghamshire, UK)

All Saints’ Church (or Annesley Old Church) is a roofless, Grade IV listed ruin in Annesley, Nottinghamshire. The site is well known for reports of paranormal activity, often connected to the Chaworth-Musters family and nearby Annesley Hall.

Visitors have seen apparitions and sensed lingering energy, which many believe is tied to the church’s history of tragedy and burials.

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Overview

Attribute	Details
Name	All Saints’ Church
Other Names	Annesley Old Church, Old All Saints, The Byron Church
Address	Annesley Park, Annesley, Nottinghamshire, NG15 0AS
Country	United Kingdom
Coordinates	53.0645° N, 1.2384° W
Nearest City	Nottingham
Property Type	Ruined Medieval Church and Cemetery
Built / Established	12th Century (1150s)
Closed/Abandoned	1874 (Closed for regular worship), 1940s (Fully abandoned)
Owner	Ashfield District Council
Type of Haunting	Residual, Apparitions
Manifestations	Shadowy figures, white mist, the sound of footsteps, feeling of being watched, cold spots
Tragic Events & Causes	Mass burials from local mining accidents, neglect and desecration of family vaults, the tragic unrequited love of Mary Chaworth
Known Entities	The White Lady (Mary Chaworth), The Monk
Fear Rating	6/10 (Moderately Frightening) [See Explanation]
First Recorded Sighting	Early 20th Century (Post-abandonment reports)
Most Recent Sighting	October 2023 – Investigation group reported a white figure moving near the Chaworth-Musters vault
Activity Level	5/10 (Moderate Activity) [See Explanation]
Current Status	Stabilized Ruin / Heritage Site
Open to the Public?	Yes, accessible via public footpaths through Annesley Park
Best Time to Visit	Autumn (Late evening)
Danger Warning	Structural collapse risk (falling masonry), uneven ground, overgrown vegetation
Similar Haunted Locations	Annesley Hall, Newstead Abbey, St. Mary’s Church (Colston Bassett), Greyfriars Kirkyard, Berry Pomeroy Castle, Whitby Abbey, Borley Church, Knowlton Church, Clophill Church, Reculver Towers

All Saints’ Church’s Haunted History

All Saints’ Church has a long history with the Annesley Hall estate and the Chaworth-Musters family, who used it for worship and family burials for many years.

Built in the 12th century, the church served the community until the mid-1800s. As mining in the area increased, the church’s foundations became unstable, and it closed in 1874 when a new church was built nearby.

The church’s haunted reputation grew after it was abandoned. By the mid-1900s, the building had fallen into severe decay. During this time, vandals broke into the Chaworth-Musters family vaults several times, damaging coffins and disturbing remains. Locals started saying the spirits of the ancestors were “disturbed and restless.”

The churchyard is also where many locals who died in mining accidents in the Nottinghamshire coalfields are buried. People often say the site feels heavy, reflecting the community’s shared grief and the sense that the ground has been neglected.

The most famous story is about Mary Chaworth, the heiress of Annesley, who inspired Lord Byron’s poetry. Her life was filled with disappointment and the decline of her family’s estate, and many believe her spirit is still connected to the church.

Local Legends

For decades, people in Annesley and nearby Kirkby-in-Ashfield have shared stories about All Saints’ Church. These tales try to explain the strange sights many have reported among the ruins.

The White Lady of the Woods

The most famous legend at All Saints’ Church is about the White Lady. Locals say she is the spirit of Mary Chaworth. People claim to see her walking between Annesley Hall and the Old Church, dressed in a long white dress.

The story says she is always retracing her steps to the church, where she once sought comfort from her unhappy marriage and difficult life. Some say she appears most often on bright moonlit nights, moving quietly through the trees around the roofless church.

The Black Monk

Another well-known legend is about a dark, hooded entity called the Black Monk. While the White Lady is seen as sad, the Monk is often described as a guardian or silent watcher. Some believe he has been there since the church’s earliest days, before the Chaworth family.

According to travelforghosts.com, witnesses have seen a hooded, ghostly monk near the church ruins, slowly moving between the old pews before vanishing. However, there are no reports of specific misfortune or deaths linked to these sightings.

Reported Ghosts

People often describe the ghosts at All Saints’ Church as quick and see-through. Besides the White Lady and the Monk, visitors also report seeing shadowy figures moving between the stone pillars of the ruined church.

Many people say they hear ghostly singing or faint bells, even though the church has no working bells or roof. These sounds are thought to be echoes of old church services, lingering in the stone.

Some visitors have also seen a “Grey Man” near the edge of the graveyard, dressed in late Victorian clothes. He may have been a groundskeeper or a mourner who keeps returning to the same grave.

Documented Sightings Timeline

Witness	Date	Details
Local Resident	1972	Reported seeing a “glowing white shape” floating above the Chaworth-Musters vault at dusk.
Youth Group	1988	Claimed to hear the sound of heavy footsteps on stone where no stone flooring remained.
Paranormal Hobbyist	2004	Photographed a “misty tall figure” standing in the doorway of the south porch; the figure vanished upon approach.
Hiker	2015	Reported being “watched” by a dark figure in a robe while walking the nearby footpath.
Ghost Hunt Team	2021	Captured an EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon) of a male voice whispering “leave us” near the chancel.

Paranormal Activity

Many visitors notice the haunted atmosphere at All Saints’ Church as soon as they arrive. People often mention a sudden heaviness in the air when they enter the ruins. Even on warm evenings, the temperature can drop sharply, especially near the vault entrances.

Most of the activity seems harmless, as if the place is replaying old events. Still, the strong feeling of being watched has made many people leave earlier than planned, especially after dark.

Notable Investigations

Several groups have investigated the ruins, including the Nottinghamshire Paranormal Group.

In the early 2010s, they used EMF meters and found strong readings near the disturbed graves. They said the site has a lot of environmental energy, possibly increased by the iron and minerals in the soil from local mining.

Although they did not find solid proof, their experiences, such as cold spots and the sound of rustling silk, match stories people have told for years.

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