The Kirklees Vampire

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"Leeds author Len Markam ... produced a fascinating and chilling read in his latest book Ten Yorkshire Mysteries. ... According to Markham ... eye witness accounts of ghostly goings-on near the [Kirklees] grave have appeared since [the time of Robin Hood]. Reported sightings of a woman with dark angry eyes and a pale face in a long off-white dress were made in 1963 and 1972.

"Meanwhile one Brighouse woman claims to have recognised the Prioress and her lover.

"And according to Markham there have been rumours of vampire sightings and findings of mutilated, blood-drained animals nearby."

(Lindsay Jennings, Spenborough Guardian, 17 November 1995)

Following Roger Williams' account in a chapter titled The Grave of Robin Hood, Len Markham introduces the Brighouse woman's account on page 21 of his book:

"Other people have seen terrifying apparitions at the graveside, notably B------ G----* of Brighouse, who founded the Yorkshire Robin Hood Society in 1984. I quote from her detailed account:

                    'Then I saw them, at first as flittering, amorphous forms merging with

                     the murky mists which coiled even thicker and malevolently round the

                     trees. Two distinct forms that I had no trouble recognising as the Prioress

                     of Kirklees and her lover, Red Roger of Doncaster. ... Like a bat she hung

                     there for what seemed an eternity, her black nun's robes flapping eerily

                     while her eyes flashed red and venemous and her teeth bared sharp and

                     white between snarling blood red lips. ...'

"In recent years, the Yorkshire Robin Hood Society has, in the light of such dramatic incidents, tried to stimulate debate, to arrange public access to the site and bestow upon Robin a Christian rest. ... In 1989 an application was made to Lady armytage, the owner of the Kirklees estate, to hold a service of blessing at Robin's graveside. This followed rumours of vampire infestation, reports of finger-width perforations in the earth above the tomb ... and disturbing news of the discovery in the vicinity of blood-drained animals. The request was denied and a great furore erupted among local clergy. Naturally, refusal encouraged yet even more nefarious activities, culminating on the evening of 22nd April 1990 in a visit by Britain's foremost vampire hunter., the Right Reverend Seán Manchester ... [who] readily applied crucifixes, holy water, garlic and candles ... [and] before he left, [Bishop] Manchester doused the grave in holy water and planted cloves of garlic all around."

(Len Markham, Ten Yorkshire Mysteries, Countryside Books)

* B------ G---- has not been identified because, for reasons best known to herself, she now disowns the vampire experience she reported a decade ago.

Roger Williams, who also witnessed an apparition of a woman, stated: “She seemed to glide towards us and there was no sound of feet walking over the dry leaves and twigs. … She wore a long garment and had mad, staring eyes set in a pale face.” This and other accounts can be found in Seán Manchester’s The Vampire Hunter’s Handbook (Gothic Press, 1997).

Click on image of Seán Manchester to

learn more about the alleged vampire.