Paranormal

Bristol's Haunted Parkland, Oldbury Court Estate

Oldbury Court Estate in Stapleton, Bristol has a gruesome past, a monk who secretly held mass at a time when it was illegal to do so was hidden in a "priest hole" and forgotten about and starved to death.

June 15, 2015

This page is more than ten years old and was last updated in February 2017.

Now Grade II registered parkland, known locally as Vassals Park, there used to be a stately home on the estate and local legend tells of a Catholic monk who was secretly celebrating mass at a time when it was illegal to do so.

When visitors arrived the monk was hidden in a "priest hole" but one time, for whatever reason he was forgotten about and starved to death.

Visitors to the park have reported seeing the monk walking through solid objects before vanishing. Two teenagers reported seeing the spirit on a footbridge over the River Frome in the park, they described it as a hooded figure dressed in a cloak with outstretched arms. They were unable to make out a face and the apparition appeared to be floating.

Some people believe to best the ghost of the Duchess of Beaufort who resided at near-by The Dower House in Stoke Park.