Loftus Hall set to reawaken 665 years of history

Irish Ghost Hunters; Tim Kelly, Tina Barcoe, Ruth Algera and Wayne Bolger

With almost 666 years of history that has intrigued, spooked and unsettled even the most hardened cynics, Ireland’s most haunted house, Loftus Hall, will reopen to the public tomorrow, March 28^th  following its winter hiatus.

Nestled on the Hook Peninsula in Co. Wexford in barren and austere surroundings, Loftus Hall which has stood on the site since 1350, is not just a mecca for paranormal enthusiasts, but for families, tourists and locals. In fact, many visitors to the area are intrigued to find out more about Hook Head’s incredible heritage and colourful history.

Aidan Quigley, owner of Loftus Hall, is busy preparing for the opening, “From previous years, we know that there is great interest in the Hall, its history, its stories and the mysterious events.”

“There has been a lot of inexplicable activity on the site.  Obviously the most heralded story is that of the “stranger” who was invited to play cards by the then owner, Charles Tottenham Loftus, in the 18^th century.  When his daughter Anne bent to retrieve a fallen playing card, she discovered that the invited guest had cloven hooves.  The stranger flew into a fiery rage, crashing through the roof leaving in his wake a smell of sulphur and brimstone, and the very same roof has been irreparable ever since.”

Last year Loftus Hall hit the international headlines once again, when tourist Thomas Beavis snapped what appeared to be a ghostly apparition in the window of the Hall.  The figures, believed to be that of Anne Tottenham who discovered the cloven hoof of the card playing stranger, and an old lady went viral igniting world-wide curiosity about Loftus Hall and its eerie past.

Aidan added, “While the Hall was closed we undertook some repairs and general maintenance over the last few months.  Even though most of the work was carried out smoothly and seamlessly, there have been a few strange goings-on such as light bulbs not working and frosty temperature drops in certain areas of the house.”

Ahead of the reopening, a group of paranormal investigators took a journey through Loftus Hall.  The Irish Ghost Hunters are a team of spectre seekers, which investigates haunted locations throughout Ireland and further afield.

As part of a TV documentary, IGH visited the Wexford demesne and their findings were somewhat disquieting.  Location Manager and Lead Investigator with IGH, Tina Barcoe recounted some of the team’s findings.  “The team used practical hand-held devices which register temperature and energy readings.  There were major temperature drops, particularly in the Chapel and the Tapestry Room.  We also registered significant spikes in the electro-magnetic fields in some areas of the house, which indicates that something, an energy source, was close by.  We also heard tapping noises within rooms that we were investigating and responses on our K2 meter (EMF) which seemed to be in connection to our questions.”

Tina added “The team in general got an unsettling feeling, and our investigation left us with more questions than answers.  We’re certainly looking forward to coming back again to see if these phenomena can be explained.”

Loftus Hall opens to the public on March 28^th and guided tours are available from 12pm to 5pm.  The tour takes 45 minutes, combining the history and legend of Loftus Hall in an entertaining, informative and interactive package.

To find out more about the House Tour, Nightfall at Loftus or the Loftus Lockdown visit www.loftushall.ie or call 051 397728.