Henry James Rotation of the Screw It is one of the most famous ghost stories in all of literature; A governess moves to a remote country house to care for two children who may or may not be possessed. In the story, the inspiration for Bly Manor came from Hinton Ampner, a country house in Hampshire whose owners were said to be plagued by visits from ghostly servants. James heard from the Archbishop of Canterbury the story of Hinton Ampner, which was denounced by one of its owners as an unfit dwelling for any human being. The house, a large part of which burned down in the 1960s and was rebuilt by its owner, is today owned by the National Trustand is open to visitors all year round.

Ewanrigg Hall, West Cumbria

Wilkie Collins’ Victorian classic Woman in White It is set in two sinister country houses, starting with the fictional Limmeridge Hall in Cumbria. Collins is said to have based Limmeridge on the grand 18th-century Ewanrigg Hall, which he visited with Charles Dickens. Ewanrigg owes his gothic reputation to more than literary connections. Just before Collins started writing Woman in White In 1860 the owner of the house died and his widow was committed to a mental hospital in Gateshead. Ewanrigg fell into disrepair and became the subject of local ghost stories, with tales of spirits wandering its corridors. The building has since been completely destroyed by fire and little remains.

Menabilly House, Cornwall

Manderley, the setting of Daphne du Maurier’s most famous novel rebeccainspired by two country houses. The exterior was based on Menabilly House in Cornwall, a property that du Maurier would lease five years later from the Rashleigh family (who had owned the house since the 16th century). rebecca‘s release. The interior, meanwhile, was inspired by Milton Hall in Cambridgeshire. Du Maurier’s haunting description of Manderley’s wild and overgrown drive reflects the devastated state Menabilly was in when he first encountered her in 1926. The house is still privately owned and not open to visitors, but you can explore Menabilly beach and the surrounding area. Including the popular Rashleigh Bath, a rock-cut seawater tide pool at Polridmouth.

Ponden Hall, North Yorkshire

Emily Brontë Wuthering Heights It consists largely of two cottages; Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange, home of the wealthy Linton family. The inspiration for the latter is thought to have been Ponden Hall in the village of Stanbury, although there are questions about this attribution as Ponden Hall was much smaller than the Thrushcross description suggests. The Hall, located near the Brontës’ home in Haworth, was said to have had an extensive library which the Brontë children had access to as regular visitors. The hall became a bed and breakfast in 2014, but its status is unclear as it was put up for sale in 2020. But there is An AirBnB listing for the annexA film that Brontë fans will definitely enjoy.

Louise Davidson first novel The Fate of Olivia Richmond Published in paperback on 17^he October is just in time for Halloween. Available from all good bookshops for £8.99.