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 The White Lady, Part III Such is the background to the 'White Lady' stories, but who is the lady? The legend identifies the ghost as Lady Dorothy, 'daughter of Sir John'. BUT Sir John did not have a daughter Dorothy, or if he did she is not recorded anywhere, and, if she did exist, her non-recording is highly unlikely. There is, however, a record of a Lady Dorothy, a sister of Sir John, and daughter of Sir Thomas Southworth and Margaret [neeButler] his second wife. Now, there is one circumstance that would point to Dorothy as the ghost. Indications are that she died between 1575 and 1592, just at the time when Sir John was in trouble with the authorities for his continued adherence to the Catholic faith. Secret Masses were still being said at this time, probably in the Hall and in nearby Bessa Woods, and other locations round about. The Hall contained many items of papistry, which were eventually discovered by the authorities in 1592. So it was about the time Dorothy died that there was, perhaps, a 'need' for a ghost in the Hall and its grounds, to deter prying eyes. It may be then that the ghost story first emerged. Whilst there is a case to be made, as above, the detail of the legend seems to be largely invented. The known facts concerning Dorothy are these. She was born about 1525/30, the daughter of Sir Thomas Southworth. She had one brother, Sir John, and four sisters; Elizabeth, Anne, Katherine, and Cecily. Dorothy is first recorded in the Herald's Visitation of Lancashire in 1533, when the Herald enters -"Sir Thomas Southworth Knigght maryed Margery, dawghter to Thomas Butler of Bewse, father to Thomas Butler that now ys and they have ishew Elisabeth, Anne, Katryn, and Dorothe. I spake not wt hym." The next record of Dorothy is her marriage. Abram records in his "History of Blackburn" that "John Rishton, Gent., son and heir of Henry occurs in a return of recusant gentry in Lancashire in 1575. He married in 1542, Dorothy, daughter [sic] of Sir John Southworth of Samlesbury, Knight, and had issue sons Nicholas and Geffrey, and a daughter Anne." John Rishton's father, Henry Rishton, had married Eleanor Butler about 1527, and had issue, sons John and Geoffrey, and daughters Ann, Dorothy, Jane, Grace, Elizabeth, Alice, and Jenet. This means that John Rishton, who married Dorothy Southworth, could only have been 15 years old at the most at the time of the marriage. His bride, Dorothy, would probably have been about the same age. At some time, probably before 1556, and perhaps earlier than that, it seems that John and Dorothy divorced. Part of the divorce settlement may have involved the lifetime tenure of the manor of Holte, for an indenture reads - 'Indenture 26th October 3-4 Philip and Mary [1556]. 1) Right Worshipful Sir John Sowthworthe of Samlesbury Knt. 2) Rauf son and heir appt. of Roger Risshton of Pulkaughe. 3) Gives, grants, bargains, sells all reversion of manor of Holte (Warwick) all which should revert to Roger after death of Dorothe Sowthworthe sister of Sir John Sowthworthe who is seised of it for life. Dorothe Sowthworthe is to be clear of any dower to Ellen late wife of Henry Risshton. Sir John Sowthworthe pay 200 marks at the chapel on the north side of Blagheburne parish church. Signed. J. Sowthworthe. Signed, sealed, and delivered. Robert Ffaryngton, Rauf Barton, Wm. Preston, Henry Sowthworthe, Mastrys Dorothe Sowthworthe, Gregory Butler, and divers other persons worthy of credence. Endorsed manor of Holte. Note that Dorothy has reverted to her maiden name. Whilst the divorces of her father and two sisters are recorded, there is no trace of the possible divorce of Dorothy. Yet it seems beyond doubt. Some light may be shed by the historical notes of Mr. William Langton to the 1533 Visitation. He relates that this 'John Rishton had been mixed up with a scandalous transaction in his early manhood. His kinsman, Ralph Rishton of Ponthalgh, having formed an improper connection with Ann Stanley, daughter of Dame Ann Stanley of the Holt in Rishton, widow of Sir James Stanley of Cross Hall, knt., the mother carried her daughter by night to Great Harwood Church (she being three months gone with child) and forced her to go through the ceremony of marriage with John Rishton of Dunkenhalgh. A divorce eventually terminated this involuntary alliance.' Quite why John was forced into the marriage when Ralph seems to have been the 'cad' is not clear. But it does show that John was free to marry at that time, whenever it was. Dorothy is recorded again in 1575/6 when the Bishop of Chester reports to the Privy Council as "obstinate recusants in the Blagburne Parish....John Sothworth, knight, John Sothworth, gent, sonne to John Sothworth, knight, Ann Southworth, his daughter, Dorothie Sothworth, his sister." Again this record confirms that Dorothy was Sir John's sister, and she was using the family surname in 1575 despite her earlier marriage to John Rishton. Dorothy is not mentioned in a list of recusants in 1592, and this may indicate that she had died before then. Little of the foregoing links up with the legend. There is nothing here to suggest Dorothy wished to marry 'the son of a family which had deserted its ancestral faith'. Nor is there anything to suggest that she was 'sent abroad to a convent where she died a raving maniac'. Indeed she was still living in Samlesbury when she was 45/50 years old, and almost certainly died there shortly after. Nor is there any record to show that any son of a neighbouring Protestant family was slain at Samlesbury. Such is the stuff of legends. It seems that ghosts have always appeared, most fortuitously, when a deterrent was needed, for some reason or other, to discourage visitors or enquirers. In the case of the Samlesbury ghost it served to deter close inspection at a time when priests were harboured there, and Masses performed, in the days of Catholic persecution. But there is a footnote:- If ever there was a case to be made out for a Samlesbury Hall ghost then a prime candidate would have to be Mary Southworth, daughter of John and Jane [nee Sherburne], and great grand- daughter of Sir John [died 1595]. Mary was born about 1602/3 to the heir of the Samlesbury estates. Her father, however, never succeeded as he predeceased his father. Mary's eldest brother, Thomas, then became heir and succeeded his grandfather in 1617. Mary was born in good circumstances, therefore, but her father died when she was 9 years old. On the 30th May 1616, when she was 13 or 14 years old she married James Martin, M.A., a Protestant cleric, at St. John's church, Preston. The entry in the marriage register there reads - 'Jacobus Martin Utrinsque Academise Magister in Artibus, Maria Southworth gen.' Seven years after the marriage James lost his living, because he had churched mothers of illegitimate children without the required public confession having been made by them. He seems to have become destitute, for he sent two appeals to the Archbishop of York in 1633, in one of them stating that his wife and son had died of starvation in the streets. In her darkest hours Mary's thoughts must have turned to happier childhood days and to Samlesbury Hall, her father's birthright. Perhaps she herself was born there. Could it be that the pale wraith which is said to haunt the Hall is poor Mary? Taken from the now defunct website: http://users.aol.com/sforgnews/sc_w9798/w9701.htm If you love Most Haunted or want to go on a real ghost hunt at Samlesbury Hall visit Fright Nights - Britain's most popular and scariest ghost hunting experience |
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