Littledean Hall facts for kids
Littledean Hall is a country house in the village of Littledean, Gloucestershire, England. It's known as one of England's most haunted houses. It's also thought to be the oldest house in the United Kingdom that people still live in today!
Scientists have found old Saxon and Celtic remains in the cellars. Part of the house is even a special protected area called an SSSI. This is because it's a very important place where Greater Horseshoe Bats (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) come to have their babies.
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History of Littledean Hall
Littledean Hall has a very long history. It started as a Saxon hall, then became a church. Later, it was changed into a Norman hall. This Norman hall had a special underground room called a crypt and another space called an undercroft. Tests show that parts of the building are from way back in the 5th century!
By 1080, the house had grown into a large medieval manor house. Then, in 1612, a new house in the Jacobean style was built in its place.
The hall has seven bedrooms, a coach house, a dining room, and other living spaces. The big sweet chestnut trees that line the driveway are at least 500 years old. Underneath the driveway, people have even found parts of an old Roman road!
In 2007, the building was damaged when lightning struck nearby. In 2008, the owners were told to rebuild a wall they had taken down. This wall was also a protected historical building, just like the main hall.
Ghost Stories at the Hall
Many people believe Littledean Hall is haunted. There are at least three main ghost stories linked to the house. One story is about Colonel Congreve and Colonel Wigmore. They both died in the dining room when the King's soldiers fought against the Roundheads. People say you can still see bloodstains where they fell!
Dean Hall Coach House & Cellar SSSI: A Bat Home
| Site of Special Scientific Interest | |
Example - Greater Horseshoe Bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum)
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| Area of Search | Gloucestershire |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 51°48′54″N 2°28′35″W / 51.815113°N 2.47649°W |
| Interest | Biological |
| Area | 0.02 hectare |
| Notification | 1988 |
The Dean Hall Coach House & Cellar is a special protected area called a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It's in Gloucestershire and was officially protected in 1988. This site is also listed as a Key Wildlife Site (KWS) in the 'Forest of Dean Local Plan Review'.
The coach house and cellar at Littledean Hall are currently home to Greater horseshoe bats. This makes it a very important SSSI, and it's carefully watched by an organization called Natural England. It's a significant place for these bats to have their babies and raise their young. People have known that bats use this building since 1986, but local stories suggest bats might have lived there for over 75 years!
Location and Habitat for Bats
This site is one of several Sites of Special Scientific Interest in the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley. These areas are important because they provide places for both Lesser and Greater horseshoe bats to have their babies and to sleep during winter (hibernate). This makes the area important for bats across Europe!
Other SSSIs in Gloucestershire that are part of this group include breeding sites like Blaisdon Hall, Caerwood And Ashberry Goose House, and Sylvan House Barn. Places where bats hibernate include Buckshraft Mine & Bradley Hill Railway Tunnel, Devil's Chapel Scowles, Old Bow And Old Ham Mines, and Westbury Brook Ironstone Mine.
The leafy woodlands and sheltered valleys of the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley are great places for bats to find food. The old underground mines in the Forest of Dean also provide safe places for bats to roost and hibernate.
Because of how important these sites are for bats, the Wye Valley and Forest of Dean Bat Sites are recognized as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) under European rules.
