Leasowe Castle

The haunted library

Leasowe Castle's library is panelled with ancient oak timbers taken from the submerged forest off the Wirral coast at Meols, and it's the room most often described as haunted. We haven't yet found detailed accounts of what guests have experienced here, so this page is marked Unverified.

If you've stayed at Leasowe Castle and had an experience, please share it with us using the review form below.

Leasowe Castle is thought to be the "New Hall" built in 1593 by Ferdinando Stanley, 5th Earl of Derby. It began as an octagonal tower, probably built as a stand for viewing the famous horse races held on the Wallasey sands, with two turrets added in the early 17th century.

Mockbeggar Hall

By the late 17th century the building was derelict and known locally as Mockbeggar Hall, and for much of the 18th century it was used as a farmhouse.

Castle, hotel and convalescent home

In 1802 it was bought by Margaret Boole. After her death in a carriage accident in 1826 it passed to her daughter Mary Anne and her husband, Colonel Edward Cust, who turned it into a hotel with plans for a resort in the grounds. When that failed in 1843 it became a family home again. From 1911 to 1970 it was a convalescent home for railway workers, and it reopened as a hotel in the 1980s. It's now a listed building and a popular wedding venue.

• Ask about the library, panelled with timber from the submerged forest at Meols.
• The coast path and Leasowe Lighthouse are a short walk away.