July may be a little out of season for ghost stories, but if the recent grey weather has put you in mind of Halloween, read on for some spooky tales.

Local group Paranormal Penny Pinchers have been exploring Hallam Mill, between Davenport and Shaw Heath.

Opening in 1859, this storied building is rife with rumours, from disembodied laughter through to ghastly apparitions.

The mill was founded by Ephraim Hallam, who was born on Hopes Carr in 1812 (three years before the Battle of Waterloo!).

Mr Hallam himself is one of the apparitions who is said to wander the building still. However, he is said to be 'calm' and 'not sinister'.

More 'infamous' hauntings are the two former employees who died in 1871 when part of the mill roof collapsed. They were known as MacDermott and Pownall / Hawkridge. Another man, George Owen, was injured in the same incident, and is believed to have died later as a result.

In an eerie echo of this accident, locals have reported the sound of bangs and explosions from the building, followed by shouts and the sound of heavy footsteps...

The above information comes from The Haunted Historian, who works with Paranormal Penny Pinchers. This group also runs tours of the mill, which have received very positive reviews from various visitors on a number of platforms.

The small team was started by local residents Stacey and Jon, and has been active for around four years. They have even appeared on German TV, and also host an escape room in conjunction with Escape Stockport, for intrepid visitors to the mill.

Spookiness aside, this mill has a rich history, as does its founder, Mr Hallam.

Hallam initially worked as a chemist, but in his mid-twenties set up a cotton business on Higher Hillgate. With the presumably substantial proceeds, Mr Hallam set up the mill on a site by Bramhall Lane.

For a less paranormal history of Ephraim Hallam, his mill-building, and more, have a look at this richly-detailed feature by local historian Charlie Hulme.

(Hallam Mill image by Chris Allen, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0)

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