Haunted Spots of Derby, England: Noah’s Ark

If you make it to St Werburgh’s Churchyard, then you will encounter Seymour’s Wine Bar and Restaurant, which is known to have the ghostly figure of an old woman haunting the premises. Dressed in gray, the woman tends to wander about the upper regions of the building. In this article, you will encounter more information regarding Seymour’s, as well as a site called Noah’s Ark.

Seymour’s Wine Bar

A handful of stories have emerged regarding the ghost, including that the scent of lavender hits the air when the ghost is planning an appearance. The odor is so strong, that one witness claimed that it stung the insides of their nostrils.

Many strange happenings that take place about the wine bar have been attributed to the ghost. For instance, cutlery has a habit of winding up in different places, and is moved around in a different order. Some items have a knack of disappearing altogether and reemerge weeks later. Upon entering the ‘Bake House,’ people have reported an eerie feeling as if they are being watched. Some staff members claim to have been touched by hands they cannot see. At any rate, the employees do not fear the ghosts they believe reside on the property.

There is a belief that the graveyard located adjacent to the church may contribute to some of the spirits that find their way to the bar and restaurants. Many locals believe that it is haunted by an assortment of spirits.

The Noah’s Ark

The River Derwent was used for many different things during the 17th century, but for Noah Bullock, it served as his place of business and residence. Along with his wife, four sons, and five daughters, he built and lived in an ark and moored it on the Derwent, close to Morledge. Inside of his floating home however, he was in the business of coining of counterfeit money.

During the 1600’s, creating counterfeit money was a capital offence at this time and when Bullock was found out for his crimes, he was ordered to appear in front of the Recorder of Derby, Sir Simon Degge , a man that Noah actually knew quite well. He was allowed to promise to end his forging activities, and as a result, broke up the ark and let it sink in the River Derwent. All of this helped him to escape the noose of the hangman.

If you visit Morledge, you may happen upon a public house that bears the name of Noah’s Ark. However, today, his presence is still felt. He is known to haunt the pub. Located near the site where Bullock built, moored, and later sank his ark , it is believed a handful of river ghosts have chosen to haunt the site. Unexplainable lights are also commonplace in the region. A medium was brought to the site to investigate the ghosts and they claimed that the ghosts were “lost souls of the dead seeking a pathway to the next life.”