Hellens Manor is located in Ledbury, Herefordshire in England.
During the late 11th century the de Balun family were granted with Hellens Manor by King John.
Originally the Manor belonged to the Monks who were brought to Ledbury from Carmeilles by William the Conqueror to educate the locals.
Walter de Balun gained possession of Hellens Manor in September of 1275 and shortly after he married Yseult Mortimer. When Walter died a few years later, his wife Yseult and his brother Reginald both believed they should own the Manor causing conflict between them.
Yseult kept the Manor as her own and was later remarried to Walters close friend Hugh Audley. The Manor then became known as Much Marcle Audley.
In 1301 a Baron Court was set up by Hugh and Gallows were built on the land of the Manor. When Sir John de Balun was executed in 1306, his portion of the estate was granted to Lord Roger Mortimer who was the brother of Yseult.
The widow of Hugh’s dead cousin, Lady Katherine Audley. Moved into the manor shortly after her husbands death. Tragically Katherine’s son, Tom then died at the Manor in 1307. Tom’s widow named Eve fell in love with Yseult and Hugh’s son, James Audley. Together Eve and James had two “bastard” sons named James and Peter.
Lady Katherine ran away from the Manor on the day of Edward 2nd’s Coronation and she lived the rest of her life as a recluse in Ledbury.
Yseult and Hugh’s second son, also named Hugh fell in love with Margaret de Clare and later married her. Margaret was the widow of Piers Gaveston who was the 1st Earl of Cornwall, she was also the niece of Edward 2nd. Hugh was now known as Hugh Audley, 1st Earl of Gloucester.
Hugh Audley and Roger Mortimer were captured and imprisoned in Tower of London in 1322 during the battle of Boroughbridge. Hugh was saved from execution a few weeks later following his wife’s pleas. Whilst Hugh was Imprisoned Margaret was sent to live in a Priory but was released following Hugh’s escape from prison. During this time Margaret and Hugh’s daughter, Joan Gaveston was sent to live at Amesbury Priory where she unfortunately died while arrangements were being made for her to marry the son of Thomas Multon.
Hugh Audley died in 1325.
Hugh and Yseult’s son James died in Gascony in 1333.
The Manor was then passed through numerous hands before Richard Walwyn inherited the Manor in the early 16th century. Mary Tudor was a frequent visitor to the manor at this time and when she became Queen, a room was specially laid out for her to come and stay in. Mary never arrived and the room is still laid out as it was to this day.
Dorothy, Richard’s Wife, died and shortly afterwards he remarried.
Richard became friends with a homeless monk and invited him in to stay at the manor. At this point in time Britain was mostly Protestant.
Richard had a son named Dick who was thought to die of worry over how he was going to to raise money to satisfy his Fathers new wife.
Dick’s son, Ely married Anne Cooke in 1602 and their son Fulke Walwyn was born in 1603. Ely gained possession of the Manor but died in 1616 leaving Hellens manor in a state of disrepair.
When Faulk inherited his fathers estate he moved into Hellens Manor with his Godfather Sir Walter Pye. Three years later in 1619 Faulk married Margaret Pye who was already pregnant and together they had a son named John Walwyn. The Manor was restored and an old Monk was the caretaker.
During the Civil war there was a secret Cavalier HQ at Hellens Manor. John Lingen had his leg shattered during battle in a near by field. John was taken to Hellens Manor to be treated but died once inside. It is believed that John Lingden’s body was buried within the house.
The Roundheads eventually got into Hellens Manor and murdered the Monk in the room which what prepared for Queen Mary. The Monks body is also thought to be within the house.
John Walwyn took over the manor in 1649. When his father, Faulk died John had the great gates to the manor closed stating they were never to be reopened. John later married but his new bride died just two years later. Together they had two daughters named Frances and Bridget. John married again to a lady named Mary Winnington with whom he had a daughter named Margaret and twin boys named Thomas and Faulk. At the young age of just 12, one of the twins died.
Hetty Walwyn (thought to be Bridget Walwyn but there is much confusion concerning this) ran away with a young man in the early 17th century who had a social status which was considered not high enough to have relations with her. When Hetty (or Bridget?) was around 20 years of age her lover either died or left her and she had no choice other than to return home to Hellens Manor.
Back at home Hetty was Branded “Un-marriageable” and an “embarrassment to the family” she was locked away in a room in the manor for around 30 years. While locked in the room Hetty etched the words “It is part of virtue to abstain from what we love if it should prove our bane” on to the window using her diamond ring. on the outside of the same window the name “John Pearcel” and “1702″ is also etched into the glass. It is unknown who John Pearcel was and why his name is on the glass.
John and Mary’s daughter Margaret married a Scottish gentleman named Nobel who took over Hellens Manor and together they had one son named William who died having no children. Williams sister inherited Hellens Manor and she changed her surname to “Walwyn” She also died having no sons so the Manor was passed to the Pytt and James Family by Marriage.
In 1789 the south wing was destroyed by a fire and was rebuilt with only two stories by Edward ‘Walwyn’ James. In 1832 Edward died and 2 distant relatives had a huge legal conflict as to who had the rights to Hellens Manor. The manor was then used as a farm house.
A painter named Lady Helena Gleichen owned Hellens Manor at the beginning of the 20th century. During the 2nd World War Helena started the first Home Guard but died of heart failure before the war was over.
Hellens Manor was then owned by Hilda Pennington Mellor Munthe and her husband Axel Munthe. Hilda and Axel had two children named Malcolm and Peter.
Today Hellens Manor is owned by Adam Munthe, son of Malcolm Munthe.
Reported Paranormal Activity
Guests staying at Hellens Manor have often reported seeing the ghost of a monk stumble into Bloody Mary’s (Queen Mary’s) room almost as if by accident.
During the 1940′s Malcolm Munthe held a table tipping session in an attempt to contact the spirit of a Monk to find out where the entrance to the tunnel is which runs under the manor. The lost tunnel is thought to house the Monks treasure. The tunnel was never found. The spirit of the Monk only told Malcolm that it was he who haunted Manor but would not respond to the questions about the tunnel.
The ghost of a woman has been seen by a guest standing next to the bed in one of the rooms. With the description the guest gave it is believed that the woman was Hetty.
The ghost of Sir Philip Musgrave has been spotted a few times in the music room. A painting of Philip hangs in the manor.
Adams two year old grandson has spoke of a little girl he has seen in the manor. From what he said it is believed that the girl was from the Victorian era.
There has recently been poltergeist activity at Hellens Manor. This includes cooking pans being knocked onto the floor, China cups flying of the shelves, things being moved around the kitchen and pictures flying off the walls.