The Kirklees Mystery (West Yorkshire)

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“It may have been because it was hot and sunny but when I turned into the long drive to Lady Armytage’s home it was hard to believe the green oasis was just minutes away from Huddersfield and the busy M62. The Armytage family had lived on the land since 1565. … The source of the controversy, the alleged grave of Robin Hood, is well hidden in the trees at the top of a hill. … An iron cage was placed around the gravestone in the early 19th century. … In 1989 Lady Armytage was asked to hold a service of blessings and nightly vigils at Robin’s graveside by the Vampire Research Society. Her refusal culminated in rumours of a conspiracy and even an illegal visit to the site.”

— Helen Briggs, Spen Guardian, 15 May 1997

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Due to the distressed cries from so many in the area who sought action over what was perceived to be an urgent situation, Seán Manchester decided to hold a vigil, accompanied by two trusted assistants, close to the seemingly afflicted area. He never once believed there was any "conspiracy" on the part of the Armytage family, and only organised to visit on this one occasion on the 22 April 1990 to discover a means to remedy what the Vampire Research Society had been led to believe was a most urgent dilemma for locals who had been forwarding their reports of all manner of unholy happenings in the vicinity. The above illustration was painted by Sandra Elliott to describe the spectral figure her friend Roger Williams witnessed in 1963 at Kirklees Park. Others have described something similar haunting the area down the years.

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Though there is undoubtedly a mystery at Kirklees, which might or might not be vampiric in origin, the Vampire Research Society and its founder now accept that the urgency was partly manufactured by the claims of a tiny number of people who had their own agenda; an agenda, moreover, that the Society does not share. With hindsight the Vampire Research Society does not believe it would investigate any further without proper consent should these same circumstances once again prevail.

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But that was then when all hell appeared to be breaking loose and this is now.

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The Society and its founder understand why unaccompanied visits to the grave cannot normally be allowed for insurance purposes. It also deeply regrets any anxiety that might have been caused at the time when a certain local Robin Hood society leaked the goings-on and attendant phenomena to the press. This left Seán Manchester no alternative but to set the record straight in a specialist magazine and a book where Kirklees is discussed.

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All this took place last century and there have been no urgent developments to warrant the Society doing anything further without the express permission of the new landowner. The Society is nevertheless aware of a pseudo-occult publicity-stunt "ceremony" that was filmed and photographed on the evening of 20 April 2005 by Red Monkey Films in collaboration with the foundress of the aforementioned Robin Hood society. There is little doubt Red Monkey Films (who contacted Seán Manchester two years ago and were met with his refusal to make any contribution whatsoever) think they are going to sell their "occult ceremony" footage of the grave to various outlets, but then injunctions will be taken out by the current landowner to prevent their sale of the programme material to broadcasters globally, as will legal statements of what will happen to any broadcaster who does transmit any material showing the Kirklees Estate or any building on it based on such materials in the possession of this company, their successors, licensees or agents. Before the Robin Hood society's foundress starts screaming that these mechanisms are a conspiracy against her or the result of the Vampire Research Society's interference, she should realise that the entire Armytage family has closed ranks on that small coterie of people with whom she is associated, who have bullied, lied, tormented and tried to publicly humiliate an elderly widow for a quarter of a century. This so-called Robin Hood society can bring nothing into play that can fight the Armytage combined force. Particularly since the law is on the family’s side.

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Maria Margarete, Lady Armytage, who died 4 April, 2008, aged 81, was the second wife and widow of Captain Sir John Lionel Armytage, 8th Baronet, of Kirklees Park, Brighouse, West Yorkshire. She was born circa 1926, the former Maria Margarete Tenhaeff, daughter of Paul Hugo Tenhaeff, of Bruenen, Niederhein, and married Sir John (whose GB Baronetcy was created in 1738) in 1949. He died in 1983. She leaves a daughter and a step-son, Sir (John) Martin Armytage, 9th Baronet. Lady Armytage lived in historic Kirklees Hall until 1997 at which time she moved to a smaller property in the grounds of Kirklees Park.
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Her ladyship and the Vampire Reserach Society's founder, Seán Manchester, were linked for more than twenty years by the mysterious and sometimes sinister happenings in the vicinity of a ruin tomb on unconsecrated ground at Kirklees Park. It must be admitted that the Society and her ladyship did not always see eye to eye on how best to deal with these occurrences; especially at the beginning. As time passed, however, an understanding developed and the co-operation so absent at the beginning was eventually reached in an atmosphere of mutual respect. We all agreed that nocturnal visits by those immersed in the dark occult was counter-productive and, coupled with the attendant publicity generated by such people, served only to inflame the situation.
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Seán Manchester's final comment, made three years prior to Lady Armytage's death, ended with these words: "Lady Armytage has my complete sympathy and support in this matter. I shall do all I can to help."

A memorial service for Lady Armytage was held on 15 April 2008 at noon in St Peter's Church, Hartshead; having been preceded by a private cremation.

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