Feeding The Poor
An eerie 18th century home that sits on the site of an even older building. The stone work from the previous building was incorporated into the newer one. There is a tail that goes with the owner Sir Nicholas Leke. The story goes he was a brave knight who was ordered off to the Holy Land. Before he left he took his wedding band off and cut it in two. He gave half of it to his wife, her security that he would continue to love her, be faithful to her and return to her.
Shortly after he was captured and held in a dungeon. His keepers believed he was wealthy and that one day they could trade him for a fortune. This was not the case, but he lingered on in the dungeon for many years. One night he prayed that if God let him see his wife and beloved Sutton he would help take care of the poor forever. He fell asleep and when he awoke he was on the steps of the Suttong chappel. Not knowing how he arrived there, but believing it was God who placed him there he ran to meet his wife. Servents, not recognizing the haggard, aged man and believing him to be a homeless dillusional man, refused to grant him entry into the home. It is at this time that he remembered his wedding ring. He gave it to the servants and begged them to at least show it to the mistress of the house. Feeling sorry for the man and believing he would not go away until they followed the directly showed the ring to his wife. Within moments they were locked in an embrace.
From that moment on, every St. Nicholas Day Nicholas had his servants bake up 8 bushels of wheat into loaves and distribute them to the poor. This tradition continued long after Sir Nicholas himself died. Many years later, one of his heirs ignored the promise that was made to the poor and the well on the property rose up and flooded Sutton Scarsdale Hall causing a good deal of damage. Realising he was in error for not providing for the poor he immediatly ordered that the bread be baked. As soon as this took place, the water receeded.
The hall had fallen into disrepair by the 20th century and in 1920 had been purchased by a company to strip its fictures and anything of value. Twenty-five years later it was in such poor condition that it was ordered to be demolished. Just prior to its distruction Sir Osbert Sitwell purchased it so that it would remain standing. It is now just a hollow shell of a building but visitors can walk within the walls and hopefully come across many of the ghosts said to appear there. One of the ghosts is a female with no legs wearing a white hood who continually sobs. You will also smell the strong odor of tobacco and hear phantom footsteps as well as strange lights. Be sure to also keep an eye out for a severed arm that becons visitors to the cellar area. 
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