Smithills Hall is most famous for the ghost of George Marsh, the Protestant martyr interrogated here in 1555; his so-called “burning footprint” in the stone floor is still pointed out to visitors, and his apparition is seen walking toward the chapel. A dark-clothed woman is often reported drifting through the Tudor rooms, accompanied by sudden cold air and the scent of old perfume. Staff also hear footsteps and whispered voices in the medieval hall long after closing, making Smithills one of Greater Manchester’s most consistently reported historic hauntings.