Chilling tale brings boggart back to life

Clegg Hall

IT’S a murder! Newhey’s Ellen Road Mill is the eerie setting for a new play written by Oldham solicitor Jon Comyn-Platt.

The lawyer-turned-thespian is a fervent member of Milnrow Amateur Dramatic Society.

And he put his legal mind into gear when he penned their next play which brings to life a local legend in “The Boggart of Clegg Hall”.

Jon’s story tells of the ghost which is said to haunt the ancient Clegg Hall off the main Milnrow to Littleborough road.

Rehearsals are well under way, and the play, which includes live music from The Moonshiners, will be performed from September 8 to 11 as part of the Tim Bobbin Festival of Storytelling.

The Clegg Hall ghost has been described as “a great shadowy form,” or “an intangible strange apparition.”

“Although there are sometimes no sightings for several years, recent reports from towpath ramblers leave us in no doubt that the boggart is still there,” said Jon.

“The legend of the Boggart of Clegg Hall is a compelling story.

“I cannot understand why it hasn’t been used for a major television feature or film.

“When I first heard of it I knew it had to be embraced in a play — and what’s more, it had to be performed at Ellen Road Mill.”

The mill’s atmospheric boiler room was also used for the society’s last play, “The Tale of Tim Bobbin.”

Artistic director Margaret Hopkinson, who also appears in the play, said that although the legend was a gruesome tale of murder, greed and ghostly apparitions, the production takes a lighter view of history and promises an evening of thrills, excitement and lots of fun.

Tickets priced £6 (concessions £5), are available on 01706-357 663.