Cathy's Crag

Greg · Post by **Greg** » Wed 12 Aug, 2009 12:37 am

Has anyone heard about the ghost of Crag Hill in Cookridge? (Above Crag House Farm, just to the left of Cookridge Lane before the bend to Bramhope). I have heard it called Cathy's Crag and that there is the ghost of a woman on a horse, possibly having met her death in a riding accident?Has anyone else ever heard this story?

Diddle · Post by **Diddle** » Wed 12 Aug, 2009 11:36 pm

I have Greg. I grew up 2 streets away from the Cricket pitch in Cookridge in the 70/80's and remember the tale of Cathy's Crag. Spent many an evening scareing the pants off me and my mates walking up there from the cricket ground. Certainly was an eerie place for a young kid with a runaway imagination!!

Greg · Post by **Greg** » Thu 13 Aug, 2009 3:05 pm

Thanks Diddle. I would love to find out the origin of this story and who Cathy may have been.Greg

chomic · Post by **chomic** » Mon 12 Apr, 2010 9:22 pm

The story as told to me many years ago is this.....Cathy's parents ran a tavern/stopover called None -go-by. Coaches travelling to Leeds would stop there if arriving after dark as the risk of highwaymen on the route into Leeds was quite high. If the people decided to carry on to Leeds, Cathy would signal to her boyfriend ( one of the highwaymen ) by swinging a lantern. This informed the bad guys that a coach was leaving the tavern. At some point the local constabulary became aware that something was amiss and set up a coach to arrive at None-go-by and inform the landlord (Cathy's father) that they would be continuing to Leeds. On hearing this, Cathy made her way to the crag to swing the lantern to tell her boyfriend that a coach was leaving the tavern. The highwaymen did not know that the coach was full of what was then the police and in the confrontation that followed her boyfriend and his cronies and she (I think) were killed. It is said that each year on the anniversary of her death you can see the lantern swinging from the crag.

Si · Post by Si » Tue 13 Apr, 2010 12:13 pm

chomic wrote: The story as told to me many years ago is this.....Cathy's parents ran a tavern/stopover called None -go-by. Coaches travelling to Leeds would stop there if arriving after dark as the risk of highwaymen on the route into Leeds was quite high. If the people decided to carry on to Leeds, Cathy would signal to her boyfriend ( one of the highwaymen ) by swinging a lantern. This informed the bad guys that a coach was leaving the tavern. At some point the local constabulary became aware that something was amiss and set up a coach to arrive at None-go-by and inform the landlord (Cathy's father) that they would be continuing to Leeds. On hearing this, Cathy made her way to the crag to swing the lantern to tell her boyfriend that a coach was leaving the tavern. The highwaymen did not know that the coach was full of what was then the police and in the confrontation that followed her boyfriend and his cronies and she (I think) were killed. It is said that each year on the anniversary of her death you can see the lantern swinging from the crag. There still is a None-Go-By Farm in the area. Follow the road from the crag, round the bend mentioned above, take the first left (continuation of Otley Old Road) and the farm is on the left after the caravan park at the bottom of the hill. I think the crag should be visible from the farm.PS There is some credence to the part of the story about coaches travelling along that road. Otley Old Road was the main route between Wharfedale and Leeds before the building of Leeds Road - an 1840s turnpike. The coaches would travel up the steep East Chevin Road from Otley, and through Cookridge on their way to Leeds, via Headingley. Also of interest - a Roman road crosses Otley Old Road between the bend below "Cathy's Cragg" and the Bramhope/Otley T-junction. There's no sign of it on the ground, but it is marked on some maps.

Hats Off · Post by **Hats Off** » Tue 13 Apr, 2010 5:06 pm

Just had to check out this thread when I read the title !Regards.

Si · Post by Si » Tue 13 Apr, 2010 5:10 pm

Hats Off wrote: Just had to check out this thread when I read the title !Regards. Now, now....

peter g · Post by **peter g** » Sun 29 Jan, 2012 9:51 pm

I can confirm that most of these postings match with my recollections.I spent 17 years living near the cricket club and did a lot of walking near the discussed territory.I have actually got a cassette recrding of the "mad cathy" story somewhere in my possession. Whilst I cannot remember who created it, I think there were only a limited number available at the time. A friend and I spent quite a few days and nights looking for some of the detailed areas and points of interest.We found one of the coach points marked by a remaining stone pillar in the field opposite what once was the newsagents at the junction of Mavis Lane and Cookridge Lane. I am sure it will still be there.For some reason I seem to remember that it was only on certain days of the week when the events took place. Was it Thursdays?I will try to find the recording.

Si · Post by Si » Mon 30 Jan, 2012 12:37 pm

peter g wrote: I can confirm that most of these postings match with my recollections.We found one of the coach points marked by a remaining stone pillar in the field opposite what once was the newsagents at the junction of Mavis Lane and Cookridge Lane. I am sure it will still be there. Cookridge Lane/Otley Old Road probably holds the record for the number of mile stone/mounting blocks for a single stretch of road in Leeds, unless anyone knows different?