The Croglin Grange Vampire
A creature with burning eyes attacked a woman through her bedroom window, tearing at her throat. When villagers opened the family vault, they found a body with a fresh bullet wound.
In 1875, the remote hamlet of Croglin in Cumbria became the scene of one of England’s most chilling vampire accounts. A family renting an ancient hall experienced nocturnal attacks that led to the opening of a crypt—and a horrifying discovery.
The Setting
According to documented accounts, Croglin Grange was an old hall in Cumberland (now Cumbria) rented by a family named Cranswell—two brothers and their sister. The building had ground-floor bedrooms with low windows.
The First Attack
One summer night, Miss Cranswell was sleeping with her window shutters open due to the heat. She watched two lights approach across the lawn. As they neared, she realized with horror they were burning eyes in a dark face.
A creature scratched at her window with long, bony fingers. It picked at the lead holding the glass until it could reach through, unlatching the window. The thing climbed in.
Miss Cranswell tried to scream but was paralyzed with terror. The creature grabbed her hair and bit into her throat. Her screams finally brought her brothers, but by the time they broke down the door, the creature had fled through the window. They saw it running toward the old church.
Recovery and Return
Miss Cranswell recovered from her wounds. The family considered leaving but decided to stay, with the brothers keeping loaded pistols.
The following March, Miss Cranswell again saw the face at her window—the same burning eyes. This time, she screamed immediately. Her brothers rushed out and saw the creature fleeing toward the church.
One brother fired his pistol, hitting the thing in the leg. It disappeared over the churchyard wall.
The Vault
The next day, the brothers organized villagers to open the vault beneath the old chapel. Inside, they found coffins that had been disturbed—opened and the bodies mangled.
In one coffin lay a withered body with a fresh bullet wound in its leg.
The villagers burned the body.
There were no more attacks.
Historical Questions
The story has been questioned over the years:
- The exact date varies in different tellings (some say 1680s)
- “Croglin Grange” doesn’t exist—only “Croglin Low Hall”
- The chapel vault story is disputed by locals
- No contemporary documentation exists
However:
- The Hare family, who owned the hall, confirmed the story
- A Captain Fisher wrote the account after hearing it from the family
- Croglin Low Hall does have ground-floor bedrooms
- An ancient chapel once stood nearby
Vampire or Ghoul?
The Croglin creature doesn’t match typical vampire mythology:
- It didn’t turn its victim
- It appeared corpse-like rather than undead human
- Its destruction didn’t require special rituals
- It was physically injured by a bullet
Some researchers suggest it was more like a ghoul—an undead creature feeding on the living but without vampire powers.
Legacy
Whether true account or Victorian ghost story, the Croglin Grange Vampire remains one of England’s most famous supernatural tales. The location can still be visited, though the hall is private property.