Alton Towers is known today as Britain’s most famous theme park — but long before roller coasters and thrill rides, this hilltop overlooking the Churnet Valley was home to one of the most extraordinary aristocratic houses in Britain.

In this episode of Ghost Tales by the Fireside, we explore the forgotten history of the Towers and the darker legends that surround the estate.

Once the seat of the powerful Earls of Shrewsbury, Alton Towers grew from a modest country lodge into a vast Gothic mansion filled with galleries, towers and elaborate rooms designed by the architect Augustus Pugin. Today only the dramatic ruins remain — but many believe the past has never truly left.

We explore:

• The lost aristocratic mansion beneath the theme park

• The rise and fall of the Earls of Shrewsbury

• The legendary Chained Oak curse

• Ghost sightings inside the ruined Towers

• The mysterious Lady of the Moat

• Paranormal investigations and unexplained experiences reported by staff

Beneath the laughter of the rides and the crowds of visitors lies a place shaped by centuries of ambition, tragedy and folklore.

And some believe the spirits of Alton Towers still walk its halls.

Ghost Tales by the Fireside explores the haunted history, folklore and unexplained mysteries of Britain’s most atmospheric locations.

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