One of Ireland’s most haunted houses, Loftus Hall on the Hook Peninsula, County Wexford has recently been purchased by Oakmount, a sister company to the Pressup Group. The Hall dates from 1870 and has a rich and storied history.
Loftus Hall – Ireland’s Spookiest House to Open as Hotel
The Hall was built on the site of the original Redmond Hall though a building has stood on this site since the 12th century. It is said to have been haunted by the devil and the ghost of a young woman. In 1775, on a dark and stormy night a stranger came calling to the Hall, occupied then by the Tottenham family.
They offered him a safe place to stay for a few days. One evening the family were playing cards, and the daughter Anne dropped a card. When she bent to pick it up, she noticed that the stranger had cloven hooves.
She screamed in terror and the mystery man disappeared in a ball of fire, out through the roof of Loftus Hall. Anne never recovered from the shock and died soon after. It is her ghost and the devil that shocked her, that are said to roam the rooms of the Hall.
A Chequered History
Over its 150-year history Loftus Hall has many owners. It has been a private residence, owned by two orders of nuns, a hotel and in the 1980s was a disco. It has appeared in many films, television programmes and been written about extensively.
From 2011 it was owned by Shane and Aidan Quigley and the fabric of the Hall was secured from ruin. The walled gardens were restored and Loftus Hall operated as a tourist attraction on the Hook Peninsula. It became a venue for haunted tours and spooky stays.
A protected structure has important architectural significance. It will now be brought back to life by new owners Oakmount, as a luxury destination hotel. The existing hotel and restaurant will open later this year, with exciting additions, including a spa, cabins, and event space.
Loftus Hall and the surrounding gardens offers unrivalled views over the Hook Peninsula and will be a stunning countryside retreat. The Hall currently has 22 bedrooms and is on 63 acres of grounds. It went for sale last summer with Keane Auctioneers of Wexford, with a price tag of €2.65m.
