The Haunting of the Macclesfield Hotel

  The Macclesfield Hotel was built in 1841, with a second storey built in 1882.[1] The first publican was Matthew Linn junior in 1855.[2] This hotel was the second built in the town. There are numerous outbuildings on the property, including old stables.[3]


  In 2015, the then licensee, Mary Rhode, was interviewed by the media and alleged a woman named Rosemary was pushed down the stairs of the hotel, breaking her neck. It was alleged that a psychic visited the hotel and spoke to the spirit, with the spirit claiming that her murder was covered up by local police.[4]

  Rhode claimed, “She was pushed down the stairs and broke her neck. It must have been over 100 years ago. The pub was built in 1841 and the second level was built in 1875. She was having an argument with a man who wanted her to make money for him. She told him that she wasn't that sort of girl and so he pushed her.”
“She was really angry. She said he got away with it because he knew the coppers. The person who did the clearing for me was telling me she was so happy because she hadn't spoken to anyone for so long – she was angry and all alone.”[5]

Rhode also claimed that another psychic, who visited later and knew nothing of the pub, also experienced the ghost on the stairs. Currently, there is no proof of the alleged murder in the hotel.

Another ghost believed to haunt the building is a matronly lady. It is claimed this lady has attempted to push people down the stairs!

Macclesfield Hotel - SLSA [B 31754]

 
© 2021 Allen Tiller

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[1] Macclesfield Hotel, Macclesfield Community History, (2015), https://www.macclesfieldhistory.com.au/macclesfield-hotel.html.

[2] JL Bob Hoad, Hotels and Publicans in South Australia, (1984), pp. 352-53.

[3] Anna Pope, DC Mount Barker Heritage Survey Part 4, (2004), p. 174., https://data.environment.sa.gov.au/Content/heritage-surveys/2-Mount-Barker-Heritage-Survey-2004-Part-4.pdf.

[4] Madison White, Adelaide Hills Ghost Stories, (2015), https://madisonwhiteportfolio.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/adelaide-hills-ghost-stories.pdf.

[5] Madison White, Adelaide Hills Ghost Stories, (2015), https://madisonwhiteportfolio.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/adelaide-hills-ghost-stories.pdf.