Which monastery exactly, I can't say, as there were a few in that vicinity in olden times which fitted the bill.

It may have been the now-ruined Egglestone Abbey about 10 miles away, or perhaps one in Middleton itself.

It matters not, for it is what allegedly transpired at the old abbey that is important.

According to legend, a monk at the monastery began to drink heavily and generally misbehave himself.

His brethren tried to dissuade him, but to no avail. His behaviour was becoming more riotous by the day.

Eventually it was decided drastic measures were called for. One evening, the other monks waited till he was severely inebriated and then overpowered him.

There was a desperate struggle, but the sheer weight of numbers proved too much, and the wild-eyed monk was thrown into a cellar.

For days the man could be heard screaming, "Let me out!" at the top of his voice, but his pleas fell on deaf ears.

Locking him up had been easy, deciding who would be responsible for releasing him was another matter altogether.

No one did, and, according to legend, he starved to death.

Whether he had been injured in the struggle or hurt himself as he made attempts to escape we do not know, but he was certainly bleeding heavily.

After some time the other monks decided they would have to dispose of the body.

When they entered the cellar they made a grim discovery.

The man lay dead upon the floor, but on the wall, written in blood, were the words, 'Mark well my words, I shall return'.

Some say the monks, horrified at their own actions, abandoned the monastery and never came back.

Many years later a woman was travelling through the area and got caught in a storm.

It was late at night and she had nowhere to stay, so she knocked upon the monastery door in desperation, even though it looked derelict.

To her surprise, a monk answered and bade her to enter.

The woman's distress at her circumstances soon dissipated, as the monk provided her with hot food, mulled wine and warm clothing.

Then, when it was obvious that sleep was about to overtake her, he beckoned her towards a flight of steps which descended under the monastery itself.

"Please, follow me," he said gently.

Assuming he was going to show her to her room, she did as she was asked.

She descended the steps and entered the small room through the doorway which the monk held open for her.

Then the door slammed behind her, and she realised to her horror that she was trapped.

The monk was none other than the spirit of the drunken brother who had starved to death in there, and now she was to meet the same fate.

It is said that the spirits of both the monk and his unfortunate victim still haunt the spot where the monastery stood to this day.

Is it true? Of course it is. It's too good a tale not to be.

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