The legend of the puzzle gate
Pigeon Cote Farm
The Legend of The Gate - Sue Marray
In the locked box on the wall of the lounge in The Gate Hotel, Seacroft, is a document. It is hand- written and illustrated with great care, and the work includes a length of chain from the famous Puzzle gate. This is what it says:
“A long time ago, before the era of vast housing schemes was born, the dividing fence between two farms ran across the spot where the Gate Hotel stands today. They were called Grange Farm and Pigeon cote Farrm and both were pulled down to make way for the present Seacroft Estate. A public footpath ran across the land of both farms, starting at Seacroft Green and ending at Wethery road. From time immemorial, it has provided villagers with a short cut, much shorter than the road along the highway. Towards the end of the 19th century, the two occupants of the adjoining farms came to a gentleman’s agreement. In those days, when horses were the means of transport, the short cut was a valuable time-saver, the agreement was that, though the right of way was for pedestrians only, each man could use the section of his neighbour’s land for transporting goods by horse and cart."
After a time the neighbours quarrelled, and the occupier of Pigeon Cote Farm decided that his enemy should bring his carts across his land no more. To stop the traffic he erected a gate, and to lock the gate he had an ingenious puzzle chain made, which only those who knew the secret could open. In time the gate became famous and people would take walks to see what they called The Puzzle Gate. It was standing almost up to the outbreak of the 1914 – 18 war, with a stile alongside to allow passage for pedestrians. The gate stood almost on the site of this hotel and that is why is it called” The Gate”
Padfoot And The Puzzle Gate
As if a Puzzle Gate wasn’t enough for walkers to contend with, the writing on the wall says:
“Around 1980, a strand legend sprang up about the gate. Workmen employed in the Roundhay neighbourhood spoke of being trailed by a ghost as they hurried in the evenings back to their Seacroft homes. The ghost became known as the Padfoot. It was never seen, but many men passed the Puzzle gate. Why a desembodied spirit should have been foiled by the chain has never been explained”.
We would love to hear about any more tales of the supernatural !!!
In the locked box on the wall of the lounge in The Gate Hotel, Seacroft, is a document. It is hand- written and illustrated with great care, and the work includes a length of chain from the famous Puzzle gate. This is what it says:
“A long time ago, before the era of vast housing schemes was born, the dividing fence between two farms ran across the spot where the Gate Hotel stands today. They were called Grange Farm and Pigeon cote Farrm and both were pulled down to make way for the present Seacroft Estate. A public footpath ran across the land of both farms, starting at Seacroft Green and ending at Wethery road. From time immemorial, it has provided villagers with a short cut, much shorter than the road along the highway. Towards the end of the 19th century, the two occupants of the adjoining farms came to a gentleman’s agreement. In those days, when horses were the means of transport, the short cut was a valuable time-saver, the agreement was that, though the right of way was for pedestrians only, each man could use the section of his neighbour’s land for transporting goods by horse and cart."
After a time the neighbours quarrelled, and the occupier of Pigeon Cote Farm decided that his enemy should bring his carts across his land no more. To stop the traffic he erected a gate, and to lock the gate he had an ingenious puzzle chain made, which only those who knew the secret could open. In time the gate became famous and people would take walks to see what they called The Puzzle Gate. It was standing almost up to the outbreak of the 1914 – 18 war, with a stile alongside to allow passage for pedestrians. The gate stood almost on the site of this hotel and that is why is it called” The Gate”
Padfoot And The Puzzle Gate
As if a Puzzle Gate wasn’t enough for walkers to contend with, the writing on the wall says:
“Around 1980, a strand legend sprang up about the gate. Workmen employed in the Roundhay neighbourhood spoke of being trailed by a ghost as they hurried in the evenings back to their Seacroft homes. The ghost became known as the Padfoot. It was never seen, but many men passed the Puzzle gate. Why a desembodied spirit should have been foiled by the chain has never been explained”.
We would love to hear about any more tales of the supernatural !!!
