Maggoty Wood, Gawsworth

The eccentric 18th-century playwright and dancing-master Samuel ‘Maggoty’ Johnson, said to be England’s last court jester, is buried in Maggoty Wood near Gawsworth. Local tradition claims his ghost still haunts the spinney, often seen prancing in full motley garb. Some tales state that walking three times around his grave will summon his spirit, while others describe encounters with a silent, bounding figure. The site has long been associated with uncanny phenomena and cold spots.