Kegworth Heritage Centre

A late 18th Century Grade II listed house with an interesting story to tell. An Irish Poet, Thomas Moore, born in 1779 and a close friend of Lord Byron, purchased the house in the Summer of 1812. However, in the March of that year, before moving in, he requested that the fires be lit in every room, the water ladled out of the cellars and that “The Gentleman Upstairs” must be ejected. The Gentleman referred to appears to relate to the ghost of a butler who had been murdered in the house. Moore only stayed in the house until the following May.

Tom was also a singer and song writer, his most famous Irish melodies being “The Minstrel Boy” and “The Last Rose of Summer”. Interestingly, musicians occupy the house today.

There was a tree on Whatton Road named “Tom Moore’s tree” where he reputedly sat to compose his poetry. Alas it no longer survives.