Margaret Selby took after her father Newcastle money lender William Selby, both
were miserly in nature and had a greed for money. She was said not to be a very
attractive woman, so when she married Sir William Fenwick of Wallington it was
thought he married her for money. Her dowry included the mortgage on Meldon
Hall.
When Sir William died an effigy of him was put in Meldon church. After his death
Margaret foreclosed on the mortgage of Meldon Hall and began running the
properties and estates herself. She proved to be a very good farmer and
collected large sums of money. Which true to her nature she began hoarding and
hiding her fortune in many secret places, the more money she made the more new
places she found to hide it.
As she spent most of her time at Hartington Hall, near Rothley, it is said that
she had an underground carriageway built between Hartington Hall and Meldon
Hall, so as not to be seen going between the two.
When Margaret died she was buried at Newminster Abbey, where on a stone trough by the
archway in the graveyard, known as the 'Trough of the Maid of Meldon' Margaret's ghost
has been seen sitting on it. Local people say they have seen her crossing Meldon Bridge,
in the shape of a black dog but when she reaches the other side she changes into
a beautiful woman.
It is said that her ghost would roam the earth for seven years looking for her
hidden wealth. Then for seven years she would rest, then she would search again
for another seven years and on it would continue, until all her wealth had been
found.
