But thankfully I didn't run that risk when my family and I spent the night at Prehen House at the weekend.

Legend has it that McNaughton's spirit still haunts the grounds of Prehen, and people who have spent the night in the haunted room in Prehen House say they've felt a presence getting into bed with them. It's a spine tingling thought.

I felt a certain sense of security knowing that my bed for the night at Prehen was in the coach house and not in the main house. There's a eeriness about Prehen House, particularly the haunted room. We all avoided looking the mirror in that room for fear we'd see a ghost staring back at us.

Colin Peck of Prehen House has just opened the coach house for self-catering and tourist board approved accommodation. The coach house, adjacent to the big house has been beautifully renovated retaining much of the character of the 1800s.

It's available for rent right around the calendar. The Pecks hope local people will take the opportunity to use it, if they have relatives staying or for family reunions.

I was ten years-old when my father first told me the legend of John McNaughton. It was a cold October evening as we waited for our dinner at a candlelit table in the White Horse Hotel, where my dad scared the wits out of my sisters and I as he told us the creepy tale of how the Prehen ghost, McNaughton befriended the Knox Family in Prehen House and tricked their daughter Mary Ann (15 years his junior) into a secret marriage.

When Mary Ann's parents realised McNaughton was only after their daughter's dowry they decided to take her away to the safety of Dublin. However McNaughton ambushed the coach as it left and Mary Ann was fatally wounded in the mayhem of the hold-up.

McNaughton went to the gallows but the rope broke. Declaring he did not want to be remembered as being half hanged, McNaughton went to the gallows again and this time met his fate. Yet ironically, ever since, he has always been known as 'Half Hanged McNaughton.'

At Prehen House, just a stone's throw from the Prehen Estate, it's easy to forget how close you are to Derry. Surrounded by huge trees and acres of greenery, the site is like another world.

Along the driveway you come to the first big house, where Colin lives with his wife, mother and children. Further on down, just out of sight of the big house is the Coach House.
The coach house has two sitting rooms, one with an open turf fire, a kitchen, two bathrooms and two exquisite bedrooms.

One of the sitting rooms is the room which used to house the coach. It's been lovingly restored with stone floors, wall to wall bookcases with the original coach door restored to let the sunshine sweep through the room.

Upstairs the bedrooms retain much of the rustic charm but with all the extra details to give it that sense of luxury. Both rooms have a double bed with an extra single bed in one.

The coach house also has a huge bathroom complete with an authentic, freestanding, deep bath.
Downstairs the kitchen is fully kitted out with fridge, washing machine, tumble dryer and an old styled range to cook on.

Outside you can have a walk round the grounds and into the Peck's own garden where they invited us to pick vegetables for dinner.

Of course Prehen House is also available for tours. And once you're at the Coach House it's impossible the resist the allure of the big house. The Pecks who are distant relatives of Hollywood star Gregory Peck have stamped their own mark on the house.

It retains all the features of a 19th century house complete with a library open fires, gramophones and pictures of descendants on every wall.

I still feel a little shaky as we descended into the dungeons where I was told the odd party has been held, but it was worth seeing.

Plenty of memorabilia are on display in the house including the key to Mary Ann's tomb in Rathmullan.
I asked Colin if he'd every used the key, he shook his head and said he doubts whether it still works.
One chandelier was designed by Diana Mitsford, sister in law of Oswald Mosley and there's a fine selection of books.

Thankfully we didn't see any ghosts while we were at Prehen House. Nothing went bump in the night and noone strange got into bed with us. Although my mother insists she saw the shadow of a man at the wall.
Prehen House is the ideal place to stay for a night away, or for visitors to coming into Derry.

For more information you can contact Prehen House at Prehen Park, log on to www.prehen.net or email colinpeck@yahoo.com Tel: (028) 7134 2829