Historic hauntings at Hampton Court Palace

We all love a good ghost story. And the history of Hampton Court Palace is full of chilling tales. Do Jane Seymour and Catherine Howard, two of Henry VIII's queens, walk the rooms of the palace? And who is the 'Grey Lady'?

Nobody knew better than the Victorians that terror sells tickets. In the early 20th century, these darker episodes of palace history were retold for enjoyable chills, and ghostly legends grew until visitors expected an ectoplasmic encounter around every corner.

But is there more to the faked-up photos and spooky sightings than we like to think?

Restless royals

The best-selling postcards at Hampton Court in the early 1900s were of spectres in historic spaces, with these faked up double exposed photographs offered as spine-tingling ‘proof’.

Stories persist today that at least two of Henry VIII’s queens haunt Hampton Court Palace: his beloved third queen Jane Seymour who died after giving birth in 1537 and most famously, his fifth queen Catherine Howard, executed for adultery in 1542.

Jane Seymour and The Spectre of the Silverstick Stairs

A sad white wraith carrying a lighted taper is said to be Henry VIII’s third wife, Jane Seymour. Jane died from post-birth complications at Hampton Court, only a few days after delivering Henry’s longed-for son, Prince Edward. While delighted with his male heir the King was devastated at the sudden loss of his ‘perfect’ queen.

A pale figure is reported to appear on the Silverstick Stairs, which once led up to a room in which Jane gave birth, and died, on the anniversary of Edward’s birth in October 1537.

The Screaming Queen: Catherine Howard's 'Ghost'

The ghost of Catherine Howard, Henry VIII's fifth queen, is reportedly far more vocal than Jane Seymour's. Her sightings are more regularly reported.  

Catherine was beheaded at the Tower of London in 1542, for adultery and treason. It is claimed that after she was arrested at Hampton Court, the terrified teenager broke free of her guards. She ran along what is now called the Haunted Gallery, screaming out to the King for mercy.

She never reached Henry, who was at prayer in the Chapel. Guards dragged her away and she never saw Henry again. It is said that her anguished ghost now repeats this heartbreaking journey, screaming through eternity.

The Grey Lady

There have been numerous sightings of the ‘Grey Lady’, aka Sybil Penn at the palace. Sybil was servant to four Tudor monarchs, and wet nurse to Edward VI.

She nursed Elizabeth I devotedly through smallpox in 1562. The Queen recovered, but poor Sybil caught the pox and died soon afterwards.

Spinning Wheel

Sybil was buried in nearby Hampton church, as befitted her role as loyal family servant.

Sybil's tomb was disturbed when the church was renovated in 1829, and shortly after this, stories began to spread of a ‘grey lady’ seen to walk the corridors of the State Apartments and Clock Court at the palace.

Sybil is also linked to mysterious spinning wheel noises that were said to come from behind a wall in a grace and favour apartment. Legend has it that when the wall was removed, an old, much used spinning wheel was discovered.

Strange Sensations

In May 2000, the noted psychologist Richard Wiseman conducted an experiment at Hampton Court Palace to investigate whether ghosts really were ‘all in the mind.’

He asked volunteers to describe themselves as either ‘believers’ or ‘non-believers’ in the paranormal and asked people in both groups to record any unusual experiences as they wandered around.

As you might expect, ‘believers’ reported more spooky sensations overall, but interestingly many participants recorded more unusual incidents in the same places – the Haunted Gallery and the Georgian rooms, whether or not they knew about the legends. This suggests something is happening, but exactly what isn’t clear.

'Knock, knock'... Who's There?

In 1871, two male skeletons in shallow graves were unearthed under a cloister in Fountain Court during a routine excavation.

Their discovery bought huge relief to one palace resident: an elderly woman living in a nearby grace and favour apartment. She had complained of constant banging and knocking on her walls, but no one had believed her. All disturbances ceased when the remains were properly interred.

It has been suggested that the anonymous men were victims of Roundhead villainy during the Civil Wars (1642-51). They may have been hastily buried in unmarked graves, which were concealed during Wren’s building of the baroque palace in 1689.

Security spooked

In October 2003, the palace CCTV captured the image of a ghostly figure, apparently flinging open a fire door.

Had this been in the age of social media, then the image would have certainly gone viral: back in the day it attracted international media attention.

No living soul has ever come forward to admit that this was their prank. Security staff remain baffled…