GHOST STORY BLOG

Duel at Dawn: The Ghostly Legend of Bathampton’s George Inn History - The George Inn sits on the banks of the Kennet and Avon Canal in Mill Lane, Bathampton, opposite St. Nicholas Church. There is some debate as to when exactly the inn was built. Some sections seem to have been established as early as the 12th century, when it was part of a monastery for the Prior of Bath. Though according to English Heritage, the current building is built from ‘coursed rubble with a Cotswold stone slate roof’ and dates from the mid to late 17th century, while the west gable is dated 1815. It was used for inquests, the Coroners Inquest of local murder victim Elsie Adeline Luke took place here in 1893. Hauntings - The George Inn is said to be haunted by the ghost of Viscount John Baptiste Du Barre, a foreign noble, who died in the last legal duel fought in Britain. A decadent man who held lavish parties, he was also fond of gambling. Following a quarrel over a game of cards, a challenge was thrown down and he and his opponent met on Claverton Down at dawn on 18th November 1778. Additional details- The Vicomte du Barre came to Bath in the summer of 1778 with his wife and sister, and a Captain Rice, an Irish Jacobite whose grandfather had served in the French army. They took a lease on 8 Royal Crescent, and arranged lavish card parties in the house, hoping to profit from the gambling mania that gripped the city at that time. But one night they quarrelled over the sharing of £600 that they had won from a Colonel Champion, who lived at 29 Royal Crescent. Rice threw down his glove, the challenge was accepted, and both men hastily appointed seconds and at one o’clock in the morning, a -coach was procured from the Three Tuns, in Stall Street and they made their way to Claverton Down. A contemporary account describes the combat as follows : — “Each armed with two pistols and a sword. The ground being marked out by the seconds, the Viscount du Barre’ fired first, and lodged a ball in Count Rice’s thigh, which penetrated as far as the bone. Count Rice fired his pistol, and wounded the Viscount in the breast He went back two or three steps, then came forward again, and both, at the same time, presented their pistols to each other, the pistols flashed together in the pan, though only one was discharged. Then they threw away their pistols, and took to their swords ; when Count Rice had advanced within a few yards of the Viscount, he saw him fall, and heard him cry out, ‘ Je vous demande ma vie,’ to which Count Rice answered, ‘Je vous la donne ; ‘ but in a few seconds the Viscount fell back and expired. Count Rice was brought with difficulty to Bath, being dangerously wounded, though now he is in a fair way of recovery. The coroner’s inquest sat on the Viscount’s body last Saturday, and after a mature examination of the witnesses and the Viscount’s servants, brought in their verdict Manslaughter.” The Viscount’s body was left exposed the whole day on the Down, and was subsequently buried in Bathampton Churchyard. His tombstone with an inscription that reads: ‘Here rest the remains of Jean Baptiste du Barre. Obiit 18th November, 1778’. Count Rice recovered, was tried at Taunton for murder, and acquitted. He died in Spain in 1809. At that part of the Down where the Yeomanry were formerly reviewed, a bank slopes towards the wall. It was on the other side of this wall, and a few yards from the gate, that the duel took place, where a stone slab marks the spot. The ivory hilt of the sword once belonging to Count Rice is now attached to the city seal in the Town Clerk’s office.’ Robert Edward Myhill Peach ‘Historic houses in Bath, and their associations’ (Volume 2) (1883) Thoughts - Could the 'spirit' at the pub be a case of mistaken identity? As from historical accounts, the Viscount died at the site of the duel, and there seems to be no link to the pub other than maybe that was were his body was taken for the inquest? Some accounts say a spirit resembles the Viscount, but so far I have found no images of him at all, not even paintings... Could the ghost/s at the pub be attributed to another person more entangled in the pubs history, I would love to find out more about the hauntings there and history. If anyone has anything they can add, please email me at - somersetparanormal@yahoo.com Photos - News article from April 1779 on Captain Rice's trial. The Viscounts Burial Record - Bath Burial Records #hauntedpubs #pubghosts #haunted #hauntings #paranormal #paranormalactivity #bathampton #thegeorgepub #duel #bathduels #clavertondownduel #spirits #supernatural #somersethaunting #somersetpubs

Grown men trained to deal with hardened criminals were left quaking in their boots at the thought of a female haunt at Shepton Mallet Prison in the 1960s The female figure, known as the white lady was thought to have been beheaded at the prison in 1680 for murdering her boyfriend Others believe that the spirit is the girl, shortly to have been married, who was found dead in her cell the morning of her execution, having died of a broken heart, and wearing her wedding dress. Reports became rife of unaccountable banging sounds and heavy breathing noises along with an overriding feeling of a chilling presence in the night duty room. It was taken so seriously to the extent that the Governor of the Prison spent a night in the haunted room and sent a full report to the Home Office. He said " I was unable to find any satisfactory explanation for the happenings" One officer refused to enter the night duty room after a horrific experience where he had the sensation of being paralysed in his neck for the whole of the night. One 1960s warder said "I would not spend another night in the duty room for £1000 The extent of the belief is apparent in the way it affected the whole population of the staff, a senior warden at the Prison said " We are all scared and nobody has come up with an explanation" Shepton Mallet Journal 18th July 1996 British Newspaper Archives.

Calling all seekers of the eerie and chroniclers of the unknown... Do you have a chilling tale to tell? A local haunt, an unexplainable encounter, or a ghostly story whispered through generations? I am seeking guest writers to share their most spine-tingling paranormal experiences or hauntingly familiar legends. Your story could be featured on my Facebook pages and this blog, bringing your account to a captivated audience of fellow believers and curious minds. Full credit will be given, or you may choose to remain cloaked in mystery, anonymous like the spectre's you describe. Remember, these tales will live in the public domain, so consider what details you dare reveal. Keeping locations shrouded in secrecy is perfectly acceptable if that’s your wish. If you’re intrigued, simply send me an email... if you dare. somersetparanormal@yahoo.com Thank you .. Artwork - PJW Artworks Photo - Somerset Photography

A selection of local ghost stories rewritten as short poems, just a fun diversion, whilst experimenting with Chat GPT (AI)

The Royal York Hotel - George Street - Bath History- Formerly the York House Hotel, 1 York Buildings forms part of a pair of Grade II mid-18th century terraced townhouses by John Wood the Younger, later the Royal York Hotel, situated within the Bath conservation area and World Heritage Site. 1-2 York Buildings cumulatively form a grand, 3 ½ storey frontage along George Street. The York House was once the most famous and expensive hotel in the city. Its position was ideally situated for passengers coming into Bath by coach. It boasted fine rooms, good food and attentive service. A book written in the mid nineteenth century charts the decline in the hotel’s fortunes from its heyday in the Regency period: “Who has not heard of the once-famous York House Hotel at Bath? There is not a family of any eminence – scarcely a family of any respectability in the south of England whose members have not slept beneath its roof. Bath has been shorn of its pristine glories and the hotel has only followed the general decline of the place…” It was left empty for a number of years and suffered from neglect and had a lot of its original period features ransacked. Now a Travelodge. Hauntings- A guest reported seeing a dark shadow flickering in the corner of his room and in the corridor and the temperature suddenly dropping down, despite the heating being on. Also of being suddenly awoken in the early hours by a sound of their belongings being moved and a feeling of being watched. Has anyone else ever witnessed anything paranormal in the hotel, had a strange experience, either whilst staying there or maybe working there? We would love to know.. Account - Local Sources  Word Wenches/ Crosby’s Complete Pocket Gazeteer of England and Wales, published in 1815 Picture Source - 1869 Johns Charles Maggs, Rare Old Prints & Bath History & Mystery

Tales of the Theatre - Mobile Mystery Tim's Story - December 2002 Dearest Readers, for Halloween here we have another tale of the Theatre Royal from the many accounts and experiences logged by employees and patrons. Tim had finished for the night and went into the Vaults Bar to sign off. He was about to leave and realised he had misplaced his mobile phone, he looked all around where he was and couldn't see it. So went back upstairs, where he meticulously searched the bar, kitchen and restaurant area, but there was no sign of the phone at all. He then asked a colleague if he could borrow their phone to ring his number to track it down. He did this and could clearly hear the ringing on the borrowed phone, but listening intently he couldn't hear it within the immediate area so went back upstairs, and still complete silence. He searched high & low under tables, in corners, anywhere a phone could have hidden in the restaurant, bar and kitchen, all the while with the phone still ringing out with a clear tone through the borrowed handset. He switched out the kitchen light and locked the door, and turning away to leave there was an almighty crash against the back of the kitchen door he had just locked up. The bang was very loud and it sounded like an object had been thrown at the door with some force. Tim was a bit alarmed and puzzled as there was no one in the kitchen, he unlocked the door and the kitchen was still and pitch black, he turned on the light.... As he light came on, a prickling feeling of fear came over him as he saw the item that had been thrown at the door.... it was his lost mobile phone... With a feeling of disbelief and an urge to get out of that area as fast as possible, he left straight away. He had sensed a malignant presence lurking in the empty kitchen. On returning to his colleague, Tim was visibly agitated and his face was white as a sheet, on being asked if he was okay, he replied "No, not really , I will tell you later" Tim just wanted to get away from the Theatre. On recounting his story to Malcolm Cadey, the author of the book, he didn't really wish to talk about it and was apprehensive trying to explain how his phone appeared out of no where and had been flung by something in anger.. But what was it? what could have created this phenomenon? Thoughts - In parapsychology and Spiritualism, an apport is the alleged paranormal transference of an article from one place to another, or an appearance of an article from an unknown source that is often associated with poltergeist activity. The word "apport" comes from the French word apporter, which means "to bring" Could this be what happened here? If anyone has any more recent tales of the Theatre that they would like to have told in a blog post, please feel free to email us. We are always looking for recent experiences which can in some cases be corroborated with historic experiences.  Source - Paranormal Bath by Malcolm Cadey Available on Amazon. Rewritten by P Wallace/ Bath Paranormal Photos/ Artwork - PJW Artworks & Somerset Photography Email - somersetparanormal@yahoo.com

The Bell Inn - Buckland Dinham History - In 951 King Eadred granted land at Buckland to his relative Ælfhere. The village used to be known as Buckland Denham. Denham is believed to be a family name (there are many other villages with Denham in their name) whilst Buckland may refer to a former deer population. The Bell Inn is a Grade II listed pub that was originally a coaching inn Hauntings - There are said to be three ghosts within the pub. Emily is said to be a teenager who passed in childbirth in 1756, she is seen in the restaurant pacing, looking for her baby, who is said to be buried in the nearby barn. An old man sips whisky at table 10 and a little boy is seen at another table. There is said to be regular paranormal activity including bangs and crashes and a locked door unbolts itself and candles are said to light themselves during the night, which is a worry to the landlord.. Thoughts - These are very specific descriptions, it would be interesting to know exactly where they came from, via physical sightings or a sensitive or medium ? Are there any historical records to corroborate these claims at all ? It would be interesting to hear of any recent hauntings or experiences or if anyone has investigated there at all.. Source - Paranormal Somerset - Selena Wright Photos - Google & Somerset History & Mystery Map - Know your Place 1888

This beautiful and popular green area in the centre of Bath was once a fashionable promenade area in the Regency era. We are asking, are they haunted ? do the spirits of the Ladies and Gentlemen of the bygone Bath still stroll amongst the borders and gravelled walks ? The History- Constructed in 1709, the site of Parade Gardens originally formed part of the Bath Abbey Orchard and lay outside of the city wall. A mill, known as Monk's Mill, stood at the northern end of the enclosure with steps leading down to the river. In 1709 Richard 'Beau' Nash encouraged Thomas Harrison to build an Assembly Room for fashionable visitors to the spa. A gravelled walk lined with sycamores, known as Harrison's Walk, was laid out along the west and north boundaries of the triangular site east of the Assembly Rooms; the remainder of the site appears to have been laid out with lawns. Admission to these gardens was by subscription, ensuring exclusivity. A further Assembly Room was built by John Wood in 1730, while at about the same date a formal grove was laid out as a public garden with gravel walks immediately east of Bath Abbey, named Orange Grove in 1734 in honour of a visit to Bath by the Prince of Orange, 'Beau' Nash erected an obelisk at the centre of the Grove to commemorate the Prince's cure. The Orange Grove and the subscription gardens associated with Harrison's Assembly Rooms, known as St James' Gardens, provided space for the recreation of fashionable visitors to Bath in the early C18. When John Wood began to develop North and South Parades to the south of St James' Gardens in 1738, these achieved pre-eminence among the places of fashionable resort in the city. Wood planned North or Grand Parade as a shaded summer promenade with steps descending to St James' Gardens which were to be laid out with a central circular lawn or bowling green and a sheltered spring walk below the retaining wall of the Parade. Harrison's Walk was to be retained along the north-west boundary of the gardens and a further tree-lined walk was to be created along the river. Although Wood's scheme was not fully realised, it appears from C18 and C19 plans of Bath that the layout of the gardens was carried out in accordance with his plan. In 1824 the Royal Literary and Scientific Institution was built on the site of Harrison's Assembly Rooms and the gardens were renamed Institution Gardens. The layout of the gardens appears to have changed little during the C19, but in 1895 an improvement scheme led to the demolition of houses to the east of Orange Grove and Lot Lane, and the northern extension of the gardens. The Bath architect C E Davis constructed an Italianate colonnade along the western boundary of the garden which was continued beneath the new road, Grand Parade, forming a visual link with Pulteney Bridge to the north. Further highway improvements in 1932 led to the demolition of the Royal Institution, and the appropriation of a small area of land at the south-west corner of the gardens. The following year the late C19 colonnade was extended south-west and a new entrance comprising a domed ticket office and a grand double staircase descending from Orange Grove was constructed. The layout of the gardens remains substantially unchanged from the C19, while significant elements of its design reflect the scheme devised in 1738 by John Wood as part of his development of North Parade. Today Parade Gardens continue to operate as subscription gardens, while residents of North Parade have access to the gardens by a private gate. Parade Gardens have remained in municipal ownership since the 1930s. Jane Austen mentions Parade Gardens in her novel - Northanger Abbey, the Lower Assembly Rooms, where Catherine Morland meets Mr. Tilney. Hauntings ? - Has anyone ever spotted a ghost or something paranormal in these historical gardens, maybe late at night whilst the City is sleeping ? Are there any old tales or legends attached to the gardens, the colonnades or vaults going up to the medieval East Gate area, site at one time also of the ducking stool at the end of Slippery Lane.. If you have heard a story or have had an experience or sighting, please pop me an email with your account, then we can add it to the sightings journal and blog. Email - somersetparanormal@yahoo.com Source - Historic England Maps- Know your Place 1888 & 1735 Photo sources - Freshford com/ Bath History & Mystery

Haunted Houses of Bath A Victorian Villa with a Lady in Blue There is a beautiful Victorian Villa which stands within extensive grounds in an area close to the city centre Built possibly c1840, it appears for the first time on the 1844 map of Bath (House name and address withheld for privacy reasons) During the 1930s & 1940's it gained the reputation of being haunted. The ghost of a lady was seen most frequently, wearing a blue dress and a bonnet, she had curly hair underneath her bonnet and she had a long nose and thin cheeks/ high cheekbones.. Whenever she did appear is was just fleetingly and to the observer she looked like she was bending down or dragging something which the witness could not see across the floor. People in the house would also suddenly experience an extreme chill within the house, even when it was very hot weather outside. This was said to be associated with the spirit of an old man, who was never actually seen, so not sure how it was pinpointed as an old man? The sounds of scratching outside bedroom doors was another phenomenon. as if something was trying to get into the room, although nothing ever made it into the rooms.. Research - On looking at the Bath Historical Directories, there is a lady who lived there called Louisa, in c1870, maybe its her? and a man lived there from 1875. It would be interesting to know if this house still has activity...? Source- Haunted Bath - David Brandon. Photo Credit - Lily Absinthe / Pinterest Map - of the area where the house is 1888 #hauntedbath #bathghoststories #halloweenghoststories #paranormal #bath #cityofbath #ghoststories #supernatural #ghosts #haunted #hauntedhouses #victorianghosts