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

The Griffin Inn - Milk Street - Frome This pub was built around 1717 Hauntings - Allegedly an elderly man haunts the top floor, called Albert who is said to be unhappy whenever loud music is played, however we are not sure how exactly this is manifested,, When a new landlord moved in he decided to see what was behind a blocked up doorway in the cellar. A vaulted ceiling was discovered and at the same time an icy chill went up through to the bar and a glass exploded, the doorway was quickly sealed back up again. Another account of a glass shattering says that a woman was paying for a drink that had been poured in a tall wine glass and before she could pay, the glass suddenly shattered leaving just the stem, the barman said it was like the top had been hit with a hockey stick, the woman hastily left. Its also reported that dogs in the bar sometimes go still and stare at a particular spot and their eyes appear to follow something unseen along a wall Does anyone know of any other details or history of these hauntings? Update - 15/11/24 I have been contacted by someone that used to work at the pub approx 15 years ago saying that they used to get a strange feeling in their stomach and a sense of being watched when they had to work on the top floor, also the area near the pool room and stairs had the same feeling and a few times the door was shut on them. Regarding the area behind the wall, the landlord at the time told the employee above that the passageway went to the church down the road and was used as a means of escape from the church to safety. Source - Paranormal Somerset - Selena Wright Secret Frome - Andrew Pickering and Gary Kearley Map - 1888 - Know your Place