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Ghosts of Longleat

P Wallace • April 26, 2024

Longleat House - Just on the border of Somerset & Wiltshire

History - 

Longleat is a stately home about 4 miles west of Warminster.

Set in 1,000 acre of parkland landscaped by Capability Brown, along with 4,000 acres of let farmland and 4,000 acres of woodland.


It was previously an Augustinian priory. 

The name comes from "leat", an artificial waterway or channel such as that which supplies a watermill.


A leading and early example of the Elizabethan prodigy house, it is a Grade I listed building and the seat of the Marquesses of Bath.

Built between 1567 and 1580, to put into perspective how old this magnificent house is, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I

Queen Elizabeth I was the first monarch to visit Longleat in 1574. 

The Queen very much enjoyed her visit and later sent Lord Bath a hand-written letter thanking him for the 'fascinating' day spent at his 'beautiful house.


The house was built by Sir John Thynne and designed mainly by Robert Smythson, after Longleat Priory was destroyed by fire in 1567. 

It took 12 years to complete and is widely regarded as one of the finest examples of Elizabethan architecture in Britain. 


It has been lived in by sixteen generations of the Thynne family and it continues to be the seat of the Thynne family, who have held the title of Marquess of Bath since 1789

During World War I, the house was used as a temporary hospital. 

During World War II, it became the evacuated Royal School for Daughters of Officers of the Army. 

An American hospital was also constructed in the grounds; Henry Thynne, 6th Marquess of Bath (1905–1992) inherited in 1946. 

Faced with considerable death duties he sold large parts of the wider estates; to allow Longleat itself to survive, he opened the house to public visitors.


Hauntings - 

The Ghost of the Grey Lady & the Body Under the Cellar

The most famous of Longleat’s ghosts is that of Lady Louisa Carteret, who married the 2nd Viscount of Weymouth - Thomas Thynne in 1733. 

He agreed to allow her to bring her own serving staff to Longleat as part of their wedding arrangements. 

One of her entourage was a young footman who’s adoration to his Lady seemed to go beyond what was expected of his post, at least that is how it appeared to a few of Longleat's household staff. 

They grew jealous of what seemed to be favouritism by Lady Louisa towards this young man. 

Rumours and suspicions grew as to the likelihood of there being extramarital liaisons between the two. 

These rumours were quite untrue as it turned out but word got back to Thomas that his wife was having an affair. 

Thomas, well known for his quick temper confronted the fellow at his earliest opportunity in a passageway outside the old library on the first floor beside a spiral staircase. 

An altercation took place whereby Thomas accused the footman of indiscretions toward his wife, which he flatly denied. In a fit of rage, Thomas lost his temper and pushed the footman down the stairs breaking his neck in the fall. 

Thomas, fearful of being implicated in his murder, quickly had the body buried in the cellar and made up a story for Lady Louisa that the footman had left without word. 

She did not believe him, fully aware of his distrust for her servant. 

She suspected her husband had imprisoned him somewhere inside the enormous house. 

She spent many days and nights frantically searching every room, those that were locked she demanded be opened. Her search however proved fruitless, for she never found him. 

It was on one of her nightly searches in the bitter cold that she caught a chill which developed into pneumonia. 

Lady Louisa, much weakened and distressed by her husbands deceit succumbed to her illness during childbirth and died in 1736 at the age of 22. 

She had been married just three years. 

Shortly after her death, reports from staff claimed they had seen Lady Louisa prowling the passageway where the incident had taken place,

Even today she is heard banging on doors in a desperate and endless search to locate the whereabouts of her footman. 


She was a beautiful young woman in life and it is said by those who claim to have seen her, that she retains her beauty in death. 

The Grey Lady is the most frequently seen of Longleat’s ghosts, even the late Marquess of Bath claims to have seen her on occasion. 

Her portrait hangs in the Lower Dining Room.


After his wife’s death, Thomas moved from Longleat, to live in the village of Horningsham nearby. 

There were those who, at the time, spoke of his reasons for leaving; he lived in mortal dread of encountering Lady Louisa as she walked the passageway after nightfall. 

Evidence to back up the death of the footman and subsequent ghost story are further endorsed when central heating was being installed in 1903. 

It had been necessary to lower the floors in the cellar to accommodated the boiler and pipes. 

Whilst digging up the flagstones, builders discovered the skeletal remains of a male wearing what appeared to be the remains of jackboots and fragments of a uniform of a footman of the period. 

To avoid any scandal, the bones were collected and quietly interred in the local churchyard. 

Ironically, as it turned out, only a few feet away from where 2nd Viscount Thomas Thynne is buried.

Source - Haunted Wiltshire Blogspot


The Red library is said to have two ghosts, one is said to be an old man in black that sits and quietly reads (Bishop Ken ?) the other is Lord Bath's elder brother that was killed in action in WW1

The main library is haunted by Bishop Thomas Ken (1637-1711) who hid in the house during the persecution of the Catholics.

He lived on the top floor for about 20 years and died there, he was laid out in his funeral shroud in his favourite room.


The original owner of the house Sir John Thynne (1513 -1518) has been seen here also as well as walking around the park and woods.


Other sightings include a cavalier, a stone throwing monk (see article) and a green lady in the grounds and on the top floor on Green Ladys Walk, she is called the green lady, as she appears to be wearing a green dress the same as her portrait, according to a former employee

several of the older housekeepers had seen her (speaking in 1999)


Source - Paranormal Wiltshire - Selena Wright


In a Western Daily Press news article in 1999 a former employee speaks of the various stories associated with the house including mentioning that the old elephant house used to be the site of the morgue during WW2 when wounded US soldiers were billeted there.


There is also the ghost of a black dog, which has been seen by people for generations and has a copse named after it, Black Dog Wood.


In 1975 Uri Geller visited the house and gave a demonstration of his skills in the 'haunted' library, bending the family silver and a sword from the Lansdown collection, it was reported that books fell off the shelves, a miniature fell over and an portrait smashed to the ground.

Maybe this was Bishop Ken showing his dissatisfaction at the spectacle? 


In the early 1960's Ghost hunter and Clairvoyant Tom Corbett, who is featured in a book, The Stately Ghosts of England by Diana Norman visited the house, he was friends with the Marquis at the time and was taken up to the many passages at the top of the house and namely the Green Lady's Walk, 

As he walked up one of the passageways he appeared to make contact with a spirit, he said 'No' several times, he made his way to another passage and stopped and announced that 'there was something there and something dreadful happened there'

'This is your corridor, not the other one'

It turns out that he was correct, they had shown him the wrong corridor to test his psychic powers and he had got it right..

He then went around the house picking out the various ghosts and the history books they had been identified in.

Tom Corbett was then ill for a week after he had visited Longleat.. 

Source - Daily Herald 4th March 1963



Thoughts-

I have been visiting Longleat for over 50 years and love visiting regularly, the stories intrigue me and I am interested to know and learn more.


It would be interesting to know if any paranormal activity still occurs, have any of the family, staff or visitors have ever witnessed anything?

Are the Green Lady and the Grey Lady the same spirit? or two separate Ladies? do they haunt the same area?


It would be my dream to investigate or even do a walk through.

If you are interested in the Ghosts of Longleat, keep checking back for updates, as and when I get any more information or photos.


© Somerset Paranormal

Photos- © Somerset Photography

British Newspaper Archives

Maps - 1888 & 1659 


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The Royal York Hotel - Bath

By Bath Paranormal • November 15, 2024
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

By Bath Paranormal • October 31, 2024
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

By Somerset Paranormal • October 31, 2024
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

Are Bath's Parade Gardens haunted ?

By Bath Paranormal • October 29, 2024
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 - The Victorian Villa

By Bath Paranormal • October 12, 2024
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 - Frome

By Somerset Paranormal • October 12, 2024
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

The Boy with the Goldfish Bowl

By Somerset Paranormal • August 24, 2024
The Boy with the Goldfish Bowl Somewhere on the A37 to Glastonbury in the Summer of 2001 Approx Time - Early afternoon. Whilst out driving along a straight stretch of road heading to Glastonbury, a driver, his wife and child spotted a young boy holding a goldfish bowl about 50 yards in front of them at the bottom of the embankment, the driver had a feeling he was going to run out up and in front of the car, he sped up so he would be past him before he could get up the hill then suddenly the boy was at the side of the road 20 foot in front of the car, which he must have done at superhuman speed. The driver hit the brakes as the boy was in front of the car looking straight at him and then just vanished, with no sound or bump or signs pf an impact, just like that he had disappeared. He thought he may have seen him continuing back across the road in his rear mirror, but wasn't sure. Has anyone else ever witnessed anything like this? Who is this boy? and why the goldfish bowl? Thoughts - The witness contacted me regarding their experience, they couldn't remember the exact road, it was an A road with a wide river running under the road (River Brue?) with a wide green embankment which ran up to the road. After looking at maps and looking for crossing places over the river I found a possible location on the A37 outside Lydford on Fosse, Bridgefoot Bridge. This area has some amazing history and could well have an intriguing ghost attached to it as well. The A37 follows the old Roman Road alignment and there could well have been a crossing here 2000 years ago. The bridge was built in 1820 and in 1958 widened which gave it wide grass verges at the side, matching the witness description. But the witness tells me that's not the area, so we are left still wondering at this amazing phenomenon, but sadly without knowing the precise area, we are unable to go any further unless new information comes to light. Story Source - Local Source Artwork - PJW Artworks

The Old Chapel - Keynsham

By Somerset Paranormal • June 29, 2024
The Old Chapel - Temple Street - Keynsham. History - The Bethesda Chapel, formerly United Free Methodist Chapel. It wasconverted to commercial use in 1968, the graveyard remained in place, but was built over. Hauntings - Soon after it was converted to a hardware store, a tall thin man would be seen in a black cloak inside the entrance which had been the church hall by staff working late at night.. Another member of staff was touched on the shoulder whilst at their desk. Poltergeist activity involving china/ crockery hitting the ceiling after seemingly flying through the air. Lights turn on and footsteps can be heard, the building always seems to have a deathly chill of the cold, even when its warm weather.. An exorcism took place in the 1960's which seemingly stopped the male manifestation for a few years, however he did then return.. Thoughts - It would be interesting to find out more about the chapel prior to its use, how old is the building etc. Does anyone still experience any activity now? where is the activity on relation to the burial ground? Source - Paranormal Somerset - Selena Wright Map - Know your Place 1888

Bridgerton Haunted Locations - Edward Street - Bath

By Bath Paranormal • May 31, 2024
Bridgerton Haunted Locations.. Bath To celebrate the release of Bridgerton Series 3, I am featuring some haunted hotspots on the sites in Bath where Bridgerton was filmed.. New for Series 3, a stone’s throw away from The Holburne Museum, which is where the exterior shots for Lady Danbury's home are filmed is Edward Street. It is the newest Bridgerton filming location in Bath. This residential Georgian street makes its debut in Season 3, with many of the scenes filmed just along from the Dukes hotel which can be seen in the opening scenes. History- These townhouses were built c1795 Dukes Hotel was originally two private houses, No's 53 & 54 Great Pulteney Street. It was then a school then the houses were combined into an hotel called St. Monica's in 1919 In 1985 the name was changed to Dukes Hotel, in honour of His Grace the Duke of Clevedon. Hauntings The Dancing Spirits of Edward Street In one of the flats of these town houses, there was an annual phenomenon of the sound of dancing feet on the wooden floorboards with the disembodied sound of music. The sound was said to move around the rooms and stop abruptly whenever a door was opened. It would be interesting to know if there is any activity in the houses now or over the years.. and if there are any stories for the hotel.. Source - David Brandon - Paranormal Bath © Bath Paranormal Photos - Bath in Time, Bridgerton Series 3 Ep 1 - Netflix screenshot. Know your Place maps. #ghostsofbath #bathghosts #hauntedbath #royalcrescentghosts #royalcrescentbath #bathroyalcrescent #ghostofsomerset #somersetparanormal #bridgerton #ghosts #regencybath #bridgertonday #bridgertonlocations #bridgertonseason2 #bridgertonghosts #bridgerton #bridgertonseries #bridgertonfilming #hauntedhouses #haunted #hauntedbath #paranormal #paranormalbath #hauntedmuseum #bathparanormal
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