When Henry VIII accepted this Palace as a gift from Cardinal Wolsey in 1528 he must have given little thought to the ghostly history he was about to unleash.
There are said to be about 35 ghosts within the ancient walls, halls and passageways and there are many tales of visitors falling under their spell; especially in the Haunted Gallery where tourists have been known to faint after feeling an intense, and unexplained cold. They also have felt a desperation and sadness in the Chapel with some even reporting a disembodied hand knocking on the door; pleading for entrance.
Some of the more famous spectres are Anne Boleyn whose ghost drifts with an atmosphere of forlorn misery, up and down the passageways. One wonders what she says to Jane Seymour when they must meet. Jane died soon after the birth of her son Edward and she re-visits Hampton Court on the anniversary of his birth. She can be seen with a lit candle, head and shoulders slumped in despair as she melts towards his room. She moves, or rather glides in a traditional way, passing effortlessly through doors and walls and has been known to terrify staff when they meet. And Henry’s fifth wife, Catherine Howard is a frequent visitor. She was reputed to have had many lovers including her music teacher and several noblemen at the Court. Henry, when these indiscretions were brought to his attention, had most of these men executed (thus producing more ghosts) and Catherine herself was restricted to her chambers at Hampton Court – a 16th century version of “house arrest”. In 1541, in a desperate effort to avoid execution she escaped from her chambers and fled through the Haunted Gallery to the Chapel where she knew Henry was at prayer, to ask for forgiveness. The Chapel door was locked and Henry refused to see her. She was dragged back to her chambers by the guards, and executed a year later. She is now regularly seen fleeing down the Haunted Gallery towards the Chapel, her face writhing and distorted with terror. It is probably her hand which sometimes can be seen pounding on the door of the chapel.
Henry VIII himself has also been seen with disturbing regularity. And many of the unknown palace staff who have passed on over the centuries can be seen. There have been accounts of old women and sounds of domestic machinery like the whirr of spinning wheels. There have also been several reports of doors mysteriously being left open with security cameras recording shadowy figures.
Hampton Court is a “must see” for everyone. To walk along the passageways, rooms and gardens is to walk with Kings, ghosts and the unexplained. Who knows whom you might meet?
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