The Sun Hotel in Hitchin teems with paranormal activity, from a laughing green-corseted lady to sudden scratches and unseen hands, writes investigator and medium Emma Saunders, from Ghostly Gatherings
Hitchin’s Sun Hotel has been welcoming guests for centuries.
On the High Street with its blackened timbers and uneven floors, it was once a bustling coaching inn for travellers between London and the north.
The place has seen its share of celebrations, quarrels, romances and deaths.
Locals will tell you it holds onto those stories – and not all of the storytellers are alive.
I first got into The Sun because the young bar manager rang me up. She said, “We’ve got stuff going on in here, do you think you could come and have a look around for us?”
So I said, “Yeah, okay,” and went round.
First time there, we did a live stream in the main bar. In the back room we had cat balls going off, REM pods lighting up – proper activity straight away.
Then we went up to Room 10, which I’d already been told had a bit of a reputation.
The Green-Corseted Lady
As soon as I walked in, she was there. Stood by the bed, tight emerald-green corset, all her boobs hanging out, big long skirt, curly auburn hair.
She was laughing like she’d had a few too many.
I said hello, told the girl with me there was a lady here, and that I thought she liked playing games.
That’s when I heard about the remotes and little bits going missing and turning up again.
We did a Ouija board in there and she came straight through.
She said she was a lady of the night and connected to a man called John.
All fine at first, then Rob – one of my team – sat at the board and the whole thing changed.
Rob’s spirit guide came in and warned him, and then John made himself known.
He didn’t like her talking to other men.
The planchette started flying so fast we actually couldn’t keep our fingers on it.
We closed the board down. No point winding him up – if they disappear, we’ve got nothing left to work with later.
That place gets under your skin.
I kept going back because it’s alive.
Return to The Sun in Hitchin
In June 2021 I was behind the little upstairs bar and a boy made himself known – William. Said he lived there and was looking for his family.
In Room 19, people lying on the bed all said the same thing: a heavy pressure on the chest, like someone was holding them down.
In the cellar, an old wooden chair by the doorway started rocking. No one was near it.
Over time, I kept getting names.
Josephine, she pops up all over – Room 10, the ballroom.
Dorothy came through once, said she had four children.
Diane turned up too, 21 years old, prostitute, “seeing to John’s needs,” born in 1701, died of syphilis.
Sometimes we get voices – “friends”, “people” – once “leave” repeated three times.
We’ve heard boxes kicked over, had guests scratched, had people so cold in one spot they can’t get warm again.
Even on a quieter night, like April 2025, it still had something.
Cat ball under the dressing table in Room 5, torch flickering non-stop despite a full charge, two people pushed in the corner.
In Room 19, EMF spikes, automatic writing with the word “baby” – or “Bobby.”
Two blokes had to leave the bed because of that chest pressure, and a woman sitting there was freezing while everyone else was fine.
Down in the cellar, rods moving like a child was playing with them, Lucy touched on the arm, one of the guests touched on the face.
The Sun is an old hotel, full of layers – history, human stories, people who’ve never quite left.
Every time I’m there, it gives me something different, and I’ve never walked out without something to think about.
Discover other Hitchin Hauntings on Spooky Hertfordshire.
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