The Lady in Grey and Greenmeadow House linger in South Wales folklore, their Cardiff Haunted House story drifting through the years like a whisper along a shadowed corridor
In the late 19th century, Greenmeadow House stood on the edge of Tongwynlais, north of Cardiff. It was a pale-green stucco mansion in quiet countryside, close to Castell Coch.
By day, it was the genteel home of the Lewis family. By night, some believed another resident walked its corridors.
In October 1893, the Western Mail — and several other newspapers — published an account of the haunting. The article, written by a correspondent signing themselves “Gwen”, drew on the family’s own memories.
The main ghost was a woman in grey who glided “down the long passages… enveloped in a shapeless film of cloudy grey.” Sometimes she moved silently. Sometimes the “ringing clang” of high heels echoed through the house.
Her favourite haunt was a large bedroom overlooking the drive. Guests often found the doors to its adjoining dressing rooms open or closed without explanation. Many claimed to feel her presence — the swish of fabric, a soft sigh, or a door quietly pushed shut. Few saw her clearly.
The Ghostly Embrace
One evening, Mrs Henry Lewis and a friend went to check the store room. She was thinking about a broken window sash when she felt an arm slip around her waist and draw her close.
“I turned… to find that what I felt I could not see,” she said. Her friend was standing on the far side of the room.
Not wanting to cause alarm, Mrs Lewis blamed a mouse. But her guest was almost disappointed:
“A ghost is an honoured treasure in a family — a relic of the past to be respected — and you deceived me with the suggestion of a vulgar little mouse.”
The housekeeper once fled after seeing a woman in grey glide past as she locked the store room door. Gwen Lewis, the Lewises’ daughter and a violinist, admitted she didn’t mind the ghost’s company, but added: “I hope it will never develop into an actual embrace.”
Servants spoke of other apparitions, including “a little man in red.” A former tenant, Miss Vaughan, had a heavy door installed to block off the haunted wing after being disturbed by strange noises at night.
Mrs Lewis also told of a curious incident involving her former maid, Phœbe. During a serious illness, she whispered the maid’s name in the middle of a severe attack.
At the same moment, miles away, Phœbe turned to her bed and saw Mrs Lewis lying there. She rushed back to Greenmeadow, fearing her former mistress was dying.
More Than One Ghost
Later local histories added further spirits to this Cardiff haunted house’s roll call.
- A tall red-haired man in the Old Oak Room was seen leaning on a sword before dropping to his knees and vanishing.
- A “Blue Room” ghost appeared as a silent, watchful figure.
- A hunchbacked spectre haunted the cellars.
- The “Green Man” was thought to be the ghost of a former servant in livery.
Greenmeadow House No More
Greenmeadow House was abandoned in the 20th century and fell into disrepair. After a tragic accident on the estate, it was demolished in 1945. Cardiff Rural District Council bought the land, and the Greenmeadow Estate was built in its place.
Today, streets such as Green Meadow Drive cover the site. The Cardiff haunted house, its oak-panelled rooms and long corridors are gone — but the name and the stories remain.
The Lady in Grey was once described as “an honoured treasure… a relic of the past to be respected”. More than a century later, she is part of South Wales folklore.
The haunted house may have vanished, but the ghost still walks in memory.
Have you seen or experienced any ghosts in the area surrounding Greenmeadow? Tell us about it in the comments section below.
