Grey lady ghosts are known throughout the British Isles. RICK HALE presents five of the most intriguing ones…
In a country well known for its many haunted locations, the UK is world-famous for its vengeful wraiths and lost souls.
Among all the others one kind of ghost has become a staple of English spirit lore, the ghostly “Grey Lady”.
For decades, even centuries, countless eyewitnesses have claimed to encounter this ghost at many allegedly haunted locations.
Here are five haunted locations across England where a grey lady walks for all time.
Cambridge Military Hospital, Aldershot, Hampshire
From its opening in 1879 to its closing in 1996, Cambridge Military Hospital in Aldershot has seen to injured soldiers wounded in battle.
For well over a century, the hospital treated soldiers and countless soldiers went on to their final reward behind its stone walls.
Today, the hospital sits abandoned with the echoes of its past still being heard today.
Several ghosts are said to haunt the hospital, but one has been encountered more than the rest, the grey lady.
The grey lady of Cambridge Military Hospital has been seen wandering the top floor between wards 10 and 14.
The pleasant scent of lavender wafting on the breeze is said to herald her appearance.
The grey lady is believed to be a member of Queen Alexandra’s Royal Army Nursing Corps.
While going about seeing to the wounded, the faithful young nurse made a dreadful error.
While administering medication to one of her charges, she accidentally overdosed him.
As she watched her patient die a painful death, the nurse panicked and walked over to a window on the top floor and jumped. She plunged to her death a hundred feet down on to the concrete.
Although she made a horrible mistake and committed a desperate act, it’s believed she remained to help others move on from this world to the next.
Middleton Hall, Tamworth, Warwickshire
Middleton Hall is a Grade II listed building dating as far back as medieval times.
For centuries the stately old manor was the home of the Barons of Middleton.
Today, it is open to the public, and it’s a popular venue for weddings and corporate functions.
Middleton Hall is also home to another of England’s grey ladies.
The grey lady was first witnessed by the wife of John Peel in the 1800s.
Since then the ghostly figure has been seen silently treading the halls and corridors of Middleton Hall.
The haunting became so well known it attracted, Yvette Fielding and her paranormal reality TV show, Most Haunted.
Fielding and her crew attempted to track down the Hall’s famous ghost but came up empty-handed.
The grey lady of Middleton Hall in Tamworth is regularly seen by both staff and visitors alike.
Alnwick Castle, Northumberland
Charming Alnwick Castle is the ancestral home of the Percy family and serves as the current residence of the 12th Duke of Northumberland, Ralph Percy.
The castle is so spectacular it has been called the “Windsor of the north.”
The castle has played important roles in British history including the Scottish border wars and The War of the Roses. It’s also been featured in several movies.
Several ghosts haunt Alnwick Castle; it’s most prominent being the grey lady.
The spectral grey lady has been seen throughout the castle. But it seems to favour the tunnels that run underneath the castle.
The commonly accepted story of the grey lady’s origin dates back to a tragic accident during the Victorian era.
The grey lady is believed to be a young maid that fell down a chute into the tunnels below while seeing to her duties.
When her co-workers realized she was missing, they searched the castle from top to bottom.
When they found her, it was too late. She perished from her injuries.
Her apparition has been seen in the dark tunnels. Her wails of anguish are commonly heard echoing throughout the tunnels.
Ruthin Castle, Denbighshire, Wales
Ruthin Castle in Wales was constructed in the 13th century by Dafydd ap Gruffydd, brother of the Prince of Wales.
Throughout its long history, it has been home to Welsh nobility, a hospital to treat unusual diseases and today, a luxury hotel.
Since opening as a hotel, there have been several complaints by guests of encountering the angry apparition of a lady in a grey dress.
Some guests have even fled the hotel in terror after crossing paths with the ghost.
It’s believed this particularly mean grey lady was the wife of the castle’s second in command.
One day, she discovered her husband in the arms of another woman in their bed.
An unearthly rage overcame her, and she was driven instantly mad by her husband’s betrayal.
She reportedly grabbed a freshly sharpened axe and hacked the lovers to death. Their blood saturated the bed and covering the floor.
When she was apprehended, she was given a speedy trial and sentenced to death. Her grave can still be seen outside the castle walls.
The grey lady of Ruthin Castle stalks the halls of the hotel forever seeking vengeance on those who did not bury her in consecrated ground.
You can read more about Ruthin Castle’s Axe Murderer Ghost here.
Hampton Court Palace, London
Of all the grey ladies said to haunt England, the grey lady of Hampton Court is without a doubt the most famous.
Hampton Court is the country’s most well-known historical palace and has shaped the country’s history on more than one occasion. And of course, it had its own grey lady.
The grey lady of Hampton Court is said to be the restless ghost of Sybil Penn, a woman who faithfully served four Tudor monarchs.
While nursing Elizabeth I back to health from smallpox, Sybil Penn, fell victim to the highly contagious disease and died.
Sybil Penn, the grey lady of Hampton Court, began haunting the palace in 1829 when her tomb was disturbed during renovations of the church.
Sybil Penn forever walks Hampton Court searching for rest in her tomb.
Grey ladies are probably England and Wales’ most iconic ghosts. And will be part of the haunted landscape until the end of time.
