A creepy portrait at The Three Swans Hotel is said to curse those who touch it—one of many ghost stories tied to the haunted Leicestershire inn
The portrait hangs above the bar — stern-faced, still, unblinking. It shows John Fothergill, former landlord of The Three Swans Hotel in Market Harborough.
And if the stories are to be believed, it’s more than just paint on canvas.
Staff insist strange things happen when the frame is touched. Lights fail. Pipes burst. Fires break out without cause.
Some guests swear the eyes follow them. Others say they feel a sudden chill pass over their shoulders when standing beneath it.
The painting doesn’t speak. It doesn’t move. But it doesn’t need to.
Everyone who works at the hotel knows one rule: leave the portrait where it is.
History of The Three Swans
The Three Swans has served travellers on Market Harborough’s High Street for over five centuries.
Its distinctive sign – three white swans on a black field – once welcomed coaches along the London–Leicester route.
By the time John Fothergill arrived in 1934, the hotel was already steeped in history.
Fothergill, a writer and restaurateur with a flair for drama and discipline, took the reins and transformed it into a respected destination.
He later published An Innkeeper’s Diary, documenting his life behind the scenes.
Fothergill died in 1957, but his portrait stayed.
It now presides over the bar, framed in dark wood, with a gaze that has unsettled generations.
Hauntings of The Three Swans
The painting is the focal point for many of the hotel’s ghost stories.
According to long-time staff, any attempt to move it invites trouble.
One cleaner knocked it slightly while dusting. That evening, the lights failed across the entire bar.
Another incident saw a temporary relocation for refurbishment. Within days, a pipe burst, flooding the kitchen, and an electrical fire broke out in a guest room.
But the hauntings aren’t limited to the portrait.
A Victorian woman has been seen in the ladies’ toilets. Her dress is soaked, her eyes wide and distant.
A guest reported glimpsing her in the mirror, only to turn and find the room empty.
No one knows who she was in life, but her presence lingers in sudden chills and muffled footsteps.
One visitor, bathing alone, said a sponge was placed gently into her hand—though she was certain no one else had entered the room.
In another case, bathwater parted in a clean, unnatural line down the centre, as though an invisible figure had stepped in.
Staff have watched glasses slide off shelves for no reason.
Cold spots appear in hallways that should be warm.
Guests report being watched, or waking to the sound of cannon fire and musket shots—though nothing stirs outside.
Even dogs react. Several have refused to enter certain rooms, barking at corners their owners found empty.
These stories come from across the years. Cleaners. Bar staff. Guests.
No two accounts are exactly the same, but the atmosphere they describe is.
Heavy. Unsettling. Quiet—until it isn’t.
Visiting The Three Swans Hotel
The Three Swans Hotel, at 21 High Street, Market Harborough, LE16 7NJ, remains a working hotel, offering fine food, traditional décor and modern comforts.
Guests can book four-poster rooms or dine in the historic restaurant.
There are no official ghost tours, but ask quietly at the bar and someone may share what they’ve heard—or seen.
Fothergill’s portrait still hangs above the bar.
It watches. You can stand beneath it if you like. Just don’t touch the frame.
Have you experienced anything strange at The Three Swans Hotel? Share your story in the comments below!
