Haunted Hampton Court

Hampton Court Palace in East Molesey, with its 500 years of history, has seen many dramatic royal events from the death of Henry VIII’s third wife, Jane Seymour, to the condemnation and house arrest of his fifth, Catherine Howard, for adultery. Over the centuries there, staff, visitors, workmen and residents have experienced strange phenomena for which there is often no practical explanation. The hauntings of Catherine Howard at Hampton Court Palace are so well known that the Haunted Gallery was given its spine-tingling name. In November 1541, Catherine was charged with adultery, placed under house arrest and confined to her rooms at Hampton Court. It is claimed she broke free from her guards and ran down the corridor to reach King Henry, who was in his private chapel, and plead for her life. Her guards soon caught up with her and dragged her back to her rooms, despite her protests. Catherine was later executed at the Tower of London. It is said she has been seen floating down the Haunted Gallery.

Catherine Howard is not the only of Henry VIII’s six wives whose presence is said to still be felt at Hampton Court.

His third and favourite wife, Jane Seymour, died at the palace following complications after the birth of Henry’s only son, Edward, in 1537.

Jane is said to walk through the cobbled courtyard of Clock Court carrying a lighted taper.

Sibell Penn, who was nurse to Prince Edward, is the most persistent reported ghost at Hampton Court Palace.

There have been sightings as recently as 1986 when a "lady in grey" was reportedly seen in various Tudor courtyards and cloisters.

Meanwhile, 'Skeletor' is the name that was given to a ghostly figure which appeared on a CCTV camera at Hampton Court Palace in October 2003.