Spooky ghost tours return to Hampton Court Palace this weekend, and with 500 years of dramatic history, there are plenty of scary stories and haunted happenings in the palace after dark.

State apartment warder team leader at Hampton Court Palace Christian Lax said: “At 500 years old, Hampton Court Palace is said to be one of the most haunted buildings in Britain and has a whole host of supernatural stories to uncover.

“All of the spine-chilling tales visitors will hear during the tours are based on first-hand accounts and original historical records, and even today, our staff report unexplained happenings at the palace after dark.

“The ghost tours will give visitors the chance to explore the areas of the palace that have seen the most eerie activity and decide for themselves the truth behind the mystery.”

Before you head to the old home of Henry VIII, here are just some of the apparitions you could encounter. Don’t say we didn’t warn you...

Surrey Comet:

Catherine Howard

King Henry VIII’s fifth with was charged with adultery and placed under house arrest in her rooms at Hampton Court before she was executed. Ever since, a ghostly female form dressed in white and shrieking, has often been seen stalking what has now become known as The Haunted Gallery. In 1999, two female visitors spontaneously fainted on the same spot in the gallery and hour apart.

Jane Seymour

Another of Henry’s spouses still makes her presence felt at the palace. Third wife Jane Seymour died after the birth of their son, Edward, in 1537. Jane is still said to walk through the cobbled courtyard of Clock Court carrying a candle.

Edward’s nurse

Prince Edward’s nurse, Sibell Penn, died in 1562 and was buried at Hampton Church but when the church was destroyed in 1829, her remains were disturbed and it is said her spirit returned to the rooms she inhabited at Hampton Court Palace. The ‘lady in grey’ is the palace’s most persistent ghost with repeated sightings.

Surrey Comet:

A four-legged friend from beyond

Visitors and staff have often commented on the ‘strange atmosphere’ in the Wolsey Closet, with one caterer even refusing to enter it because he felt it was ‘evil’. A dog has been seen and heard there on more than one occasion.

The lost child

A routine picture taken in the Queen’s Privy Chamber by Sunday Express reporter James Fielding as recently as this March looked entirely normal on first glance but close inspection revealed the faint outline of a small child in an old-fashioned gown holding on to the dress of a mannequin.

Skeletor

Palace CCTV picked up something very spooky in 2003 after several occasions of security guards being alerted to an open fire door. The footage revealed a ghostly figure in Tudor dress suddenly appear and close the doors. The figure was dubbed skeletor because of its appearance.

 

Hampton Court’s ghost tours return from October 31 with tour guides taking you on a spine-chilling tour after nightfall and conjuring up supernatural stories from the past five centuries. There are options for both families and adults, starting from £14 adults and £7 children. Call 0844 4827777 or go to hrp.org.uk