Author Topic: Myths of the Tudor ghosts  (Read 27214 times)

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helenazar

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Myths of the Tudor ghosts
« on: November 27, 2006, 12:44:00 PM »
We started the "Tudor ghost" discussion on another thread, but I think it warrants one of its own. Feel free to post myths and legends of "Tudor ghosts" here.

We had been talking about the ghost of Catherine Howard haunting the halls of Hampton Court, and Anne Boleyn's various other establishments.

Take it away...    :o  :o  :o



bell_the_cat

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Re: Myths of the Tudor ghosts
« Reply #1 on: November 27, 2006, 04:19:17 PM »
There's a famous Stuart "ghost" in the Queen's House at Greenwich- it's actually been photographed on the spiral staircase. I guess it could be Henrietta Maria or Anne of Denmark (the former more likely to haunt her beloved France, I feel). What it looks most like is a glowing blob!

Offline Kimberly

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Re: Myths of the Tudor ghosts
« Reply #2 on: December 01, 2006, 02:06:40 PM »
OK, especially for Eddieboy then ;) :-*. Thomas Boleyn's ghost has to perform a penance every year for one thousand years; he has to cross 12 bridges before dawn, taking him away from Blickling, through Coltishall and on to Wroxham. For some reason, his head is to be found beneath his arm but it doesn't drip blood...oh no....it has flames coming out of the eyes and mouth, but all is not lost because he has the luxury of a carriage drawn by headless horses.
Katherine of Aragon's ghost has been seen walking the gallery of Kimbolton Castle.
Katherine Parr haunts Snape Castle (presumably the home of Kate and one of her previous husbands), but her ghost is said to radiate a sense of calm and peace.
Jane Seymour returns to Hampton Court every 12th October (the anniversary of Edward's birth). She also haunts the grounds of Marwell Hall but she needs to take care because Anne Boleyn has been seen loitering near a row of trees here too. Reckon she is spoiling for a fight ;D
Windsor Castle has the ghost of Elizabeth Ist in the library (wasn't there a spooky story about when she was dying, her "ghost" was seen looking out of the window)
Old Henry himself also haunts Windsor... he has been seen walking the hallways, his footsteps along with agonising groans have been heard by many guests at the castle.
Poor old Anne Boley's ghost is seen just about everywhere (I'm surprsed she doesn't haunt the local Tesco's ;D ;D)
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helenazar

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Re: Myths of the Tudor ghosts
« Reply #3 on: December 02, 2006, 03:36:02 PM »
Poor old Anne Boley's ghost is seen just about everywhere (I'm surprsed she doesn't haunt the local Tesco's ;D ;D)

It is said that Anne Boleyn's ghost haunts the grounds of the Tower of London, where she was executed. She has been seen many times over the years by the guardsmen patrolling the grounds.  One of the sentries even faced court-martial charges over the spirit.  It seems one early morning while on guard duty, he saw a figure in a brown velvet gown emerge from the mist and move toward him.  He challenged the figure several times and received no reply.  The guard approached with bayonet fixed, and as he did, he noticed that the figure's bonnet appeared completely empty.  The figure did not stop advancing, and the soldier ran it through with his bayonet.  Bolts of white fire shot back down his rifle knocking him unconscious.  Later that morning, his superiors found him and accused him of sleeping on duty; a very serious offense in the military.  In his court-martial hearing however, the court had learned that Anne Boleyn's spirit had again been seen just outside the little chapel where she spent her last night before execution.

*       *        *

While there are many more reported specters that inhabit the infamous Tower, one of the most frightening is that of Margaret, Countess of Salisbury.  At Margaret's beheading, she managed to get free of her guards and ran screaming through the yard.  The ominous masked executioners chased her and when she tripped, dragged her screaming and kicking back to the executioner's block.  Margaret screamed and struggled as the men tried to hold her down, causing the executioner's axe to miss three times.  By now Margaret had gone completely insane, and fought all the harder.  On his fourth try, his axe tore into only half of her throat.  Her screams turned into bloody gurgles.  On the fifth drop of the axe the executioner found the mark and Margaret's head rolled silently into the basket.  Margaret reportedly reenacts her horrific execution every year, on it's anniversary.  (apologies for the explicit description).




« Last Edit: December 02, 2006, 03:51:50 PM by Helen_A »

helenazar

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Re: Myths of the Tudor ghosts
« Reply #4 on: December 02, 2006, 03:53:26 PM »

Old Henry himself also haunts Windsor... he has been seen walking the hallways, his footsteps along with agonising groans have been heard by many guests at the castle.


I wonder if he ever runs into the ghosts of any his poor wives...  ;)

bell_the_cat

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Re: Myths of the Tudor ghosts
« Reply #5 on: December 04, 2006, 03:27:09 PM »
If you are ever at the Tower of London and hear a strange gurgling sound - it may well be the unstill spectre of the poor old Countess!  ;)

helenazar

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Re: Myths of the Tudor ghosts
« Reply #6 on: December 09, 2006, 05:11:52 PM »
Here is a link to a strange Tudor ghost story called "An Afterlife at Hampton Court"  ;)

http://members.optushome.com.au/peterpanandwendy/an_afterlife_at_hampton_court.htm

FaithWhiteRose

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Re: Myths of the Tudor ghosts
« Reply #7 on: April 09, 2007, 07:08:39 PM »
What about any Plantagenet or York ghosts? what about the first generation of the Tudors, or Arthur Tudor?

Kurt Steiner

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Re: Myths of the Tudor ghosts
« Reply #8 on: April 24, 2007, 05:13:11 AM »
What about any Plantagenet or York ghosts? what about the first generation of the Tudors, or Arthur Tudor?

Once I heard that there were some Yorkist ghosts at Bosworth Field...

As some people use to say, am English castle is not such if it has not a ghost within its walls ;D

FaithWhiteRose

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Re: Myths of the Tudor ghosts
« Reply #9 on: April 24, 2007, 05:56:06 PM »
that's so cool!  :D do you have any other information on this?

Kurt Steiner

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Re: Myths of the Tudor ghosts
« Reply #10 on: April 25, 2007, 03:46:21 AM »
that's so cool!  :D do you have any other information on this?

About the ghosts at Bosworth? Somewhere in this big world, methinks  ;) ;D

Don't worry, I'll try to find it.

Kurt Steiner

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Re: Myths of the Tudor ghosts
« Reply #11 on: April 25, 2007, 04:48:05 AM »
Here it is what I've found:

Two spectral victims of the battle of Bosworth are believed to haunt the village of Sutton Cheney, in Leicestershire, which was located near the battlefield. One appears as a headless foot-soldier, the other as a phantom horseman.

Kurt Steiner

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Re: Myths of the Tudor ghosts
« Reply #12 on: April 25, 2007, 05:00:40 AM »
Poor old Anne Boley's ghost is seen just about everywhere (I'm surprsed she doesn't haunt the local Tesco's ;D ;D)

I know that it is claim that the Queen's ghost is seen at the Tower -headless and bathed in an eerie light, as a good ghost should do ;)- but also sometimes on the Tower Green, or in the Chapel Royal inside the White Tower.

Also, the ghost of Catherine of Aragon can been seen inhabiting the Queen's Chamber of Kimbolton Castle in Cambridgeshire, where she spent the last years of her life. More about queens... Jane Seymour's ghost haunts the place where she died, giving birth to Edward VI. She has been seen in the Clock Court and the Silver Stick gallery, dressed in a white robe and carrying a candle. A psychic manifestation in the form of hysterical screams is often hear in the gallery at Hampton Court. The screams are alleged to be those of Katheryn Howard, as she made her way down the gallery frantically trying to reach Henry VIII to beg for mercy. There has been some doubt thrown on this haunting.

There also claims about a the ghost of a tall woman in green, apparently the one of of Katherine Parr, who died in Sudeley Castle after giving birth to a daughter, Mary Seymour, on September 5, 1548. Those who have ssen the apparition get the impression she is looking for something or someone (possibly her daughter, whose fate is a mystery). Katherine was laid to rest in the chapel at Sudeley Castle, where her beautifully restored monument can be seen today.

Even Henry VIII goes on on eerie walks... His ghost is said to walk the halls of Windsor Castle, followed by the sounds of him dragging his ulcerated leg behind him, accompanied by agonized groans.

The ghost of Lady Jane Grey's father is believed to haunt Astley Castle in Warwickshire, one of the Grey family's places of residence. Jane's ghost has puportedly been seen here also, but it seems that her ghost likes to be everywhere, methinks. On Christmas Eve, a spectral coach drawn by four headless horses is supposed to be seen sweeping up to the ruins of Bradgate Park in Leicestershire (her birthplace). Inside Jane is seated, her head set carefully on her lap. Once the coach arrives at the manor, Jane is seen to alight, carrying her head and then she disappears inside the ruins. She is also seen on the anniversary date of her execution (Febuary 12, 1554) near the Bloody Tower in the Tower of London.

And, of course, what about poor Henry VI? Henry's ghost has been seen in Wakefield Tower, in the Tower of London, always appearing within an hour of midnight. Henry was found dead, most certainly murdered there on May 21, 1471, on the night Edward IV returned in triumph to London.

And, of course, the sad ghosts of the young Edward V and his younger brother Richard, Duke of York, have been seen walking hand-in-hand in the Tower. I wonder if they had ever met Sir Walter Raleigh, chained and headless in the Queen's House, near where he was imprisoned, or sometimes on the Tower ramparts... Well, Sir Walter must be quite busy to meet the young princess, as he has been seen in a couple of different places, in addition to the tower. It is supposedly his spirit which sits on the masonry of Sherborne Castle in Dorset.

FaithWhiteRose

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Re: Myths of the Tudor ghosts
« Reply #13 on: April 26, 2007, 08:34:42 PM »
Oh . . . I'm going to have chills in the night thinking about this . . .  :o

Kurt Steiner

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Re: Myths of the Tudor ghosts
« Reply #14 on: May 05, 2007, 08:22:36 AM »
Before I forget again, there are also (at the Tower) the ghosts of Guy Fawkes and Lord Northumberland who was executed in 1553.

Sorry for the nights chills I may happend with his... :-[