Skip to main content

Why do the ghosts of Henry VIII's wives haunt houses that didn't exist in their lifetimes?



Castle Lodge Ludlow is reputed to be haunted by the ghost of Catherine of Aragon who lived in Ludlow briefly following her marriage to Arthur Prince of Wales until shortly after his death in 1502.


The Queen's House, Tower of London is reputed to be haunted by the ghost of Anne Boleyn who stayed in the Tower's Queen's House prior to her coronation in 1533 and prior to her execution in 1536.

Yet neither building existed during the lifetime of Catherine or Anne as it does in the present day.

Castle Lodge was actually built sometime after 1571 when it was leased to Thomas Sackford, it was described in 1587 as "a fayre house of Maister Sackford which he did bylde" it does however have a stone doorway and medieval moudings that may be from an earlier house on the site.

The Tower of London's Queen's House isn't even on the same site as the Queen's House that Anne Boleyn stayed in, that was demolished in the eighteenth century. The current Queen's House was built around 1540 about four years after Anne's execution.

So why do the ghosts of Henry VIII's wives haunt houses that didn't exist in their lifetimes?

Are these hauntings examples of people having jumped to the conclusion that the apparitions must be those of well known historical characters who were believed to have once visited the buildings? What do you think?

Castle Lodge Image:User Rept0n1x at Wikimedia Commons
Queens House Tower of London Image: Cynborg  licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0unported license

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hannath Hall

Hannath Hall, a private dwelling in Tydd Gote near Wisbech has a long history of paranormal activity. It's an Elizabethan manor house, formerly known as Sparrow's Nest until purchased by Josepth Hannath in 1812. Legend tells that when Joseph's wife died he became deranged and refused to allow the body to leave the house. For two months Joseph Hannath kept his wife's body in her bedroom and insisted that her meals were taken to her.  One poor maid was driven to suicide by this madness and it's believed to be her ghost that has been seen walking the corridors of the house. Eventually Joseph allowed his wife to be buried, under a chestnut tree in the garden. But some say that thereafter no-one could sleep in the bedroom where the body had been kept. Fast forward to 1957 when a Peterborough journalist has car troubles near Hannath Hall. The then owners, Derek and Catherine Page (Derek Page went on to become the MP for Kings Lynn) invite him in and inevitably ...
3 comments
Read more

Sarah Preston the ghost of Boston Stump a September Haunting

The ghost of Sarah Preston, who was blamed for spreading the plague that resulted in over 400 deaths in Boston, is a recurring ghost that is said to be more active during the month of September. Sarah lived in a cottage in the shadow of St Botolphs church in the Lincolnshire town of Boston, the principal port of England in medieval times, and it here, in her husband's absence, that she entertained a sailor  who, unbeknown to Sarah, was carrying the plague. Guilt stricken, Sarah Preston climbed the 365 steps to the top of St Botolph's tower, known as Boston Stump, and committed suicide by leaping from the top. Sarah's ghost has been seen to jump from the top of the tower only to disappear before touching the ground. Image: Immanuel Giel via Wikimedia Commons Other September hauntings: Ghost of King Edward II Berkeley Castle, Gloucestershire The Grenadier Pub, Wilton Row, London The Ghost of Annie Chapman, a September Haunting The ghost of Amy Robsart wife of Sir...
Post a Comment
Read more

Marion de la Bruyere, the ghost of Ludlow Castle

Set in the 12th century Marion de la Bruyere 's tale is one of illicit romance, betrayal and guilt. Marion de La Bruyere lived in Ludlow Castle which at the time was held by Josce de Dinan who having aquired the castle and lands in Shopshire via King Stephen then rebelled against him. Marion was in love with Arnold de Lys who was not on the side of de Dinan. There were many contenders for the castle,  King Stephen wanted it for the Earl of Leicester plus Hugh de Mortimer and Gilbert de Lacy were both trying to take Ludlow. Marion's lover de Lys was on the side of Gilbert de Lacy. Castle security was of the utmost importance but even so Marion and Arnold found a way to meet. Marion would lower a rope from the castle for Arnold to climb for their secret assignations. But one night, knowing that Josce de Dinan was away from the castle, Arnold left the rope hanging allowing Gilbert de Lacy's men to breach the castle. Realizing that Arnold had betrayed their love and ...
Post a Comment
Read more