Ghosts in England - Essex, Gloucestershire, Greater Manchester, Hampshire and Hertfordshire (3/6)

Geographical location of the counties of Essex, Gloucestershire, Greater Manchester, Hampshire and Hertfordshire (Source - modified file)

Essex

In Borley, specifically in the Rectory, built on the site which centuries ago sat a Cistercian monastery, the reverend Bull and his family started to see ghosts from the moment they arrived, although paranormal phenomena had already occurred before they arrived there; starting with Julie, the daughter, seeing a lurking nun in the garden the situation got considerably worse: messages appeared on the walls, bells rang and objects were thrown at them. Once the family moved, the mansion was rented by a renown spiritualist that was said to have contacted the spirit of Marie Larrie, an ex-nun murdered and buried in the basement. One legend tells of a nun and one of the monks who fell in love and planned on running away together but were caught and the community decided to execute the monk and confine the nun to the basement.

Years later, they would find a skeleton of a young woman wrapped in sheets (her remains are currently buried in the cemetery of Liston Church). The Rectory, known for having been the most haunted mansion of Great Britain, burnt down at the start of the 20th century but there are those that maintain that there are still strange apparitions at the site.

General view of the Borley Rectory in 1892 (Source)

How do you get there?

Currently, the only thing that remains is the MidKnight garden and the Liston church, where there is a memorial dedicated to William Waldegrave, his wife and his daughter, the original owners of the Rectory. We got there on a coach from Colchester, the oldest city in England; the views from above are incredible.

Gloucestershire

The Tudor House Hotel, in Tewkesbury, is witness to a strange ghost that manifests aimlessly moving between the corridors. It is said that this spectre could be that of a young maiden that lived there before it became a hotel; the legend tells that she suffered a lot from the abuse she was subjected to by the lady of the house who she worked for. This woman went so far as to make the young woman throw herself out of the window of the upper floor.

Additionally, it seems that some guests have experienced the repetitive sound of a drum in the middle of the night; upon ringing reception to complain, the response they get is that it's a drum played by a little boy who died centuries ago (so you can rest easy and go back to sleep, of course).

How do you get there?

At least once in your life you have to travel back in time and go to The Cotswolds; Which airport is better for you, Birmingham or Bristol?

Greater Manchester

According to some sources, the ghost of the american actor James Maxwell, cofounder of the Royal Exchange Theatre died in 1995, appears occasionally on stage.

Exterior of the Royal Exchange building, in Manchester city centre(Source)

The building itself is already a marvel, but the layout of the stands is very intriguing. The best thing about it is the price for under 26 years old... entry costs 7 pounds! I would already have plans for this afternoon if I were lucky enough to be in Manchester.

Hampshire

Neighbours close to the Tudor House Museum and Garden, in Southampton, have called the police on various occasions thinking that there were intruders in the facilities after seeing lights and shadows through the windows of the house. A hired medium determined that a bored spirit was responsible. The lights don't seem to turn on by themselves anymore but, through thermal imaging cameras they have been able to observe chilling images that appear to be a man sat in a supposedly empty chair.

Exterior of Tudor House Museum and Garden (Source)

How do you get there?

Situated between Salisbury (its cathedral is a must-see) and Portsmouth, Southampton is a modern and fantastic city, St Mary's in particular (the busiest region). It has an international airport but, at least from Madrid, it takes a lifetime to arrive, so it's better to take advantage of a stay in a nearby place to get there by train or bus.

For me, the house, museum and gardens are interesting; there is a wealth of information about the city inside and it is surprising to see how it has evolved over the centuries. The basements were used as a shelter during WW2. The entry to the museum costs 4 pound for students. As for supernatural manifestations... nothing, our visit was very peaceful.

Hertfordshire

Markyate Cell, in the town of Markyate, is an enormous 18th century mansion constructed where a monastery lay centuries ago. The house was witness to the death of an outlaw, Katherine Ferrers, with a long history behind her. The legend tells that Katherine, heiress to a huge fortune, was married against her will at the age of fourteen; sick of a boring and monotonous life, the young woman threw herself into the world of looting and robbery alongside a former that ended up being apprehended and hanged. After the death of her accomplice, she continued with the assaults on passersby, but one day she was injured and returned to her former home, dying in the garden. Katherine's body was discovered by the servants and her remains were buried in the main church of Ware. From then on and to this day, her spirit wanders not just where she died but also all over the neighbourhood. Katherine is commonly known as "The Wicked Lady" and, as you can imagine, is the one responsible for all that happens in that location.

But there have also been reports of other ghosts haunting the property, such as the spectre of a nun.

Lady Katherine Ferrers' Mansion (Source)

How do you get there?

It's important to know that the imposing house is for sale; if you want to see it before it's bought, there are a couple of buses from Luton airport that will take you there in 45 minutes. Nearby, a half-hour bus ride away, you can travel to St Albans and see its beautiful cathedral - it won't be a wasted journey. And from there you'll be almost a stone's throw from London by train.

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