As it’s Halloween this month, we decided to go for a spooky theme for this months Tudor Trivia Tuesday, a feature we run on our twitter feed, and luckily for us, there is a lot to talk about. So much, in fact, that we had to extend it to Tudor Trivia Thursdays too!
During the Tudor period, death was considered the great leveller, no matter how rich or poor you were the reaper would come for you. They also believed in ghosts, and the idea of returning to earth as spirit was considered a fact of life, and so it’s hardly surprising that Henry VIII and his wives have made an appearance over the years.
Henry himself is said to haunt the corridors of Windsor Castle where he was buried. Although his ghost has never actually been seen, it is claimed that you can hear his moans as he drags his ulcerated leg behind him. He’s also been claimed to have been seen at Hampton Court and Samlesbury Hall, although there is no evidence he ever went to the latter place, and the photo is probably the result of a phenomenon called Pareidolia, where you see faces that aren't there.
Moving onto the wives, Catherine of Aragon, first and longest serving of Henry’s wives, is said to haunt Castle Lodge in Ludlow, where she had lived while married to Henry’s older brother, Arthur, and Kimbolton Castle, Cambridgeshire, where she died in 1536. Rather amusingly, on one floor she appears as legs and lower body sticking out from the ceiling while her head and shoulders have been seen gliding along the floor above, apparently due to the alterations made to the original floor levels.
Anne Boleyn, the second and more famous wife, who he notably had executed, is said to haunt Hampton Court, her ghost wearing the same blue dress as in her portrait there. She’s also seen in the Tower of London, where she was imprisoned and executed, where her ghost is headless. She also apparently haunts Blickling Hall, in Norfolk. This one is incredibly dramatic, as apparently on 19th May, the anniversary of her death, her headless corpse, with her head on it’s lap, is seen being driven in a carriage pulled by headless horses, with the driver also missing his head. She is, however, also seen wandering the corridors of the hall. She’s also been seen at Hever Castle every Christmas, where her and Henry courted, and Rochford Hall, where she first met him. She’s also claimed to haunt Windsor castle, either wandering the corridors, or, more excitingly, running, screaming, while holding her head. While it’s probably untrue that she was unfaithful in life, it’s apparently certain that she gets around a bit in death!
Jane Seymour's ghost is said to haunt Hampton Court, and has been seen walking the cobbled grounds of Clock Court and on 12th October, the anniversary of the birth of Edward VI is said to climb the stairs leading to the Silver Stick Gallery, dressed in a white robe and carrying a candle. Legend says that she’s supposed to be trapped on Earth until she gains forgiveness from Anne Boleyn, though you have to wonder why the same isn’t said of Anne and Katherine of Aragon. She’s also claimed to be seen in Marwell Hall, Winchester, where local legend claims that she married Henry VIII. It’s also said, rather more fancifully, that Ann Boleyn haunts the Yew Walk behind the Hall, planning her revenge on Jane.
Anne of Cleves, it seems, didn’t hang around after her death as she’s not been seen, but Anne of Cleves house, in Lewes, Sussex, is claimed to be haunted. Nobody’s claimed it’s her though.
Catherine Howard's ghost is said to haunt Hampton Court, where her ghost is said to recreate the moments when she was arrested, and ran screaming through the corridors towards the chapel Henry was preying in, begging for him to spare her life. She has a similar act at the Tower of London, where she was executed, although unlike Anne Boleyn her ghost still has it’s head, which must make it easier to scream.
Finally, we have Katherine Parr is said to haunt Snape Castle, North Yorkshire, where she lived while married to John Neville, 3rd Baron of Latymer, her second husband and before she married Henry VIII. Her ghost, a young girl with long fair hair and wearing a blue Tudor dress, is said to be quite happy here. She’s also been seen roaming the grounds of the picturesque Sudeley Castle dressed in green seemingly searching for someone or something.
Many thanks to http://onthetudortrail.com/Blog/, one of the best sources of information on ghosts of Henry’s wives. catherine Howard's Ghost image courtesy of http://www.alisalibby.com/blog/england-hampton-court-palace/
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