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Tuesday 11 December 2007

Cheltenham Ghosts

Gloucestershire belongs among one of the most haunted counties and Cheltenham has its fair share of ghosts.

Cheltenham boasts to be the location of the best authenticated ghost story on the files of the Society for Psychical Research. The so-called “Cheltenham ghost” was first investigated by Frederic Myers. In April, 1882, Captain Despard with his invalid wife and six children moved into a house known as Garden Reach (also known as St. Anne’s in Pittville Circus Road). The house had been empty for years, and there were reports of its being haunted. The house was built by Henry Swinhoe in 1860. Rose, the captain's daughter, saw the ghost first -a figure of a tall lady, dressed in black. Altogether 17 people saw the ghost - members of the family, friends, or staff within the house. It tended to follow the same route, going down the stairs, into the drawing room, standing behind the couch for a while, then moving along the corridor to the garden door, and disappearing.
The haunting was at its height between 1884 and 1886. After that, the figure was seen less often and it gradually became less distinct in outline. The figure was believed to be Mrs Imogen Swinhoe, Henry Swinhoe’s second wife, who was reputedly driven to alcoholism by her alcoholic husband. The apparition of a woman resembling St. Anne’s ghost was seen in 1958 and 1961 in now demolished Cotswold Lodge, situated opposite St. Anne’s in Pittville Circus Road and also in 1970 outside St. Anne’s by a passing motorist. In 1985 the figure was seen at the back of the building.

Another haunted building in Cheltenham is the Everyman Theatre. Music can be heard from on the stage. This has been reported by several people including one of the theatres longest inhabitants; a technician who’s been there for over 20 years. The music is most often heard by people near the main auditorium doors in the Foyer. A figure has been seen standing in the circle/upper circle of the auditorium.

The house of Captain Thomas Hardy in Victoria Walk is reputedly haunted, though by who it is unclear. Tapping can be heard at the cellar of Suffolks Arms public house and in Hotel de la Bere in Southam which used to be a girls’ school a nanny who worked for the school hanged herself in her bedroom, and now walks along the corridors checking rooms to ensure her charges are asleep.

Leckhampton Inn had a haunting manifestation in 1997 when an old man and his terrier dog who frequented this old coaching inn appeared to landlord Andy Hobbs so clearly that he asked the man what he wanted to drink. The landlord was later shown a picture of a man long dead, who he identified as the disappearing customer.

Prestbury in the north west Cheltenham has a number of resident ghosts and it actually is the most haunted village in Gloucestershire, haunted by ghosts such as the Headless Horseman, The White Lady and the Black Abbot, who roams the local churchyard. You can find more information on Prestbury ghosts in the article on our website.


Have you ever seen any ghosts in Cheltenham? Have you heard any unusual noises which you were sure were out of ordinary? Let us know on community@cheltenham4u.co.uk or leave a comment on our blog. If you are interested in the paranormal, ghosts, hauntings, UFOs and related phenomena, why don’t you come along to the meetings of The Myers Paranormal Society, which meets every second Tuesday of the month in the Cotswold Inn, Portland Street.

9 comments:

  1. Well if you want to have your best chance to experience a ghost then go the Cheltenhams first paranormal festival.
    www.cheltenhamparanormalfestival.com

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  2. I thought readers might be interested in one reputedly haunted building.

    My girlfriend's family has a shop, formerly a textiles shop, now mainly trading as a tea room and antiques shop. It is currently
    known as the Well Walk Tea Room, and is located right in the middle of town, off Clarence street, next to St Mary's Church.

    It is one of the oldest, if not THE oldest trading shop in cheltenham, and seems to have some former patrons or residents
    that are reluctant to let it go!

    My girlfriend's mother has seen someone, or at least their legs, making their way briskly down the stairs, she took it for her husband until she saw the unusual manner of old fashioned dress.

    I myself have not seen anything, but I have certainly felt some odd sensations, cold spots, sense of not being alone.
    Mostly it seems friendly, the building has a unique personality and a real sense of history, but there are some parts that I, a
    former soldier, don't like to be left alone in for too long!

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  3. I used to work in a shop just opposite wells walk tea room-its now 'cult clothing'. So many strange things happened there to all the staff it would take days to write it all down -none of it nice either. Also the 2pigs staff have encountered many things too. I think all the buildings around st marys courtyard have probably encountered the paranormal!

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  4. hi once i was driving on swindon road just oppositie to st paul medical centre i saw a big fat ugly and very tall lady in proper black dress . my friend was in car with me as well . she was acting wierd.. we just felt kind of she is ghost . then we saw she is kind of lying on the wall like not standing or sitting just in the middle .. it was so scary . and the way she was dressed up i have never seen any woman dressing up same way fully black old fashioned dress covering head .. then we left and came back to check it again and she was almost dispear .. i dropped off my friend who lives in grenville street just opps st paul medical centre and came back home. i still cant forget last night.. it was scary . like i m kind of person who doesnt believe in ghosts and this kind a stuff. but after seeing her 1st thing came up in my mind like she is not human . i would say if anyone else have seen or had experience plz mention it .. thanks . i prob ll afriad to go see my friend....

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  5. I live in bishops cleeve and I can't find anything out about ghosts here and it would be cool if it was haunted. Please tell me if you've seen anything

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    Replies
    1. Hi - if you know Priory Lane, there is a local legend that a monk still walks there. It is true as I have seen him and also a neighbour at a different time. I have recorded my experience on the Uncanny UK website, if you are interested.

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    2. The Royal Oak in Bishops Cleeve is said to be haunted since the mid 18th century following the tragic death of a mother and baby on the premises.

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  6. Hi i live in st Paul's Cheltenham and I few strange things have been going on in my house for ages my mum has seen an old man who she has a bad feeling about and us both and my dad have seen a little boy with blonde hair and blue eyes I have also see and old Victorian lady walk past my back window if you know anything about the following ghosts I have spoke about please tell me as its really interesting... Oh and do you know if they're is any ghost in Pittville park as my dad has heard a horse and also a black figure a couple of times and also heard people singing an old war time song but looking around and finding no body there he has also heard sobbing and seen no one around if you know about any of these strange things please please let me know I am really interested to find out.

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