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Documented Supernatural Encounters

Ghost Stories from essex

Meet the 13 documented spirits haunting essex's historic hotels. Each ghost has their own tragic tale, from murders and accidents to broken hearts and unfinished business.

13
Documented Spirits
6
Haunted Hotels
5
Types of Spirits
600+
Years of History

Filter by Spirit Type:

Showing 13 ghost stories
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Alice Catherine Millar

Intelligent Haunting

1638
📍 Brook Red Lion Hotel

Alice Catherine Millar was a chambermaid murdered in 1638 after discovering she was pregnant by an influential figure. Her spirit remains active in rooms 5, 6, and 10.

🏰 Colchester, Essex
🔥 6 hotspots

Most Active Areas:

Room 5 Room 6 +4 more
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The Hooded Monk

Protective Spirit

Several hundred years ago
📍 Brook Red Lion Hotel

A hooded monk who died trying to rescue children from a fire several hundred years ago. His spirit continues to watch over the inn's corridors and reception area.

🏰 Colchester, Essex
🔥 5 hotspots

Most Active Areas:

Reception area Corridors +3 more
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The Small Boy

Intelligent Haunting

Unknown period
📍 Brook Red Lion Hotel

A small boy spirit seen primarily in the Parliament room, whose presence is mainly witnessed by children and captured in photographs by guests.

🏰 Colchester, Essex
🔥 4 hotspots

Most Active Areas:

Parliament room Restaurant area +2 more
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Lady in White

Intelligent Haunting

Victorian era (possibly 1880s)
📍 The Blue Boar Hotel

A mysterious female apparition in Victorian dress has been sighted in the upper floors of the Blue Boar Hotel, appearing to gaze out onto Silver Street where tragedy may have claimed her life.

🏰 Maldon, Essex
🔥 5 hotspots

Most Active Areas:

Front-facing upper r... Window overlooking S... +3 more
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Spectral Cat

Animal Spirit

Medieval to Present
📍 The Blue Boar Hotel

A black spectral cat has been consistently reported at the Blue Boar Hotel for decades, darting through corridors and brushing against guests' legs before vanishing. This phantom feline is one of Maldon's most documented paranormal entities.

🏰 Maldon, Essex
🔥 5 hotspots

Most Active Areas:

Upper floor corridor... Bar area +3 more
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The Civil War Soldier

Residual Haunting

17th century (English Civil War, 1647)
📍 The Cross Keys Hotel

Guests and locals have reported sightings of a ghostly soldier at The Cross Keys Hotel, believed to date back to the English Civil War period when Saffron Walden served as headquarters for the New Model Army. The apparition, typically described as a man in 17th-century military attire, is most commonly encountered in the hotel's upper corridors and rooms, appearing to patrol the building as if still on guard duty from his time quartered here during Cromwell's negotiations in May 1647.

🏰 Saffron Walden, Essex
🔥 6 hotspots

Most Active Areas:

Second-floor corrido... Guest rooms facing H... +4 more
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Elizabeth Tollermarche

Intelligent Haunting

17th century (English Civil War, 1647-1652)
📍 The Cross Keys Hotel

Elizabeth Tollermarche, identified through paranormal investigations as Oliver Cromwell's mistress, is one of the most elusive spirits at The Cross Keys Hotel. Multiple mediums and investigators have encountered this graceful 17th-century lady, whose presence is often accompanied by the scent of lavender and glimpses of flowing period dress. Her apparition has been consistently reported in the upper chambers of the hotel, particularly in areas believed to have served as private quarters during Cromwell's stay in Saffron Walden in 1647.

🏰 Saffron Walden, Essex
🔥 6 hotspots

Most Active Areas:

Room 6 (most active) Upper floor bedrooms +4 more
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The Bereaved Mother of Mulberry Green (Grey Lady)

Intelligent Haunting

18th Century (folklore)
📍 The Green Man Hotel

The Green Man Hotel is said to be haunted by the sorrowful spirit of a woman, often called the 'Grey Lady of Mulberry Green', who tragically lost her infant daughter in a fire. She is believed to have had an adulterous relationship with a local blacksmith, and her ghost endlessly searches the inn for her lost child.

🏰 Harlow, Essex
🔥 5 hotspots

Most Active Areas:

Room 6 (reputedly mo... Upstairs corridors (... +3 more
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Matthew Hopkins

Residual Haunting

17th century
📍 The Mistley Thorn Hotel

Matthew Hopkins, the notorious self-appointed 'Witchfinder General' who owned the original Thorn Inn in the 1640s, is believed to haunt The Mistley Thorn Hotel. His brutal witch-hunting campaign that led to over 200 executions has left an indelible mark on this historic site.

🏰 Mistley (near Manningtree), Essex
🔥 5 hotspots

Most Active Areas:

Upper floor corridor... The cellar areas use... +3 more
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The Serving Girl

Residual Haunting

18th century
📍 The Mistley Thorn Hotel

A ghostly serving girl who once worked at the Georgian coaching inn continues her eternal duties, walking the corridors of The Mistley Thorn Hotel as she has for centuries.

🏰 Mistley (near Manningtree), Essex
🔥 5 hotspots

Most Active Areas:

Upper floor corridor... Main staircase +3 more
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The Trampled Boy

Tragic Spirit

18th century
📍 The Mistley Thorn Hotel

The spirit of a young boy who was tragically killed when pushed under a horse in the inn's stables during a fight continues to haunt the rear areas of The Mistley Thorn Hotel.

🏰 Mistley (near Manningtree), Essex
🔥 5 hotspots

Most Active Areas:

Rear of building Former stable areas +3 more
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The Lady in Black

Intelligent Haunting

Early 20th century
📍 The Rose And Crown Hotel Colchester

A spectral figure known as 'The Lady in Black' is reported at The Rose & Crown, described as an elderly woman in Victorian dress who appears near the bar and reception areas. Local folklore suggests she may be connected to the inn's Edwardian-era operations.

🏰 Colchester, Essex
🔥 4 hotspots

Most Active Areas:

Bar area Lobby +2 more
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The White Lady Bride

Intelligent Haunting

19th Century (speculated)
📍 The Rose And Crown Hotel Colchester

A mysterious woman in a white wedding gown, known as the 'White Lady Bride', startles staff and guests by appearing and vanishing in hallways and on the staircase. She is thought to be the sorrowful spirit of a 19th-century bride who died tragically.

🏰 Colchester, Essex
🔥 5 hotspots

Most Active Areas:

Main staircase Upstairs landing +3 more

Ready for Your Own Ghost Encounter?

Book a stay at one of essex's haunted hotels and experience these spirits firsthand. Many guests report paranormal activity during their visits.