Sawston Hall

A "Grey Shape", said by some to be a lady and identified as Mary Tudor, has been seen here, usually in the Tapestry Room where she slept on her infamous stay, but also in the grounds too where she is said to be "happy". Mary had responded to a call by John Dudley to attend his bedside as he claimed he was close to death. It was a trap; Dudley wanted Lady Jane Grey to be the Queen rather than Mary or Elizabeth. However, Mary learned of the plot on the trip to London and took refuge in Sawston Hall with its Catholic owners. Dudley's men learned of her whereabouts but Mary had already been smuggled out. The troop were unable to find her and set fire to the hall to flush her out. Mary promised to rebuild the hall, which she did when she was made Queen. Other phantom phenomena include footsteps, said to belong to a night watchman, female laughter and music from another era. On one occasion, a jacket was seen to rise up for a minute as if being worn by an invisible person, accompanied by a temperature drop. Then the jacket fell and the room became warmer.