Ettington Park Hotel

A "Grey Lady" has been seen near the staircase and walks towards the spot where she died after being pushed down the long flight; some accounts give her name as "Mary", stating that she was a servant girl (she may be the lady in Tudor dress who is sometimes seen and suffered a similar fate). Another spectre in a white gown, nick-named "Lady Emma" and believed to be a governess, glides along the terrace at dusk and has been observed to walk along corridors before vanishing into a wall. Two children have been seen on the banks of the River Stour and one guest was woken by crying outside their room and saw them looking into the river; other guests have reported knockings, laughing, whistling and faint music, and a dull green glow at the foot of their bed. A copy of St Ronan's Well has been known to be flung off the shelves in the library by an invisible hand. An older woman in a black gown from the Victorian era, a floating candle, phantom army officers, a spectral man and his dog who disappeared into the library one Christmas Eve, shadowy presences at the entrance and reception, disembodied voices, a man who vanished in the grounds leaving no footprints in the early morning dew, and a monk who wanders through the grounds are also some of the many, many other resident spectres here, too.

Update 8/1/22: Janet Montague, the Sales and Revenue Manager informed me, "I can't say we have had any odd or inexplicable phenomena here at Ettington of the last few years - Sorry."

Update October 2023: my friend David Stephenson stopped at the hotel and the barman, who admittedly had only been there for a few weeks had been told by other members of staff that on some mornings, the books in the library have been found strewn all over the floor as if thrown from the shelves. There is a written account that a single book gets moved or found on the floor.

Update 23/1/24: Responding to a query about any recent occurrences, receptionist Patricia Dias told me, "Myself I never saw anything but I believe some people/staff have stories to tell." Although my request for specifics (and how long ago they were) was not answered, the hotel provided a copy of their booklet, "The History of Ettington Park Hotel" with a section on the ghosts written by Night manager (Retired) Michael G.M.Kenny. He worked at the hotel from 1997-2002 but in his time never felt threatened in any way despite experiencing some of the strange occurrences first hand. A summary of his section in the booklet is below:

Reception Area - The night before Christmas Eve Michael had the experience of a floating candle on the neo-Elizabethan oak mantle piece; a shadowy presence by the entrance door and reception desk; the visible ghost of a man and his dog crossing the reception area and disappearing into the library

Main Staircase - the ghost of Mary, a servant girl who died after a fall following an argument with the squire can be seen.

Conservatory - ghost of an elderly Victorian lady with a very strong presence. Footsteps can be clearly heard of a lady walking back and forth.

Great Drawing Room - Many voices heard, particularly of women, in what appears to be a family musical get together. A bare footed Edwardian lady seen in the bay window on the right hand side. Doors and curtains opening and shutting in mysterious and unusual circumstances; ghostly presence of a boy.

Library - The flying book ...; Male voices and the sound of billiad balls; a cold spot to the right hand side of the fireplace resulting in dramatic changes in temperature; ghostly presence of an unknown women; ghost of a priest with a sense of humour!

Oak Room restaurant - Ghost of Mary the servant girl; the hotel dogs were disturbed by a presence outside the Oak Room door.

South Room - a shadowy presence, probably connected with a past member of the family. A sad atmosphere at times.

The Long Gallery - There is a very strong feeling of being watched; a brooding atmosphere at times; notable variation of the atmosphere along the length of the gallery; someone stabbed to death in the past, probably a crime of passing; ghost of an army officer and an elderly lady usually seen in the last bay window next to the fire place; numerous reports of unusual incidents.

Corridor outside the Long Gallery - There is a pronounced atmosphere connected with the ghost of John Prichard, the architect who designed Ettington Park

Corridor outside the Courtyard Suites - The ghost of George, a former gamekeeper.

The Stour Corridor - Haunted by the ghosts of two children who drowned in the Stour River around 1800. They have also been seen and heard in other areas of the hotel; this corridor is also frequented by the ghosts of the Grey Lady and a monk who may well be the priest associated with the library.

Tower Suite Corridor - Haunted by the Grey Lady who I believe to be a former governess.

The Shirley Chapel - A definite presence can be felt; the ghost of a monk frequently reported in the tower and grounds.

Link: Coventry Live

Link: Coventry Live

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