On the Tudor Trail reader Laurie recently wrote in to share some eerie events that her and her husband experienced while staying at the Fish Court Apartments at Hampton Court Palace.
This is Laurie’s story:
We had the privilege of spending four nights in the Fish Court Apartments at Hampton
Court Palace. We had a few ghostly experiences happen to my husband and I and even caught an orb out in the Wilderness Area, by the maze, with my camera. It was the talk of my Facebook friends for several nights!
Our first night, my husband was laying in bed and woke up to “something” rubbing his neck and shoulders. He thought it was me, but I was sound asleep, in the other bed.
Close up of the 'orb' photographed by Laurie at Hampton Court
Our third morning, we had just eaten breakfast in the dining room. I stood up and picked up my plate and placed my empty yogurt container on the plate with my spoon. I was just standing there, holding the plate and talking to my husband, when suddenly, the yogurt container and the spoon flew off my plate and landed three feet away. We just stood there asking each other what had just happened. I tried to re-create the event, tipping the plate from side to side, having the container just tumble down to the floor at my feet. It was almost like something flicked it, to send it flying like that.
Later that day, after exploring the Palace, we had stopped at the Gift Shop and bought a book. I sat down in the living room in the apartment (around 5 pm, so it was still light outside), and started reading the book. I was able to look out the window, at my husband talking to the Hampton Court security staff. As I was reading, I had the most bizarre experience. All of the hair around my face and temple stood on end and my face had a tingling sensation (maybe for about 5 seconds). Then a blast of icy air whooshed past my face. I wasn’t sure what to do – do I start screaming, open the window and start yelling for my husband or what! So, kind of hoping that it was a “ghostly experience” I started
talking to the ghost. I must have sounded like a ding-a-ling!! I can’t wait to go
back – it was a great experience!!
Hi: I do believed in ghost and I have some pictures with orbs, in March this year I went to London on vacation, and in lots of my pictures in Windsor Castle and in the Tower of London I catch several orbs, I really was hoping to catch them and I did. I soon as I can I will post them…..:)
Lucky lady getting to stay at Fish Court, you had a very eventful stay too by all accounts, bet you can’t wait until you go back…
Your experiences of staying in Fish Court are very interesting and I’d very much like to hear more. I’ll be staying there this year and hope to encounter similar phenomena!
I have heard this will be the last time this place is for let Rachael, is that true do you know. If it is make the most of what I’m sure will be a wonderful time.
Yes the place is being made into office space in early 2015 and this will be your last chance 2014:( such a shame as it was wonderful experience.
I stayed in Fishcourt on the weekend and it was spectacular but a very similar experience, there was a group of 6 of us sitting quietly in lounge (no tv) when a full glass of water from a table spilt all over my niece. I felt someone move my pillow in the twin room on first floor and this woke me up. Also I have a picture of a night walk we all did, when in the fountain court we took a photo of the girls and in an upstairs window there is a definate pic of a Charles II look alike with white wig and moustache looking at us in a surprised manner. The night security informed us that although we might not see any ghosts they would definately see us!!!
Wow! I would love to see the picture you took Debbie. Feel free to email it to me at natalie @ onthetudortrail dot com. Just remove the spaces. 🙂
Oh that would be a great photo to see….all those spirits are going to play havoc with the paperwork and technology when it becomes an office aren’t they!!! 🙂 like you say what a shame its becoming an office.
Hi ladies :o)
Debbie your stay sounds fantastic! I hope we’re as lucky as you were. Such a shame they’re using the space for offices, I’m sure that a lot of people will miss the opportunity of staying in such a wonderfully atmospheric house. I’ll definitely be placing any findings on my website, can’t wait till November!
Hello all
We had a wonderful stay at Fish Court and I have to say it was the most incredible experience I’ve ever had. Walking around the buildings and courtyards at night is something I’ll never forget. It really did feel like at any moment you’d bump into someone from the pages of history. The warders and staff at the palace were fantastic, they went out of their way to make our stay something special. I think we may have been the last residents of Fish Court, such a shame. I’ll definitely be returning though to the Georgian House. It maybe outside the walls but only just and it did feel very special inside.
On the ghost front we only had one notable experience. We were walking late one night at the back of Clock Court, just by the Baroque door. It was way past closing time and we were surprised to hear workmen still busy and moving materials around. We stood for a couple of minutes before we decided to investigate, just in case there was someone who shouldn’t have been there. The noise was loud and continued until the moment that my friend stuck his head around the door, then there was silence. We were rather surprised and mentioned it to a warder. He told us that exactly where we’d been standing, the bodies of two workmen were buried, who died whilst the Baroque wing was being built. What was even more surprising, we managed to capture a voice at the same place on a recorder that said “we were here”.
I’ve put together clips and photos from our trip on the website, you’re very welcome to take a peek! I hope you enjoy them ; http://www.evp-voices.info/evp-voices_hampton_court_palace.html
Rachel
Sounds like you had a wonderful time, Rachel! I will take a look at your website, would love to hear the EVP’s you recorded. Who doesn’t love a good ghosty story! Natalie
Ooh how wonderful….you will go down in history too, for being the last paying guests to stay there, rubbing shoulders with all the illustrious owners/visitors of the past, AND to be able to wander round such a historical rich place on your own…did yo feel ‘Regal’ lol. I think I would have.
How exciting you having a ‘ghostly’ experience, and how sad Fish Court is no longer available for rent.
What a life long memorable time for you. I am soooo envious 🙂
Similar experience to me. I stayed there, with my family back in May 2008 and me and Husband shared the twin room. First night, despite the warmth, our windows rattled and I woke to a smell of chronic bad breath breathing over me, second night the same, and the third night, I said, ” oh go away” and it stopped instantaneously!
Strange though, because the longer we were there the happier I became and my photos are full of orbs, particularly in the walkway down to the entrance.
I got no sense of anything ‘spooky’ in the haunted gallery, but felt very uncomfortable near the chapel, where a large black cat sat. Now, I have two black cats, so it wasn’t him that bothered me, just an overwhelming feeling of uneasiness and sadness..
Back in the apartment I quizzed my other family members if they had enjoyed their walk. Both my Mum and Daughter independently, said they had felt a little uneasy near the chapel (the three men with us, nothing!)
Only months later did I read it was here, outside the chapel that Katherine Howard had begged for her life before being dragged screaming away. Coincidence? I don’t think so.
I also spoke to one of the chaps who worked in the kitchens, and he started to open up, about strange coincidences that he’d experienced, before just as quickly clamming up. He had definitely been bothered by something there though.
I loved Fish Court, but if anyone wants a really, really creepy holiday then I recommend Beamsley Hospital nr Skipton, another Tudor Landmark Trust property. We were to stay there three nights, I had to leave after two, it bothered me so much (Though saying that, barely anyone else had written anything detrimental in the log book)
I used to do the lighting for the HC Festival for 6 years, I would stay in Fish Court for 2 weeks every year.
Working in base court late into the night I got used to the spooks hassling me while by myself in the palace when no one else was around at 2am. The freakiest place is apartment 7 inthe top floors. A very nasty vibe up there. Even the guards wouldn’t go up there, they gave me the keys and just said lock up after yourself. We used to go up on the roof to set the lights on the chimneys and used to regularly see figures moving around up there. The other freaky place is the spiral staircase that goes up the inside of the clock court archway. We also had golf carts drive themselves near the east front late at night. We did have a cracking time when there as there was no public there then after the shows and we had free roam of the palace…Good times!
Loved reading these comments! Very sad to read that Fish Court is no longer used for holiday lets.
Having grown up with paranormal activity in my family house and workplaces you would think I am used to it all by now, but alas no. I thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Fish Court in 2013, but was slightly relieved to have to leave a night early for a flight change!
The moment I set foot in that beautiful apartment, I could sense we were not the only residents! It was winter and all the heating was on full blast, but the stairway up to the double bedroom was ICY cold. The radiator was blasting hot up there, but the baby monitor never went above 15c.
As we had my 5 year old son too, I decided to keep him company in the first floor twin room. I woke up at night to the sound of children playing in the courtyard/alleyway below. There was no one there.
I again woke up to the sound of children laughing outside. In the morning I asked my son if he liked his bed and if he slept well….his response floored me…. the children outside were very noisy mum, why do their mummy’s let them out at night?
Wonderful, wonderful experience though.