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Haunted Richmond
May 2021

Over these recent Lockdown months, Jo and I have been exploring various parts of Richmond on foot. Having picked up a strangely otherworldly atmosphere beneath the Richmond Palace gateway, we started to look into the stories of hauntings...

Some people say there's a ghost of a horseman beneath the palace gateway, but most of the palace stories reveal sightings of Elizabeth 1st's ghost. It was her favourite residence, where she spent much of her time in her later years. A lady in waiting saw Elizabeth's ghost walking down the corridor only seconds before she discovered that Elizabeth had just died in bed. Others have seen the ghost since, even though only the gateway and the nearby building still exist.

Soon after Elizabeth's death, Ham House was built close by. This was also haunted by the lady of the house. Duchess Elizabeth Murray has been felt by many along with the smell of her rose scented perfume. People feel her eyes watch them from her painting and feel a cold draft if they look into her bedroom mirror. There have been several sightings of apparitions there and she has been seen on the staircase.

We've enjoyed several plays and pantos at the Richmond Theatre, where the first performance of Peter Pan was staged. Apparently, it's one of the most haunted theatres in England. Repeated flickering lights, objects moving on their own and presences have been seen and felt throughout the building. The place has a powerful atmosphere!

The Roebuck pub on Richmond Hill which ascends towards Richmond Park is another apparently haunted building. It's a very old pub with low beamed ceilings. Opposite the pub is a spectacular bird's eye view of the River Thames winding into the distance. This view was painted by both Constable and Turner. Maybe their ghosts still enjoy returning on that beautiful place today...

Whether they're the departed or imprints from highly charged events, it seems there is something behind a whole host of these sightings. Who knows? Either way, Richmond is a gorgeous old town seeped in history and stories from the ages. It's a great place to explore, and dreaming inspiration for music...