Milford chronicle., 1895-02-01
HAMPTON COURT.
The Haunted English Palace and th'
Ghost of the Shrieking Queen.

The Haunted English Palace and the
Ghost of the shrieking Queen.
Much to my disappointment, when stay
ing at this palace, did not see even YES
tige of a ghost, although l slept in the
blue or haunted room, but must own
that certainly heard some weird sounds
proceeding from the next room. Some
thing or some one tried my door, knocked
several times, and on my opening it there
was no one to be seen. Doors carefully
locked at night were constantly found
open in the morning, and saw one door
slowly shut itself, although there was no
wind at all.
Once or twice fanoied that footsteps
seemed to follow me along the passages or
when l went up the old oak stairs. My
hostess tells me that she has heard loud
screams at midnight coming from the
haunted gallery, which is near to her
apartment, supposed to be uttered by the
"shrieking ghost, as Mr. Law terms 1t
in his new Guide to Hampton Court
Palace" from which I quote the follow
ing passage:
''This old mysterious gallery, the door
Of which is on the right as you go down
the staircase, has its name from being sup
posed to be haunted by the shrieking ghost
of Katherine Howard. 1t was here at any
rate, that she escaped from her own cham
Der in which she was confined before being
sent to the Tower, and ran along to seek
an interview with Henry VIII, who was
hearing mass in the royal closet in the
chapel. just, howeveR as she reached the
door the guards seized her and carried her
back, and her ruthless husband, In spite
Of her piercing screams which were heard
almost all over the palace, continued his
devotions unmoved. And in this gallery,
it is said female form, dressed in white,
has been seen coming toward the door OF
the royal pew, and, just as she reaches It,
has been observed to hurry back with dis
ordered garments and a CHASTITY look OF
despair, uttering at the same time the
most unearthly shrieks till she passes
through the door at the end of the gallery.
The gallery is now the lumber room for
old pictures, and as the staircase is locked
at night, the voice Of the 'shrieking
queen is but rarely heard. "
Not only is the specter of Jane Seymour
said to haunt that part of the palace where
l was staying, but the ghost Of Edward
WIS nurse and foster mother, Mrs. Penn.
It is also affirmed that In one Of the rooms
in which she lived may be heard the sound
Of a spinning wheel-she used to occupy
much Of her time in spinning.
Footsteps are also heard here and in
different parts Of the older portion Of the
palace, and Nurse Penn may occasionally
be seen at midnight gliding slowly about
the long galleries and staterooms Of the
palace, her face partially concealed by a
large gray hood and dressed in long mar
row robe
Within the last two months no less than
three ghosts had been plainly seen in one
room and two in another. A little girl of
12 years, sleeping in the same room gives
a clear and graphic description of woman
in white who appeared to her in the small
hours This child was awakened by hear
ing her name called twice, very loudly,
but did not take any notice and lay still.
Presently the room became family lighted,
and, to her astonishment, tall figure ap-
peared to glide through the closed door.
The figure walked up and down in front
of the child and looked at her, went to the
other end of the room, stood still and
then, still gazing, began to gesticulate,
and raising her hand commenced a long
speech with these strange words; Behold
the enemy oometh. Prepare the way Of
escape. At this point the little girl be-
came so terrified that she hid her face in
the bedclOthes and stopped her ears, so
that she could not see or hear anything.
she ventured to look up again
aud saw the apparition slowly fading