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Aldershot, a cozy Hampshire town, harbors a dark and spooky side, reveals JOHN S TANTALON
Aldershot in Hampshire is located 50 kilometers southwest of London. Records dating back to the 1086 Domesday Book point to the location.
The name may have been derived from alder trees native to the area (from Old English ‘elzenholt’ meaning corpse of alder trees).
At the beginning of 2007 I traveled to Aldershot for the first time. Close to where I stayed is the oldest church in town.
The Church of Saint Michael the Archangel dates back to the 12th century. There was almost certainly an earlier church on the site.
Not far from the church is a building with an incredibly connecting story.
At the foot of the long and steep Eggars Hill is Weybourne Road.
Beyond a railway bridge and on the Surrey border is a charming and weathered house.
The building is the previous location of the old Fox and Hounds Inn.
The house is now a private residence and has a reputation for strange occurrences over the years.
Some locals call the location The House of Old Mother Squalls.
The home of old mother showers, Aldershot
According to local records, an old woman lived here in 1640. Many considered her a witch. Stories circulated about unholy activities taking place in the building.
On more than one occasion, Old Mother Squalls had provided evidence of a supernatural nature to anyone foolish enough to oppose her.
There was a story that the woman retained the ability to instantly braid or braid and curl a horse’s tail.
She could just as quickly twist a cow’s tail and frighten a dog or cat so that the animals would flee with their tails between their legs.
The woman who gave birth was Nell Gwynne, and the child’s father was Charles II, but the illegitimate boy was stillborn.
It was a secret birth that could have changed the course of history and made anyone worried about the affair lose their heads.
In February 1678 she was hurriedly summoned to attend the delivery in the dead of night.
There has always been a persistent rumor that Aldershot parish church received a grant from Charles II.
According to legend, the gift would go through when the yew tree blossomed, but unfortunately the church records reveal no such transaction.
In the dark silence of early morning, unknown persons buried a casket under the yew tree inside the church gate, after the village priest was awakened from his bed to perform the required ceremony.
The sound of unexplained, unnatural footsteps along the path has been reported.
There are accounts of residents claiming to have heard strange shuffling noises in the vicinity of the church grounds.
Tapping sounds similar to those of an elderly woman rattling a stick against the church window, near the famous yew tree, have also been documented. Few such reports have appeared since 1971-1976.
In the center of Aldershot is Wellington Road. Directly from Naafi Roundabout is a steep road called Gun Hill.
At the top of the hill, between shady trees and fences, you will see the ominous and imposing sight of the Cambridge Military Hospital.
The hospital was built in 1879 and would serve the city’s various military camps.
After the Second World War, the public also used the hospital until its closure in 1996. However, it seems that the hospital is not completely empty.
Ghostly Gray Lady at Cambridge Military Hospital, Aldershot
The terrifying story of a ghostly gray lady has been around for many years. The legend of the Gray Lady is said to stem from a sister in the Queen Alexandra Imperial Nursing Service.
She accidentally administered a fatal dose to a patient and then, out of regret, committed suicide by throwing herself over the hospital balcony.
The Gray Lady is said to have been seen and heard many times by patients and staff at the ancient hospital, apparently making her rounds as she often did during her lifetime.
Her last recorded appearance was in 1969 when a night watchman spotted her.
The ghost appears when the staff is stressed, hectic perhaps, or understaffed; a spirit that tries to be benevolent and comforting, but can be very frightening to those who come into contact with it.
Ward 13 used to have a balcony, but the original hospital was built around it and several floors and corridors were added.
However, it’s still most often near the ominously numbered Ward 13 that the ghostly Gray Lady walks.
The site has now been converted to housing and renamed Gun Hill Park.
Much of the area is now completely redeveloped and unrecognizable, but the main building remains.
The new tenants occupying this legendary site enjoy commanding views across Hampshire and Surrey from the former hospital tower. Is the Gray Lady next to them?
On the border of Aldershot and on the edge of Surrey and Hampshire is a location with a haunted reputation.
Alma Lane haunted by a ghostly runner
Alma Lane is a steep stretch of road that, famously, existed before 1815. At that point, a military runner would cover the elaborate route to deliver a message to the army in Aldershot.
News of Wellington’s success at Waterloo was tragically cut short when bandits brutally murdered the runner.
It is said that the tragic messenger continues to traverse Alma Lane’s place, still trying to relay news of victory.
Fellow travelers can hear his heavy boots thumping down the road on winter nights.
Alma Lane is now entirely residential, but the path and legend of the tragic messenger have remained.
The sound of ghostly footsteps has been heard somewhere between Beam Hollow and The Alma Public House.
However, it has been many years since anyone has encountered the tragic spirit of the messenger.
Have you seen a ghost in Aldershot? Tell us in the comments below!
JOHN S TANTALON is the author of a new book, The ghostly realms of Surrey and Hampshirenow available at Amazon.
