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The Stately Ghosts of England is 1960s paranormal TV at its best, writes RICK HALE. as he looks back on the TV special in which Margaret Rutherford travels through some of England’s biggest haunted houses
TITLE: The stately spirits of England
RELEASED: January 1, 1965
DIRECTOR: Frank de Felitta
FORM: Margaret Rutherford, Stringer Davis, Tom Corbett
The Stately Spirits of England 1965
It’s rare that I ever watch paranormal TV shows. In my opinion, they are often boring and formal. Not to mention suffering from serious bouts of bad acting and unnecessary shouting.
However, recently I was scrolling through YouTube when I came across an old lost paranormal documentary called The Stately Ghosts Of England.
Now, being the unapologetic Anglophile that I am, especially when it comes to ghosts, I watched this documentary and immediately loved it.
The 1965 film was based on the book of the same name by author Diana Norman published in 1963.
The film follows the journeys of some very unlikely ghost hunters as they travel to three of Britain’s most legendary haunted houses.
Leading this journey into the unknown is famed stage, film and TV actor Dame Margaret Rutherford.
A talented actress who harbored a lifelong fascination with ghosts and hauntings.
On her journey to three of Britain’s most famous haunted houses, she is accompanied by her husband, Stringer Davis. As does the psychic, Tom Corbett.
While I highly recommend this almost lost piece of media for everyone to check out, it is absolutely great for Spooky season.
But what are these three homes that attracted these famous personalities to their front doors? These stately spirits of England.
Instead of giving you a scene-by-scene overview of the show, we’ll explore the stories that brought them to the homes. I’d hate to spoil the surprises that await us.
Longleat House
Our first stop on this tour of England’s stately ghosts takes our trio of ghost hunters to the south west of Britain, to the historic, Grade II listed Longleat House.
Built in 1568, Longleat House was an Augustinian priory. The house had several owners before becoming the seat of the Marquess of Bath.
In the 20th century, Longleat was used as a hospital during the First World War. And later during the Second World War there was an evacuation point for the Royal School for the Daughters of Army Officers.
As you might imagine, Longleat House has a long and complicated history. So it should come as no surprise that this stately home is home to a host of ghosts.
According to both staff and visitors, Longleat is home to two very active ghosts. The first is the Gray Lady.
When alive, the Gray Lady was believed to have been Lady Louisa Carteret, wife of the 2nd Viscount of Weymouth, Thomas Thynne.
When the viscount discovered his wife pursuing him with what he considered a lowly footman, he challenged the man to a duel.
When he won, Thynne hid the body in the basement of the house that now serves as a tea room.
The story was confirmed in the early 20th century when the 5th Viscount discovered the footman’s remains under the floor.
As for Lady Louisa, she returned from the grave to live in the house forever, no doubt distraught over the death of her lover.
Lady Louisa is most often seen wandering the hallway of the house’s upper floor. The staff rightly refuses to enter her domain at night and calls the corridor the gray lady’s walk.
The ghost of the bishop
Our second spirit is one of ecclesiastical origin.
Bishop Thomas Ken was appointed by Charles II as chaplain to Princess Mary, wife of William of Orange.
Bishop Ken and William had a stormy relationship and often fought, sometimes quite loudly, over the marriage.
Although a deeply religious and devout man, Thomas Ken was sent to the Tower of London because he disagreed with James II’s spiritual beliefs.
After his release from the dreaded tower, Ken settled in Longleat, where he spent the rest of his days.
The ghost of the former bishop is regularly seen in the red library, intently reading a book before disappearing from view.
Salisbury Hall
After leaving Longleat House, the trio of ghost hunters make their way to Hertfordshire and a house that has been on the radar of the paranormal community for years: Salisbury Hall and the ghost of Nell Gwynne.
A country house had stood on this ancient site for over a thousand years, but the current house was built around 1668 by the London banker James Hoare.
In the intervening years there has been a succession of owners, including farmers. As did Sir Winston Churchill’s mother who became owner in 1905.
The house took on a very different purpose in 1939 when the de Havilland Aircraft Company set up shop to test their prototype Mosquito aircraft.
Today, the house is a museum dedicated to de Havilland and a workshop where visitors can view projects while gathering.
Although this has made Salisbury Hall famous in its own right, it is the ghost of its most famous resident that makes it legendary among ghost hunters, Nell Gwynne.
Nell Gwynne, star of the stage, was considered the greatest actress of her generation during the Restoration period.
But it was her side hustle that really made her famous, mistress of the King of England, Charles II.
Gwyn and the king had a hot love affair and even provided him with children, until Charles’ death in 1685.
Just two years later, Nell Gwynne died of a stroke.
Although Nell Gwynne is the most active ghost you will encounter at Salisbury Hall, there is another, the ghostly figure of a cavalier.
Legend has it that a cavalier, rather than be captured by Parliamentary forces, took desperate measures and committed suicide at Salisbury Hall.
It is said that he emerges from a wall and goes back to where he came from.
Beaulieu Abbey
Our third and final stately Old English venue takes Dame Margaret Rutherford and her companions to the rural Hampshire countryside and the ancient Beaulieu Abbey, said to still be home to the monks who lived there so long ago.
Beaulieu Abbey may now be a charming house; it was founded in 1203 by King John as a Cistercian monastery for monks from France.
For centuries the monks lived in Beaulieu and served their god until Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries.
When the monks left, the building was given to the first Earl of Southampton, Thomas Wriothesley.
After taking possession of the house, Wriothesley went about demolishing the church and building a country house, using the existing gatehouse as a base for the house we see today.
Today the former abbey and manor house is the National Motor Museum and a garden.
The house is open to the public and welcomes thousands of visitors every year.
The monks who once occupied this ancient house may be long dead, but their spirits remain.
For hundreds of years, locals around Beaulieu have reported seeing monks in both brown and white robes wandering the grounds.
A well-documented story describes a group of boys who were terrified by the image of a monk as they took shelter in an unused boathouse during a violent storm.
Finally, the unmistakable sound of prayers and chants can be heard coming from the ancient abbey. This is believed to be an omen of death.
The Stately Ghosts Of England, starring Margaret Rutherford, can be found on YouTube and is a great early example of paranormal documentary films.
I would one day consider it a must-watch for anyone interested in the ghosts of Britain.
And I leave you with this: Happy Halloween.
Have you seen The Stately Ghosts of England 1965? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
