The Ghost of Anne Boleyn

Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII, was beheaded in 1536 on charges of adultery, treason, and incest. Her ghost is said to be one of England’s most active, appearing at the Tower of London where she died, at Hever Castle where she grew up, and at other locations associated with her brief, dramatic life.

The Tower of London

Anne was executed at the Tower on May 19, 1536, and buried in the Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula. Her ghost appears most frequently at the Tower, seen walking the grounds, standing at windows, and appearing in the chapel.

Tower guards have reported seeing a headless woman in Tudor dress processing toward the chapel. Others have seen her complete, walking as if lost in the corridors.

Hever Castle

Hever Castle in Kent was Anne’s childhood home. Her ghost has been seen walking in the gardens, crossing the bridge over the moat, and appearing in her childhood rooms.

She typically appears on May 19, the anniversary of her execution, though sightings occur at other times.

Other Locations

Anne has been reported at Blickling Hall in Norfolk, where she may have been born. On the anniversary of her death, a headless figure in a coach drawn by headless horses allegedly arrives at the hall.

Hampton Court Palace and Windsor Castle have also produced sightings, as have various other locations connected to her life.

Assessment

Anne Boleyn’s ghost is remarkable for the number of locations at which she appears. Most ghosts are tied to a single site, but Anne roams across England, appearing wherever her brief life left its mark.

Whether these are genuine sightings of a restless spirit, psychological projections based on her tragic story, or simply legends attached to a famous name, Anne Boleyn remains one of England’s most-reported ghosts nearly five centuries after her death.