The Grey Lady of Hampton Court

Hampton Court Palace, the grand Tudor residence of Henry VIII, is home to many ghosts. Among the most frequently seen is the Grey Lady, believed to be Dame Sybil Penn, who served the Tudor royal family for decades.

Dame Sybil Penn

Dame Sybil Penn served as nurse to Prince Edward, the future Edward VI, and attended to the royal family through multiple reigns. She died of smallpox in 1562 and was buried in the church at Hampton. For centuries, she rested in peace.

The Awakening

In 1829, the old church was demolished and Dame Sybil’s tomb was disturbed and relocated. Almost immediately, strange occurrences began. People heard the sound of a spinning wheel coming from walls where no room existed. When the wall was opened, an antique spinning wheel was discovered in a sealed chamber.

Sightings

The Grey Lady has been seen throughout Hampton Court, particularly in the areas where she lived and worked. She appears as a tall, thin woman in a grey Tudor dress, often hooded. Some witnesses have seen her face, describing features wasted by illness.

Security guards have reported encountering her in corridors. Visitors have photographed what appears to be a grey figure in doorways. In 2003, CCTV allegedly captured a robed figure emerging from closed doors.

Assessment

Dame Sybil Penn’s ghost represents the classic disturbed-grave phenomenon. After centuries of rest, the desecration of her tomb apparently awakened her spirit. The spinning wheel sounds, leading to the discovery of an actual spinning wheel, add an intriguing physical dimension to the haunting.