Athelhampton House
A Tudor manor house haunted by a phantom grey ape, the ghost of a pet monkey that died in the secret passages of the building.
Athelhampton House, a magnificent Tudor manor dating from 1485, is famous for its beautiful architecture and gardens—and for its most unusual spectral resident: a phantom grey ape. According to legend, the ape was a beloved pet of one of the Martyn family daughters who owned the estate. When the pet monkey died, it was said to have been entombed within the walls or hidden passages of the house.
Visitors and staff have reported seeing a grey, ape-like figure moving through the corridors, particularly near the Great Hall and in the upper chambers. Some witnesses describe hearing scratching sounds from within the walls, as if the creature is still trying to escape its sealed tomb. The apparition is often accompanied by a feeling of sadness and an unexplained drop in temperature.
The phantom ape of Athelhampton has become one of England’s most distinctive ghost stories, setting it apart from the typical grey ladies and headless horsemen of other haunted manors. The house also reports additional paranormal activity, including the ghost of a grey lady and the sounds of a phantom duel, but it is the spectral simian that remains the most famous and frequently encountered spirit at this atmospheric Dorset estate.