The Black Prince of Hall Place

Hall Place in Bexley is a stunning Tudor manor house built in 1537 by Sir John Champneys, Lord Mayor of London. The house was constructed on the site of an earlier medieval building with connections to Edward of Woodstock, known as the Black Prince, son of Edward III. While the Black Prince never lived at Hall Place, the site held properties connected to his estates, and his ghost—or something claiming to be him—has been reported here for centuries.

The most frequently reported apparition is a figure in black armor walking through the Great Hall and the gardens. Witnesses describe a tall, imposing presence, sometimes solid enough to seem like a costumed reenactor, until he vanishes or walks through a wall. The figure never speaks but often seems to be patrolling, as if guarding the property. Some historians are skeptical that the actual Black Prince (who died in 1376) would haunt this location, suggesting the ghost might be a later knight or soldier connected to the house’s history. However, the consistency of the “black armor” description has made the Black Prince attribution stick.

Beyond the armored figure, Hall Place has other paranormal activity. The ghost of a White Lady has been seen in the gardens, particularly near the old herb garden. Staff report unexplained cold spots in the Tudor section of the building, and visitors have heard the sounds of medieval music and voices coming from empty rooms. Objects in the museum displays occasionally move overnight, and security systems regularly malfunction in specific areas. The house, now a museum and community arts center, has embraced its haunted reputation, and staff members share their experiences with visitors. Whether the ghost is truly the Black Prince or another warrior from Hall Place’s long history, the manor house clearly retains echoes of its medieval past.