Hatfield House

This magnificent Jacobean mansion stands next to the remains of the Old Palace where Elizabeth I spent much of her childhood and learned she had become queen. Her ghost, along with other royal spirits, continues to haunt both the old and new structures.

Elizabeth I: The Ghost Queen

The most famous supernatural resident is Elizabeth I herself, whose connection to Hatfield was profound:

Historical Connection:

• Lived at Hatfield Old Palace as a princess
• Under house arrest here during Mary I’s reign
• Sitting under an oak tree when told she was now Queen (1558)
• The Old Palace still stands in the grounds

Her Ghostly Presence:

• Seen in Elizabethan dress of state
• Walking in the gardens
• Particularly near the surviving wing of the Old Palace
• Standing beneath where the oak tree once stood
• A regal, commanding presence
• Most often seen at dawn or dusk

Witnesses describe a woman in ornate Tudor dress, with red hair and pale skin, matching contemporary descriptions of Elizabeth. She appears to be re-living the moment of her accession.

Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury

The builder of the current Hatfield House (1607-1612):

• Seen in the Marble Hall
• A small man in Jacobean court dress
• Appears to be inspecting his creation
• Most active in rooms he designed
• Connected to architectural features

The Grey Lady of the Long Gallery

The Long Gallery has its own phantom:

• A woman in grey Tudor dress
• Identity disputed - possibly a Cecil family member
• Glides rather than walks
• Silent and melancholic
• Cold spots accompany her appearance

The Phantom Monks

From the medieval monastery that preceded the palace:

• Hooded figures in the grounds
• Chanting heard near the chapel
• Walking ancient paths
• Most active in areas of the Old Palace

The Rainbow Portrait Phenomena

Strange occurrences near the famous Rainbow Portrait of Elizabeth I:

• The portrait seems to watch visitors
• Temperature drops nearby
• A sense of presence
• Some report the eyes following them

Additional Activity

Staff and visitors report:

• Footsteps in empty corridors
• Doors opening by themselves
• The scent of Tudor roses
• Phantom music from Elizabethan period
• Unexplained cold drafts
• A heavy atmosphere in the older sections

The Marble Hall

The spectacular Marble Hall experiences particular phenomena:

• Figures seen on the grand staircase
• Footsteps echoing when empty
• A sense of great occasions still occurring
• Shadows that don’t match any source

The current Marquess of Salisbury, whose family has owned Hatfield since 1607, acknowledges the house’s ghosts as part of its remarkable history. The combination of Tudor royalty, Jacobean grandeur, and 400 years of continuous occupation has created one of England’s most historically significant haunted houses.