Preston Manor: Brighton’s Haunted House

Preston Manor, set in beautiful parkland in Brighton, looks like the perfect Edwardian country house. It’s also one of the most haunted buildings in Sussex. At least four distinct ghosts have been seen here over the centuries: the famous White Lady from the 16th century, a Lady in Grey who walks the staircase, ghostly men fighting in the upstairs rooms, and most unusually, a phantom child riding a toy tractor. The manor offers an intimate look at Edwardian life - and what comes after it.

The Manor’s History

Ancient Origins

The site dates back:

• To the Domesday Book (1086)
• Medieval manor house
• Rebuilt over centuries
• Current house mainly Edwardian
• But incorporates older elements

The Stanford Family

Long-term residents:

• Owned the manor for generations
• Left it to Brighton Council
• Their furnishings remain
• Their ghosts remain too
• A family still in residence

Now a Museum

Today:

• Open to the public
• Preserved as an Edwardian home
• Original furnishings
• Original atmosphere
• Original ghosts

The White Lady

The Oldest Ghost

Dating to the 16th century:

• The most famous ghost
• A woman in a long white dress
• Appears in various rooms
• On the stairs
• In the grounds

Her Story

Legends say:

• She was a nun
• Or a lady of the house
• Died tragically
• Perhaps by her own hand
• Her reasons lost to time

The Finger

The most famous feature:

• The White Lady points
• With a severed finger
• Self-mutilated?
• Or injured by another?
• The gesture repeats

The Sightings

She has been seen:

• By staff numerous times
• By visitors regularly
• Always in white
• Always pointing
• For over 400 years

The Lady in Grey

The Staircase Ghost

A different apparition:

• Dressed in grey
• Usually on the main staircase
• Descending or ascending
• A graceful figure
• Perhaps from the Victorian era

Her Nature

She seems:

• Unaware of observers
• Going about her routine
• A residual haunting perhaps
• Playing out actions from life
• Forever walking the stairs

The Fighting Men

Upstairs Conflict

In the upper rooms:

• The sounds of conflict
• Men struggling
• Sometimes two figures seen
• Engaged in combat
• Then vanishing

The Mystery

No one knows:

• Who they were
• Why they fought
• When they lived
• What they argue about
• The fight never ends

The Child with the Tractor

The Unusual Ghost

Most surprising of all:

• A young child
• Riding a toy tractor
• Seen in the 1960s
• And since
• A modern ghost?

The Toy

This raises questions:

• When did this child live?
• The tractor suggests 20th century
• A Stanford child?
• A visitor’s child?
• Identity unknown

The Sighting

The ghost appears:

• Usually briefly
• Riding through rooms
• Or the grounds
• A happy presence
• Playing forever

The Phenomena

The Cold Spots

Throughout the house:

• Distinct temperature drops
• In certain locations
• The staircase landing
• Certain bedrooms
• Consistent over time

The Feelings

Visitors report:

• Being watched
• Sense of presence
• Particularly in the servants’ quarters
• The kitchen areas
• Not always comfortable

The Sounds

When the house is empty:

• Footsteps heard
• Doors closing
• Voices murmuring
• The sounds of occupation
• By invisible residents

Investigations

Documented Activity

The manor has:

• A long record of sightings
• Staff reports catalogued
• Visitor experiences noted
• Consistent descriptions
• Credible witnesses

Paranormal Research

Investigators have found:

• Strong activity
• EVP recordings
• Photographic anomalies
• EMF readings
• A productive location

The Walled Garden

The grounds are active:

• The White Lady appears outside too
• The walled garden particularly
• Strange atmospheres
• Cold spots outdoors
• Not confined to the house

Visiting Preston Manor

The Experience

The museum offers:

• Below-stairs tour
• Above-stairs tour
• Edwardian life insight
• Beautiful gardens
• And ghost stories

The Atmosphere

The house has:

• Authentic period feel
• Original furnishings
• Servant bells still hung
• Kitchen still equipped
• Frozen in time

Ghost Events

Occasionally:

• Special evening events
• Ghost tours
• Investigation nights
• Access after dark
• When activity increases

The Question

Preston Manor is a beautiful house.

It’s filled with the possessions of people who lived here over a century ago.

It’s also filled with those people themselves.

The White Lady has been pointing her severed finger for 400 years. At what? At whom? No one knows.

The Lady in Grey walks her staircase. Up and down. Up and down. Forever.

Two men fight upstairs. The battle never ends. Neither wins.

And a child rides a toy tractor through the rooms. Playing. For eternity.

The Stanford family gave their house to Brighton.

They didn’t quite leave, though.

Preston Manor is a museum of Edwardian life.

And death.

And what comes after.

The ghosts live here. This is their home. The living are just visitors.

Come see how the Edwardians lived.

And meet those who never left.

They’re waiting for you.

They’ve been waiting a very long time.