Bath Ghosts, Folklore and Forteana
Robinson
Location: Bath - 20 Henrietta Street
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The disembodied footsteps occasionally heard on site are attributed to Admiral Robinson.
Howe
Location: Bath - 71 Pulteney Street
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Circa 1970s
Further Comments: Dressed in his naval uniform, Admiral Howe has been observed and heard moving around his former home.
Monks
Location: Bath - Abbey
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 23 August 2005
Further Comments: Phantom monks are reputed to haunt this area. A photograph taken by Russ Cribb on Flickr purports to show a ghostly cowled figure standing in front of the abbey's main door.
Naked Roman
Location: Bath - Area around Abbey Church, and other areas within the town centre
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Twentieth century
Further Comments: The figure of a naked Roman soldier (how do you tell without a uniform to assist you?) has apparently been seen running around the centre of the town. On one occasion, a police officer gave chase, but the pursuit abruptly ended when the figure faded into the air.
Admiral Phillip
Location: Bath - Assembly Rooms, Saville Row and 19 Bennett Street
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Late twentieth century
Further Comments: Phillip, the first governor of New South Wales, has been seen dozens of times over the past fifty or so years, always wearing the same black hat and long cloak.
Nurse
Location: Bath - Bath Royal Mineral Water Hospital
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Mid-twentieth century
Further Comments: Said to have committed suicide on the site, this grey phantom nurse has vanished as of late.
Tiny the Dog
Location: Bath - Beckford's Tower, Lansdown Hill
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: William Beckford's pet dog, Tiny, was once buried by the tower, though the creature's ghost returned after the remains were moved. It is also said that William's ghost haunts the graveyard surrounding the tower.
Bunty
Location: Bath - Beehive public house (currently Grappa's Bar)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Late twentieth century
Further Comments: A former Victorian worker at the pub, Bunty makes fleeting appearances around the hallway dressed in a blue/grey gown. Her presence was said to be non-threatening.
Monkey
Location: Bath - Brassknocker Hill and surrounding area
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: 1979 / 1980
Further Comments: There was a brief flat of monkey sightings here, the creature said to stand between 3 - 4 feet high (90 - 120cm) and had bright rings around its eyes.
Soldier
Location: Bath - Crown Inn
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1990s
Further Comments: Dressed in a First World War uniform, this phantom would appear in a darkened corner sipping his drink. The haunting is said not to have lasted.
Monk
Location: Bath - Crystal Palace public house, 10 Abbey Green
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Twentieth century
Further Comments: This figure is reported to materialise when building work is carried out inside the property. The ghostly monk is said to be quite transparent.
Moving Items
Location: Bath - Curfew Inn
Type: Poltergeist
Date / Time: 2009
Further Comments: The poltergeist at work in this pub plays around with beer casks, taps and pinches staff, and moves pool balls.
Cellar Dweller
Location: Bath - Devonshire Arms, Wellsway
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1996
Further Comments: The basement of this public house is reportedly haunted by a girl who was killed on the nearby railway lines. One member of staff reported feeling invisible hands tugging at their clothing.
Dueller
Location: Bath - Duelling ground, Victoria Park
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: This former duelling site is said to be haunted by a sword handling Dueller. The whispers of the deceased fighters and strange mist are said to emerge from a nearby holly bush.
Footsteps
Location: Bath - Festival Office, Linley House, Pierreont Place
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Staff and visitors to the building have heard footsteps coming from an empty room here.
Housekeeper
Location: Bath - Francis Hotel
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Maid unknown, other experiences 03/04 January 2013
Further Comments: As the guide on the Bath tour bus will tell you, this hotel is haunted by a former housekeeper who, in a state of depression, hanged herself. Two guests at the hotel in 2013 spent a restless night after scratching and tapping from inside their room kept them awake, and a hot water bottle was swept off the table.
Man
Location: Bath - Gay Street
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1970s
Further Comments: A man with his long hair tied back with a ribbon is said to haunt this street. He can only be seen by other men. Two houses along the road are said to be haunted, one by disembodied voices, though details of the other haunting are not forthcoming.
Raining Jellyfish
Location: Bath - General area
Type: Other
Date / Time: August 1894
Further Comments: Some parts of the town were covered in thousands of jellyfish that apparently fell from the sky.
Bladud
Location: Bath - General area
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Circa 860BC
Further Comments: The city of Bath is said to have been constructed around waters that cured Prince Bladud of leprosy and his pigs of skin complaints.
White Haired Man
Location: Bath - Gravel Walk, Victoria Park
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Sightings said to have been around 20:45h, several in 1976
Further Comments: This white haired man has appeared several times, only to suddenly vanish.
Misty Lady
Location: Bath - Grosvenor Hotel
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The appearance of this female phantom is accompanied by a sharp drop in temperature. Footfalls are also reported.
Moaning
Location: Bath - High medieval wall near Theatre Royal
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A local myth states that the long drop on the other side of this wall is where plague-infected bodies were thrown - the upset spirits are still heard complaining about their treatment.
Horses
Location: Bath - Laura Place and connecting streets
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The sound (never the sight) of horses and drawn carriages is said to linger here.
Banging
Location: Bath - Little Theatre Cinema
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 2017
Further Comments: Paranormal investigators were called to this theatre after strange bangs and other unexplained sounds were heard around the site.
Juliana
Location: Bath - Popjoy's Restaurant (Beau Nash House)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Late twentieth century?
Further Comments: Juliana Popjoy, the mistress of eighteenth century fashionista and dandy Beau Nash, is reported to haunt this restaurant, as is another ghostly woman wearing clothing from the 1960s. They say the latter figure looks perfectly solid until she suddenly vanishes without trace…
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