Ghostly Goings On – Red Lion Hotel, Essex

Something a little different, and a little fun for  the week leading up to Halloween. Wooo hoooooooo (thats my scary ghost noise) I thought I would do a freak week this week, detailing Ghostly Going’s on, with things that may go bump in the night…….I have always wanted to stay in a creepy, haunted hotel or house. I love ghost hunting and all the scariness that goes with it. I thought I would have a little fun this week, and share with you some of the creepiest and scariest places you can stay around the UK. Im starting with some weird, creepy and strange goings on in my home county of Essex, here in the UK. The Brook Red Lion Hotel Essex is famous for its ghostly activity. Read on……if you dare mwaaahahahahahh  (creepy laugh), ok not that creepy, Taxi For Kerry………!

Red Lion Hotel, Colchester Essex

The Red Lion Hotel in Colchester, Essex, is a 15th Century coaching Inn. Situated about 50 miles North-East of London, you can get into London via a direct train in about an hour. Colchester is actually the UK’s oldest recorded Town, so I suppose you are going to have a whole lot of history there. Its no wonder that some of the past residents decided to stay. The Inn itself is one of the oldest Inn’s in Colchester, and still has a lot of its original Tudor features and many of its 20 rooms are also original. Its so steeped in history that it is now a listed building. The following photos were sent to me by the lovely duty manager Angela at the Red Lion. I have blown a couple up to show the details…….

Alice Millar, the hard working chambermaid of the Brook Red Lion Inn is a valued member of the Red Lion staff. Known as a caring and conscientious member of the team, Alice’s kind nature means that she worries and frets that both guests and staff are ok. She likes to check on them, and ensure that they are alright. Recently, one of the Managers felt that Alice was maybe a little too conscientious, as he found Alice in the chair next to his bed in the early hours of the morning! You may be thinking that Alice was overstepping her duties, and you would be right. However, this was not the reason for the Managers worry, it was the fact that Alice had been dead since 1638, when she had been murdered by her boyfriend!

Alice is one of three ghosts that are said to roam the Red Lion Hotel, Essex and is reportedly the most seen. She is said to mainly haunt rooms 5, 6 and 10, as well as her own room that Alice occupied, before her brutal murder that apparently took place in her room. Her presence was said to be so prolific in the Inn back in the 1800’s, that the owner of the Inn 200 years ago, bricked up the doorway to Alice’s room, forever sealing it. Alice has been seen walking through the bricked up area where her door would have been, going back into her room many times. Members of staff have also reported their hair being pulled in the kitchen, and whispers in their ears. One guest even found the voice of a woman on her video tape that she took in her room. Alice likes to make her presence felt! The link below will take you to some documents that were submitted from the goings on in room 6…..

Ghost Room 6

Another of The Red Lion Inn’s ghosts is a hooded Monk. He has been mainly seen in the early hours of the morning, and tends to be around the reception area of the hotel, or around the corridors. It was said that a monk died at the Hotel, in a fire hundreds of years ago. The monk apparently died going back into the Inn, into the fierceness of the fire, trying to save the children that were in his care. Is the monk still roaming the corridors, looking for the children?

The third ghost seen is that of a small boy. weirdly, the ghost of the boy has been reported mainly by children. Past guests of the Inn have reported that their children have laughed and spoke with “the boy”, but the parents have seen nothing. There has been numerous accounts of guests photos having a ghostly face of a small boy appearing in pictures that they have taken while in the restaurant at the Inn. The boy has been mainly seen in the Parliament room of the Inn, (was the old banqueting hall, now the hotel restaurant) but little is known of his history. Perhaps one of the Monks lost children?

The ghostly goings on at the Red Lion have been so well documented, that it has been included in a Ghost Hunters list of places to stay. Ghost Hunters UK do a ghost hunt stay there for £45 pp, and you stay until 2am. Would you do it? I would love to! I have linked a couple of videos below, of previous ghost hunts that have been held at the Red Lion. Interesting!

I have had dinner in the Red Lion before, but never knew of its ghostly history until recently. I wish I had known. I would have had a good ole look around! Nik and I, and my brother and his wife, are looking at staying in a haunted place before Christmas. I think this could be a good contender……..

These documents were submitted in 2008 for verification of ghostly visitors in room 6. Interesting…..

Documents sent for verification

2014 Ghost Hunt – You Tube video

2012 Ghost Hunt – You Tube Video

Page full of information on Red Lions Ghostly goings ons 

Do you know of any haunted places near where you live? have you stayed in one or does it appeal to you? There will be a few posts going up this week to tempt you with, so pop back again……….