Coventry is known for its outstanding heritage, which includes the Roman Fort, the legendary Lady Godiva and three cathedrals. NIA JONES checks out five of Coventry’s spookiest places…
Days Hotel/Aston Court Hotel, 80-90 Holyhead Road, CV1 3AS
There have been numerous reported sightings of ghosts, paranormal occurrences and happenings at this the hotel over several years. It is claimed the hotel is haunted by five spirits, two men, two women and a young girl – who has a certain hatred for males who stay at the hotel.
Allegedly, the hotel employees now keep male guests away from a certain room in fear that the young female ghost may attack them.
The Establishment Bar & Grill, Bayley Lane, Coventry CV1 5RN
One of Coventry’s oldest buildings, located in the Old County Hall, the premises is known for its ghostly residents because the building was used formally as a medieval jail with a gallows and a cemetery. It’s believed that court officials and past prisoners haunt the bar and grill, staff and patrons have witnessed poltergeist activity as well as strange shadows.
The last woman to be hanged in Coventry, Mary Bell was hanged on the site,and is also held responsible for the paranormal activity going on at The Establishment.
Old Mill Hotel, Mill Hill, Baginton CV8 3AH
Situated by the River Sowe, The Old Mill is a converted watermill; the mill is also mentioned in the Doomsday Book. A grey lady is said to haunt the hotel, the legend goes that when the building was a working water mill a female worker is said to have been drowned under the water wheel after she became trapped.
A mummified cat was once found during excavations, and if the cat leaves the premises the hotel experiences bad luck until it is returned – the last time anyone attempted to remove the mummified cat was 1999.
St Mary’s Guildhall, Bayley Lane, Coventry CV1 5RN
The building was erected on the site of the former Coventry Castle and is considered to be the finest medieval guildhall in the country. Regular ghostly sightings at The Guildhall include a little girl, a monk and a grey lady. Mary, Queen of Scots was once held prisoner within St Mary’s Guildhall walls.
The ‘Draper’s Room’ is rumoured to cause many visitors to become hysterically emotional; many have reported being overcome with a feeling of sadness and bursting into tears for no apparent reason.
Coombe Abbey Hotel – Brinklow Road, Binley, CV3 2AB
Originally built as a 12th Century monastery, Coombe Abbey has had many reports of supernatural goings on throughout the years. The poltergeist activity in the kitchen area is attributed to the spirit of Abbott Geoffrey, who was murdered in 1345. His cloaked figure has been seen gliding around the castle grounds; it is believed he is still searching for justice, as his murderer was never caught.
There are reports of another entity haunting the Coombe Abbey, a green eyed stable-girl by the name of Matilda. Matilda became pregnant by the master of the house and was shunned away by him, she later gave birth to a stillborn child and cursed the property for any young child that is born, claiming they would die young and under terrible circumstances. It seems that this curse is somewhat true; many young children in the Craven family have died young throughout the years.
Phantom footsteps have been heard along the cobbles outside, doors slam shut without explanation, and many get the feeling of not being alone in their room. Some guests have been so spooked they have literally run out of their rooms in the middle of the night refusing to go back in. There have also been sightings of a lady in Victorian dress riding a bike passed the house and a horseman riding near the lodge house.
Have you seen a ghost in Coventry? Tell us about it in the comments section below!
The last women to be hanged in Coventry was Mary Ann Higgins at Whitley Common