Winchester, Hampshire, England

A view of Winchester Cathedral

The Eclipse

The Eclipse is reputedly haunted by the sad spectre of Dame Alice Lisle.

 

On 2nd September 1685, she stepped from this building and was executed by beheading on the orders of "Bloody" Judge Jeffreys as part of the "Bloody Assizes".

 

She has been described as wearing a grey woollen dress.

 

Pictured left is the Eclipse courtesy of Andrew Abbott.

 

For further information, please read Haunted Britain and Ireland by Richard Jones and Britain's Haunted Heritage by J.A. Brooks.

Quarry Road

45 Quarry Road has three ghosts. These are a nun, a lady in white and a tall man in a black cloak with brass buttons, who simply stands and smiles. Witnesses include a Mrs Bowles, who according to the author Coxe, has often seen this particular apparition. Kinetic phenomena include curtains being drawn, whereas others have reported olfactory phenomena. The smells reported include ‘lady scent’ and ‘something dead’. By the 1970’s, there had been two unsuccessful attempts at an exorcism.

 

For further information, please read Haunted Britain by Antony D. Hippisley Coxe.

Buttercross

A ‘Buttercross’ is a type of market cross, associated with English market towns and dating from medieval times. This one is a principle meeting place in Winchester. Legend has it that a witch placed a curse on the Buttercross in the Middle Ages, whilst she awaited to be burnt at the stake. Any person who sat there would from that moment on would feel compelled to return time and time again!

 

The Buttercross is said to be haunted by a rarely seen apparition described as a ‘shadow’ that approaches from the west and then disappears in the direction of the Cathedral. Although not often sighted, it is recommended to be on the alert around 8pm when the Guildhall Bell tolls, and you may just get a glimpse.

Location

Visitor Information

Winchester is a city and the county town of Hampshire, England.

The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, and is located at the western end of the South Downs National Park, along the course of the River Itchen. It is situated 61 miles southwest of London and 13.6 miles from Southampton, its closest city.

Pictured left is a view of Winchester Cathedral courtesy of Graham Horn. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.