Grosvenor Hotel, Shaftesbury, Dorset

Paranormal History

Considered the ‘5th Most Haunted Hotel in the UK’, it comes as no surprise the Grosvenor Hotel in Shaftesbury has its fair share of ghosts and paranormal activity. With the history of the site being occupied for over 1000 years, there’s enough to support the belief that something paranormal resides here.

In the cellar, the oldest part of this one-time coaching inn, the ghost of a hooded monk is said to roam. He has been seen on many occasions by staff, often in peripheral vision, but he seems to disappear once you turn and look.

The hotel is also home to another spirit, that of the ‘Grey Lady’. She is seen and heard throughout the upper floors of the hotel. You may just catch a glimpse of her on the way back to your room, or hear her walking the corridors in the dead of night. It is believed that this phantom woman is in fact a nun who escaped from a nearby Abbey during the Religious Separation of the 16th Century.

There have also been reports of a ghost of a young girl who appears in the guest rooms. She is thought to be behind the pulling of the guests’ bedsheets.

Related Article: Top 11 Most Haunted Places in Dorset

About

With a history dating back over 1000 years, this stunning listed building and one-time coaching inn is a true test of time. Sitting at the peak of Dorset’s beautiful Blackmore Vale, Shaftesbury, offers a certain Old England charm, down to the last street cobble. The hotel itself has recently undergone a complete renovation, although some of the old coaching inns’ features still remain. The hotel is now a boutique hotel offering modern contemporary bedrooms and a beautiful restaurant that produces the finest food, using the very best locally sourced ingredients. Decorated in a striking fashion throughout, there are 16 sumptuous designed rooms that offer space in abundance. There’s an elegant Ballroom on the first floor available for private hire. There’s also the Greenhouse Restaurant complete with a private dining room, Drawing room, a Courtyard terrace, and the modern jazzy Hotel Bar.

Features

16 sumptuous rooms with 3 suites
Coffee maker
Free Wifi
Restaurant
Bar
Satellite TV
Courtyard garden
iPod dock

Things to Do

Shaftesbury is one of England’s oldest towns, with a number of local attractions nearby that you can visit. The famous Gold Hill, a steep cottage lined cobbled street, was used in the memorable Hovis adverts during the ’80s-’90s. At the top of the Gold Hill site the Gold Hill Museum and Garden, displaying the history of the local area dating back centuries. Shaftesbury Abbey Museum is also a popular local attraction for history buffs.

A little further afield you have the romantic Old Wardour Castle, the 13th Century Salisbury Cathedral, Stonehenge, and the City of Bath. There are also several golf courses, cycle paths, and fishing opportunities in the area.