The Hinton Ampner Haunting: Violent Ghosts, Bones, and Terror

The Hinton Ampner haunting refers primarily to a series of paranormal disturbances that happened between 1765 and 1772 at the original Tudor manor house in Hampshire, England.

The phenomena, which ranged from spectral figures to violent poltergeist activity, were documented by the Ricketts family, tenants who were eventually forced to abandon the residence. The later demolition of the house led to the discovery of skeletal remains, providing a potential explanation for the disturbances’ origin.

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Key Takeaways

Attribute	Details
Name	Hinton Ampner Haunting (also known as the Hinton Ampner House Haunting)
Location	Hinton Ampner, Hampshire, England
Longland Scale	Class L-4 [See the Longland Scale Explanation]
History	Haunting took place 1765–1772; house abandoned due to activity; demolished 1797; infant skeletal remains found beneath floorboards
Death Toll	3 confirmed historical deaths (Lord Stawell, Honoria, Infant remains) + 0 deaths attributed to the entity
Type of Haunting	Apparitions, Intelligent, Poltergeist
Lunar / Seasonal Pattern	Constant Activity (Reports of nightly disturbances throughout the Ricketts occupancy 1765–1772)
Entities	A gentleman in a drab-coloured coat (Specter allegedly resembling Lord Stawell), a lady in white (Specter allegedly resembling Honoria)
Manifestations	Slamming doors, heavy footsteps, strange noises, rustling silk, groans, a phantom gunshot, violent crashes, and shaking of the house
First reported sighting	Circa 1755 (Ghost of Lord Stawell reportedly seen by a groom)
Recent activity	Early 1950s (Owner Mary Ricketts reported similar sounds in the modern house, leading to excavation and the discovery of further bones at the original site)
Threat Level	7/10 (dangerous) [See the Threat Level Explanation]
Hoax Confidence Rating	2/10 (Extremely likely authentic). [See the Hoax Confidence Rating Explanation]
Open to the public?	Yes (The estate, including the current house and gardens built on the site, is managed by the National Trust)

What Is the Hinton Ampner Haunting?

The Hinton Ampner haunting is defined by the severe and consistent paranormal activity experienced by the Ricketts family while leasing the old Tudor house, a former manor built on the site.

The disturbances began shortly after the family arrived in 1765 and intensified over several years. The phenomena involved a wide spectrum of alleged manifestations, moving beyond simple residual echoes to include seemingly intelligent interaction with the inhabitants.

Physical disturbances included slamming doors, heavy furniture being dragged across floors, and violent crashes. Auditory reports detailed low groans, eerie, hollow murmuring, and the distinct sound of silken skirts rustling past occupants.

Witnesses also reported seeing specific apparitions, primarily a gentleman in a drab-coloured coat and a tall woman in white.7 The activity was such that staff frequently resigned, and the phenomenon escalated until Mrs. Ricketts was compelled to move the family out of the house in 1772, declaring it “an unfit residence for any human being.”

Hinton Ampner Haunted History

The historical context of the haunting centers on a scandal involving the Stewkeley and Stawell families, who owned the property before the Ricketts’ tenancy. The old manor, which stood north of the current structure, had already acquired a sinister reputation in the 1750s.

The core narrative involves Edward Stawell, the fourth Baron Stawell, who resided at the house. After the death of his wife, Mary, in 1740, Lord Stawell allegedly entered into an incestuous relationship with his sister-in-law, Honoria Stewkeley.

Local gossip suggested that this union produced an infant who was secretly disposed of shortly after birth. Honoria died in 1754, and Lord Stawell died suddenly of apoplexy in 1755. It was soon after these deaths that the specter of a gentleman in a drab-coloured coat, resembling Lord Stawell, was first reported by a groom.

The major haunting phase began when Mr. and Mrs. Ricketts leased the house in 1765. Initially, Mr. Ricketts was skeptical, blaming the initial noises on disaffected local villagers or disgruntled servants.15 He replaced all the locks to no avail.

The intensity increased a lot when Mr. Ricketts left for Jamaica in 1769, leaving Mrs. Ricketts and her children to take on the full force of the manifestations. The relentless activity, including footsteps pacing above the bedrooms and spectral figures appearing in the lobby, drove the family from the home.

The resolution of the 18th-century case took place after the house was deemed beyond repair and slated for demolition in 1797. During the dismantling process, workmen discovered a chamber or box hidden beneath the floorboards in the lobby or dining room.

The box contained a collection of bones, including a small skull, widely assumed by locals to be the remains of the missing infant heir. The removal and burial of these remains were historically associated with the cessation of the major, documented paranormal activity at the site of the Tudor mansion.

A secondary period of haunting was reported in the early 1950s by the later owner, Mary Ricketts (a descendant of the original family). Her experiences of sounds and disturbances in the modern house prompted an excavation of the original Tudor foundation, which uncovered further skeletal remains near the foundation.

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Hinton Ampner Haunting Timeline

The Hinton Ampner haunting is important for the detailed documentation provided by contemporary witnesses, particularly Mrs. Ricketts.

Date	Witness(es)	Phenomenon Reported
Circa 1755	Groom of Lord Stawell	Apparition of gentleman in drab-coloured coat (allegedly Lord Stawell)
1765	Ricketts Household Servants	Doors slamming with vehemence and repeated heavy footsteps
July 1767	Household Servants	Apparition of a tall woman seen passing the kitchen, accompanied by the distinct rustling of stiff silk clothing
Winter 1769–1770	Mrs. Ricketts	Woken by the sound of a heavy man lumbering towards her bed; heard a most deep, tremendous noise as if something had crashed down in the adjoining lobby
April 2, 1771	Mrs. Ricketts, Maid	Heard footsteps and a racket outside her bedroom; the sounds suggested someone was opening and closing the door of the locked Yellow Bedroom
1771	Captain Jervis and Mr. Luttrell	Heard dreadful groans; felt an entity flit past; witnessed phenomena climaxing with a phantom gunshot followed by groans of anguish
1797	Demolition Workers	Discovery of a box containing skeletal remains and an infant skull under the floorboards of the original Tudor house
Early 1950s	Mary Ricketts	Nightly footsteps pacing, murmuring voices, and cold drafts in the modern house

The Ricketts’ Initial Reports (1765–1769)

Following their arrival in 1765, the Ricketts family and their eight servants from London immediately experienced disturbances, which Mr. Ricketts attributed to human agency. The consistent sound was the violent slamming of doors at night.

After changing all the locks, attempts to stop the sounds failed, and the activity escalated to include strange footsteps. In 1767, the servants were serving tea when they heard footsteps on the service stairs, accompanied by the rustle of silk, which they recognized as belonging to no one in the household. The woman was seen walking toward the yard before disappearing.

Captain Jervis’s Vigil (1771)

Mrs. Ricketts’ brother, Captain John Jervis, R.N. (later Admiral of the Fleet and Viscount St.25 Vincent), who was known for his firm and rational intellect, agreed to stay at Hinton Ampner to investigate the claims.

Jervis and his friend, Captain Luttrell, set a watch in the house. The two men, armed with pistols, heard a variety of intense phenomena, including the persistent groans and footsteps.

During the vigil, they reportedly heard a deep, tremendous noise, as if something were falling with great velocity and force onto the lobby floor. The activity culminated in the distinct sound of a gunshot followed by the groans of anguish of a wounded man. Jervis declared the house to be an unfit residence for any human being, marking the definitive end of the Ricketts’ tenancy.

The 1797 Demolition Discovery

After the Ricketts family abandoned the house, it remained vacant for several years until the then-Lord Stawell decided to have it demolished in 1797. The purpose of the demolition was to replace the old, dilapidated Tudor structure with a more modern building. During the process, workmen uncovered a hidden, bricked-up space beneath the ground-floor lobby floorboards.

Inside this confined area was a box containing several human bones, including what witnesses identified as the skull of a baby or infant. This discovery was immediately connected by local residents and historians to the long-standing rumor regarding Lord Stawell and Honoria and their secretly buried child, providing a direct, physical explanation for the source of the alleged haunting.

The Hinton Ampner Case File

The “Rhythmic Pounding” Signature

The Hinton Ampner Haunting is characterized not by fleeting apparitions, but by persistent, rhythmic, and incredibly loud acoustic phenomena. The most distinctive and signature elements were the sound of deliberate, heavy, thundering footsteps and the methodical, rhythmic pounding on the walls.

This auditory signature was so relentless and powerful that witnesses often described feeling the vibrations through the floors. Unlike the random bangs and scrapes of some poltergeists, the Hinton Ampner sounds were often described as having a military or judicial cadence, suggesting a conscious, repeated action.

This focus on sound over visual sightings places it squarely in the subcategory of acoustic poltergeists, where the aim appears to be psychological harassment through the sheer force and constancy of the noise.

The Demolition

The most definitive and unique resolution in the Hinton Ampner case file is the owner’s decision, Mr. Powlett, to demolish the entire house in 1793. This drastic action was taken after the haunting had successfully driven out tenants like Fanny Powlett and rendered the mansion uninhabitable for years.

The belief was that the physical structure of the house itself was cursed, built on a site of ancient tragedy, or somehow facilitated the paranormal activity. The fact that the phenomena ceased entirely after the demolition provides a rare, albeit radical, confirmation that the haunting was geo-specific and place-bound. The structure was not merely the site of the haunting; it was the mechanism.

The Tenant Narrative vs. Family Secrecy

The documentation of the haunting relies heavily on the detailed and compelling accounts of Fanny Powlett, who was eventually driven out. However, the case file is complicated by the secrecy and reticence of the family that owns it.

The family had a vested interest in downplaying or suppressing the events to protect the property’s value and reputation. This creates a fascinating tension between the vivid, first-hand accounts of the tenant (Fanny Powlett) and the desire of the owner (Mr. Powlett) to control the narrative.

The fact that the owner eventually took the extreme measure of demolition suggests that, despite his reluctance to validate the haunting publicly, the disturbances were so severe that he privately conceded the property was incurably cursed.

Theories

The complex nature of the phenomena at Hinton Ampner, spanning apparitions, poltergeist activity, and the later discovery of human remains, has generated multiple theories regarding the source of the disturbance.

The Spiritual Theory

The primary explanation for the haunting, both locally and in historical accounts, is that the restless spirits of Lord Stawell and Honoria Stewkeley were unable to find peace due to the crime of infanticide and the following secret burial of their child on the property.

The discovery of the infant’s remains during the 1797 demolition provides a physical correlation that supports the traditional narrative of a tragic haunting. The various apparitions (the gentleman in drab, the lady in white) are believed to be the spectral manifestations of the guilty parents. At the same time, the noises and groans of anguish represent the traumatic events surrounding the child’s demise.

The Hoax Theory

A prevailing theory among skeptics and some historians is that the haunting was largely, or even entirely, a hoax orchestrated by servants. Mr. Ricketts initially suspected that locals or servants had acquired keys and were attempting to cause mischief.

Some accounts suggest that the Ricketts’ decision to bring eight servants from London caused friction with local villagers who previously relied on employment at the manor.

One specific later account suggests that Captain Jervis, during a separate, undocumented visit, apprehended a female domestic servant who was trailing a heavy weight and clanking chains to simulate the poltergeist sounds.

This theory claims that the phenomena were initially fabricated to frighten Londoners away and to regain local employment. However, it does not account for the reported visual apparitions or the later discovery of the skeletal remains.

The Environmental Theory

In modern analyses of historical hauntings, environmental and psychological factors are often taken into account.

The old Tudor house was reported to be structurally unsound and dilapidated before its demolition. The strange noises, such as groans and loud rumblings, could be attributed to structural settlement, creaking timbers, infrasound from air currents, or the movement of subterranean water.

Additionally, the heightened anxiety and suggestibility of the residents, particularly Mrs. Ricketts after her skeptical husband departed, could have led to misinterpretation of natural sounds and potentially mass hysteria among the staff.

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Hinton Ampner vs Other Haunted Locations

The Hinton Ampner haunting, noted for its strong connection between alleged spectral activity and the discovery of physical remains, can be compared to other significant British paranormal cases.

Name	Location	Type of Haunting	Activity Level
Borley Rectory	Essex, England	Apparitions, Poltergeist, Intelligent, Demonic	10 (extremely active and dangerous)
Brown Lady of Raynham Hall	Norfolk, England	Apparitions, Residual	8 (very active)
Mackenzie Poltergeist	Edinburgh, Scotland	Poltergeist, Demonic (allegedly)	9 (very active)
Chillingham Castle	Northumberland, England	Apparitions, Residual, Intelligent	7 (very active)
The Man in Grey	Theatre Royal, London, England	Apparitions, Residual	5 (occasional)
Hampton Court Palace	London, England	Apparitions, Residual, Crisis Apparitions	7 (very active)
Blickling Hall	Norfolk, England	Apparitions, Residual (Anne Boleyn)	6 (occasional)
Fyvie Castle	Aberdeenshire, Scotland	Apparitions, Curse, Elemental	7 (very active)
Berry Pomeroy Castle	Totnes, England	Apparitions (White Lady, Blue Lady)	8 (very active)
The Tower of London	London, England	Apparitions (various beheaded figures)	8 (very active)

Is Hinton Ampner Haunting Real?

The reality of the Hinton Ampner haunting is examined from two perspectives: historical documentation and the principles of scientific verification. Historically, the case is considered significant due to the quality and consistency of the witnesses, including gentry such as Mrs. Ricketts and her brother, Captain Jervis, both noted for their reliability.

The intensity of the disturbances resulted in the complete abandonment and later demolition of the house, suggesting a substantial problem beyond mere local superstition.

The discovery of human remains—including the alleged infant skull—beneath the floorboards in 1797 provides an unusual physical corroboration to the spectral narrative. This finding aligns with the central theme of the haunting, which was embedded in the dark history of the property and the secret death of a child.

However, contemporary skepticism focused on the possibility of a premeditated hoax by servants, exploiting the existing rumors of scandal and the house’s isolation. Plus, the lack of professional archaeological or medical inspection of the remains in the 18th century prevents definitive confirmation that the bones belonged to the rumored infant.

When all is said and done, the Hinton Ampner haunting represents a key historical case study where the traditional narrative of the unquiet dead received physical, albeit unverified, confirmation centuries before modern psychical research methods were formalized.