The Gray Lady of Hampton Palace

By Crusader1307

 Hampton Palace Court, once the seat of power for many of England's Kings and Queens, is now a lovely and well kept Museum and important piece of English History. It as also a VERY haunted location, as we have seen. Another of The Court's long term ''Residents'' is claimed to be one Sybil Penn. She has been seen and heard from since Her death in 1562. Penn was a Wet Nurse to The Royal House of Tudor, serving (4) Kings and was even Nurse to the young and only male Heir to Henry VIII, Prince Edward. Although He would die prematurely, Penn would continue as Nurse to Henry, caring for the Princess Elizabeth (later the 1st). A severe bout of Smallpox swept thru England in the 1560s, Penn worked hard to protect the Princess. She kept Her safe but in the process caught the deadly disease herself and died.

In 1829 renovations in Hampton disturbed the seal of Penn's tomb (so honored by Elizabeth Ist later for Her faithful service). Since her tomb seal was disturbed, Penn too make sure She ''disturbs'' Her former Palace. Persons report ''hearing'' Penn singing and ''spinning'' on Her Spinning Wheel (a task she was said to enjoy and do for hours). In the late 19th Century, The Palace was again undergoing renovations when a ''secret room'' was found. Inside the room, Penn's long though lost Wheel. Since it's ''discovery'', the ''spinning'' sounds ceased. An elderly woman is often said to have been seen lurking in the shadows in the area of Her former room. She is said to be ''non-threatening'' without ''ill will'' felt. The image is always fleeting.