HAVE YOU HAD AN UNEXPLAINED EXPERIENCE WHILST VISITING CHAMBERCOMBE?
If the answer is YES please email us with your story and we will publish it on this page. Our email address is [email protected]
Below are some very interesting accounts from some of our visitors:-
We’d been looking through tourist leaflets over the first couple of days of our holiday to North Devon at the end of last month when my father came across one advertising an historical haunted house. With a huge love of history and things that go bump in the night, we agreed we’d keep this one on our to do list!
The day arrived for our visit to Chambercombe Manor. With no previous knowledge of the house or its history, we approached the house with much excitement at what may lay ahead on our tour, both from a learning point of view and a ghostly one too.
As I stood outside the front of the house, I was more and more aware of the increasingly strong presence of a little girl. I couldn’t actually ‘see’ her with the physical eye but she was there running around outside and very smiley, happy and joyful.
I decided to keep this to myself as we entered into the building and the tour started.
As we made our way upstairs, we entered The Chippendale room. As soon as I walked into the room, I felt immensely dizzy and to the point I started swaying and visibly walked sideways. The guide asked me if I was ok as I was forced to sit down as I couldn’t stand properly. She explained to us that the beams of the room were from a ship and they can sometimes hold memories of the sea so the swaying motion can often be felt in the room.
She also told us that a girl from the Victorian era had died in this room. I knew immediately that this was the girl I had ‘seen’ outside. I looked out the window but I couldn’t work out why she was outside when the guide told us about the activity ‘inside’ the room. My confusion and realisation that my girl was infact the same girl from this room, must have shown on my face for the guide then asked me if I’d seen something. I pulled back from the window and told the group how I had seen a little girl outside while waiting for the tour and that I felt it was the same girl. I then learnt that she has also been seen outside so I was proved correct.
Walking through to The Victorian bedroom, I looked back at the area outside The Hidden room and I could again ‘see’ the little girl this time crouched down on the stairs leaning in to watch and listen to us. She was again happy and smiling and clearly having lots of fun watching us all and knowing that she wasn’t visible to everyone present!
The rest of the tour was fascinating and we thoroughly enjoyed it all.
As we drove away and on to the main road into Ilfracombe, my daughter shouted at me to look at her. I was driving so couldn’t turn my head but looked into the mirror and there, on her lap, sat the biggest white feather I’d ever seen. I asked her where it had come from and she simply told me it had flown in the window and settled in her lap. I thought what a lovely end to our day!
But it didn’t end there. The man in the gift shop had told us on arrival how phones often don’t work in and around the house. Having captured spirit on film before, I was lucky that my phone worked perfectly as I snapped away hoping I was in with a chance of snapping something that might provide a talking point.
However, when we got back to our camp site where we were staying, I tried to turn my phone on. Nothing. Then it turned itself on and off and on again. This behaviour carried on for the rest of our trip and my phone only righted itself when we returned home from our holiday.
From Kate who visited in 2019
My mum and I visited Chambercombe manor in 2016 for a tour and had a really enjoyable time.
Our guide who took us around was amazing and really made the visit to Chambercombe worth every penny.
What was also wonderful is that we both had a couple of strange experiences on the walk around that we told our guide about at the end.
On our way into the manor after paying we were looking around the great hall waiting for the other visitors to join us when I noticed the door leading to the chapel open and then very slowly close again until it bumped gently into the door frame. Thinking it must have been a breeze or with a good explanation we looked for a window or door to be open and cause it but couldn’t see one. My mum had seen it happen too and commented on how it happened with such control and was now still that it couldn’t have been just a mere breeze.
The walk around began at that point and both my mum and I smelt a really fragrant and pretty perfume in two different rooms, my mum noticed it on the landing beside the armour and I was aware of it going into the Tudor bedroom, it was almost as if someone had walked right in front of me it was so strong and only noticeable for a moment. I told my mum about it and then sue explained that the smell of perfume was very common and linked to one of the little girls.
When we were in the kitchen downstairs I decided to take some pictures on my iPhone camera as I found it to be cold and atmospheric. One of the photos is very blurry and obviously taken in a hurry, I think I snapped it just when we heard a loud noise above us of furniture being moved and it gave me a fright so I belted it out of there!
However, when we looked at the photo last night we could see what looked like to be a figure of a person standing to the left of the fireplace.
We can make out an arm coming down to the side, a wide, heavy torso and legs standing wide. The figures head is not clear as it is so blurry but we are both convinced we can make out a person.
I will attach the photo for you to have a look.
When we left the chapel and went back into the great hall I felt very cold and almost as though someone was standing right beside me, my mum told me to look at the door again as she said it looked almost as though it was trying to move!
The door then moved with such control open and stopped, I thanked it and acknowledged it for opening the door for us and right on cue it slowly closed shut again with a click.
We couldn’t explain it and neither of us found it frightening or upsetting in fact it was so wonderful to have experienced something like that.
We thanked the spirit and the house for having us and told our guide what had happened and left for a coffee.
It was such an amazing place and I wanted to share with you what we experienced.
I will definitely be back for a paranormal event as it has to be one of the most special places I have ever been to and it made my day!
Thank you so much for having us and to our guide who made it so worthwhile.
Many thanks and best wishes,
Charlotte
My son and I visited Chambercombe Manor last July at 3pm for the tour. It was a quiet day, both in numbers of visitors and ‘activity’. Our guide related the history and tales of the manor with such expertise that we were all enthralled.
In the Chippendale Room, as we waited for the tour to start, the door by the grandfather clock opened by itself. Our guide came through and shut it. A few moments later, it opened again. Then shut by itself. I can’t say that I noticed any obvious draughts. Then once more it opened. I muttered to my son, ‘If that door closes by itself, I’m going to freak out.’
It did ( and I didn’t!). It closed by itself, just as I finished speaking. Closed slowly and purposefully. We both stared at each other. My son said there must be a through draught from somewhere. Incidentally, I found it hard to breathe in this room, as if there was pressure on my chest. I stepped out into the hall a couple of times and the sensation stopped.
Last night I scrutinised the photos my son took on my digital camera and was fascinated with the one on the balcony. Both the balcony pics, were taken in quick succession. After much deliberation, and comparisons, I think I can safely say that the blurred lady in the photo was our guide. Same jewellery, hair and red garment. However, there is an interesting orange halo around her head. Any thoughts? (These photos are available to view on our Chambercombe Manor facebook page.)
We aim to visit again sometime!
Many thanks for a great afternoon out.
E Spencer visited July 2015
Amazing Visit
My mum and I visited Chambercombe manor in May in the morning for a tour and had a really enjoyable time. Lesley who toured us around was amazing and really made the visit to Chambercombe worth every penny.
What was also wonderful is that we both had a couple of strange experiences on the walk around that we told Lesley about at the end.
On our way into the manor after paying we were looking around the great hall waiting for the other visitors to join us when I noticed the door leading to the chapel open and then very slowly close again until it bumped gently into the door frame. Thinking it must have been a breeze or with a good explanation we looked for a window or door to be open and cause it but couldn’t see one. My mum had seen it happen too and commented on how it happened with such control and was now still that it couldn’t have been just a mere breeze.
The walk around began at that point and both my mum and I smelt a really fragrant and pretty perfume in two different rooms, my mum noticed it on the landing beside the armour and I was aware of it going into the Tudor bedroom, it was almost as if someone had walked right in front of me it was so strong and only noticeable for a moment. I told my mum about it and then Lesley explained that the smell of perfume was very common and linked to one of the little girls.
When we were in the kitchen downstairs I decided to take some pictures on my iPhone camera as I found it to be cold and atmospheric. One of the photos is very blurry and obviously taken in a hurry, I think I snapped it just when we heard a loud noise above us of furniture being moved and it gave me a fright so I belted it out of there!
However, when we looked at the photo last night we could see what looked like to be a figure of a person standing to the left of the fireplace.
We can make out an arm coming down to the side, a wide, heavy torso and legs standing wide. The figures head is not clear as it is so blurry but we are both convinced we can make out a person.
When we left the chapel and went back into the great hall I felt very cold and almost as though someone was standing right beside me, my mum told me to look at the door again as she said it looked almost as though it was trying to move!
The door then moved with such control open and stopped, I thanked it and acknowledged it for opening the door for us and right on cue it slowly closed shut again with a click.
We couldn’t explain it and neither of us found it frightening or upsetting in fact it was so wonderful to have experienced something like that.
We thanked the spirit and the house for having us and told Lesley what had happened and left for a coffee.
It was such an amazing place and I wanted to share with you what we experienced. I will definitely be back for a paranormal event as it has to be one of the most special places I have ever been to and it made my day!
Thank you so much for having us and to Lesley who made it so worthwhile.
Many thanks and best wishes,
Charlotte Visited May 2015
What a fascinating place! My husband and I are both sceptical, but I did have an odd experience in the Dressing room. I walked through the door and straight across the room to pick up the information sheet and it felt like I was walking down hill. I had to steady myself by firmly planting my feet on the floor. I asked my husband to wallk across to the same place and he felt nothing. I then read the sheet which said people often feel sick in the room because the floor timers were from a ship. I didn’t feel scared just oppressed and unsteady.
Natalie and David Visited 2014
I visited the beautiful manor today Sunday 14 July 2013 with my husband and 9 year old daughter. When we started the tour I felt fine but when we reached the balcony room with the amour I started to feel very dizzy and wobbly, hot and a heavy feeling which continued into the Chippendale room. We continued the tour and the feeling stayed with me. On entering the Tudor room our guide showed us the photo with the face which I said straight away looked too perfect which is very unlike me! I took a photo in the hidden room which I think shows an orb and when I took another one it had gone. As soon as we left the house I felt better. My husband said to me tonight that I was very odd throughout the whole tour and wasn’t really listening which is very unlike me and I kept disappearing back into the rooms to take photos! I’d like to say sorry to our guide as he was very good! When we’ve been in the past I’ve felt fine. Ruth, Gary and Katie Tavistock Devon
Hello
In 2010 I visited Chambercombe with four other members of my family it was a cold dank day, when we went into the first room (kitchen) there was a fire burning, the wood that was being burnt was very over powering to me as i’m very sensitive in general to perfumes and smells which in turn made me feel nauseous.
By the time I got to the room with the crib I felt I needed to leave because of the smell (which is a shame because the tour was excellent and very interesting) I mentioned this to the tour guide and left but asked shall I go down the stairs straight into the kitchen and she said no and said it was best to go through the room with the little girl had died, and when she suggested this to me for a very split second I felt Like I didn’t want to go in that room on my own so by this time everyone had left the room and I walked into the other room, as I was about to walk through the door down the stairs the chest next to me the handles on the first four draws the handles slammed very hard some ended up some ended down and the noise was loud and I said oh, I didn’t feel scared and it happened in seconds and really I didn’t think anything of it,my only worry was being told off by a member of staff (because of the noise) that i touched the cabinet itself but I wasn’t. No window was open in this room as it was cold, out of interest I went onto you tube to search about the manor and the most haunted programme came up and the medium ironically said on the programme about a little girl and and her friend and that they try getting attention my moving things in the room and even tapping the handles on the chest which happened to me.
Just wanted to share my story
Having seen your website I thought you would like to know of the experiences I had whilst visiting your manor.
My first visit was in 2010 when I was a new mum and came on a tour with my Father and Husband. The tour was interesting and enjoyable but I didn’t feel anything walking round – it was only when I came near to the secret room that I began to cry, quite without control, and felt utter despair, loss and sadness. I was overcome with the intensity of these feelings and when I went back outside couldn’t wait to hug my child. I also felt a small child run past me in the room with the tall drawers – neither my husband or father felt anything.
We then returned in 2012 and just my mother and I came for a tour. This time we didn’t get a guide but were able to wander ourselves and take our time looking at the house. We were in the room with the cot happily chatting to one of the volunteers listing to the historic stories when I felt someone/something touch my neck under my hair – I jumped round to see nothing there! I was slightly alarmed but the gentleman I was talking to just smiled!
I absolutely love Chambercombe Manor and the cream teas are wonderful……happy hauntings!
Regards
Helen
This was Felix’s experience in 2009
Although we visit Ilfracombe every year we haven’t been to Chambercombe Manor, one of England’s most haunted sites, for three years and I can vouch for the reputation from my own and frightening experience!
Back in October 2009 my friend had booked the last conducted night tour of the year for him and us (me, wife, daughter, grandson of 14 and dog of about the same age).
After viewing all the rooms of that most fascinating property (it was our second visit) and a nice warm bowl of soup in the cafe off went our group of about 12 in complete darkness, led by a nice man, a psychic, flashlights at the ready.
Nothing happened until we stopped at the infamous ‘Silent Pool’ on the way back from a spot, supposed to be haunted, when I had a most unnerving experience: a tingling sensation on the top of my head, a cold shiver running down my spine and a feeling of being held back.
The guide cheerfully told me that it was “a spirit going through me” which would leave me as soon as we passed a certain gate which it did. On we went to the wreckers’ ‘Hanging tree’ where sensitive visitors on previous occasions claimed to have smelt rum and/or blood.
Again nothing happened and our old dog settled down under the branches.
We were about to approach the last stage of our tour when I had the same ghostly experience! The guide had just mentioned that “they” were not happy and we better go back when all of a sudden our dog turned and dragged my wife behind her – definitely “something” was there!
I never had an encounter with a spirit in my life and I laugh at the “ghostly orbs” which are only dust invisible to the naked eye, picked up by the sensor of digital cameras (only) but that was for real.
The story doesn’t end there. My daughter mentioned discreetly to us that she had seen a red light hovering over the head of the lady guide (another psychic), explaining the history of the manor but naturally did not tell our grandson.
Slightly shaken we went back to our hotel when hours later he woke up,screaming that a red light was going round the room!
I rest my case.
A Visitor to the Manor (11th July 2012)
I really enjoyed the tour. I felt dizzy in the Chippendale room and heard a chair being dragged across the floor in the Tudor room.
A Visitor to the Manor (5th July 2012)
Looking into the hidden room I heard someone breath deeply into my right ear. I thought there was someone standing behind me when I looked round there was nobody there.
Austin (11th May 2012)
In the Chapel area I felt very heavy on the chest as if someone pushing on it. I also caught some orbs in the Tudor room. We were all standing in the Chippendale room chatting when we noticed that one of the handles has been put up.
From Callum (13th April 2012)
A Man came from the dressing room into the Chippendale room and sat on a chair by the doorway. He then followed us onto the landing near the suit of armour. He sat in the chair watching us and then followed us the the entrance door where he stayed.
From Philip S (18 November 2011)
I had come to Chambercombe Manor as a trip with Summer Club to have a tour around the House. I was quite fascinated at all the Stuff that had happened in this Manor over the Years. The Story of Kate and her death was quite creepy and scary. During the story of it me and a few of my friends felt the floor thud three times and the area get cold around us. (We were also sitting between the door and the baby cot at this point.) I thought it was just my thoughts tricking me but then my friends also said they felt it too.
After this experience nothing else spooky happened but as the group left I shined my torch at some windows and in the middle top window I saw what appeared to be a girl with a pale white face holding a candle staring down out of the window. I kept my light shined on the window and turned around for one second to show my friend but as I turned my head back to the Window to see the girl she had vanished but the candle was still there. My friend told me I must be seeing things so we quickly rushed to catch up with our group.
As we got back with our group I took one last glance at the Manor and heard what appeared to be waters crashing really hard. I looked at the pool and all the water areas there and the water seemed to be calm but with the horrible noise echoing on. I decided to look through the window where I had seen the girl I noticed that the candle had now vanished.
I decided to show my friend and he looked at where the candle used to be, he too, had noticed it was gone.
Jenny N – 13 October 2011
I sat in the cursed chair, and I started feeling sick and my hands, legs and feet started shaking. Lesley our tour guide observed that I was looking very upset and that she thought I was being taken over by something. My head also felt as if it was being pushed down. Throughout the rest of the tour there were many cold spots.
My skirt was pulled in the Chippendale room. Both Lesley and me smelt lavender at the top of the staircase going down to the kitchen. When I reached the kitchen I felt I was being stopped from leaving. I took lots of really interesting photos capturing numerous orbs.
A fabulous tour given by Lesley. Shirley – Mid September 2011 Last week I took a holiday with a friend in Woolacombe and we visited Chambercombe Manor to take thetour around the house. This was our second visit to the house and enjoyed the visit so much a few years before that we decided to visit again.
Whilst in the Great Hall I was standing by the window and felt so very cold the hairs on my head stood on end, I then experienced this feeling again in the bedroom. My friend and I then got on with our lives thinking no more of the experience other than it must have been how the lady was telling the story.
On our second visit again whilst standing in the same room, the fire was lit and did not strike me as cold upon first entering, I had the same feeling of the hairs on the back of my head standing on end. Whilst our guide was talking I had the feeling that someone was looking over my shoulder, so I kept moving around. This is the funny thing out of the corner of my eye I saw a light pass very quickly from the door of the chapel straight across the room to the fireplace. I did not mention this to my friend until days later when I was reviewing the photos on my camera.
At this time she confirmed to me that she had been standing by the fireplace and had also seen the light which she described as ‘a flicker out of the corner of her eye.’
Mrs Anne Watt – Friday 29 July 2011 at 11 am
After the initial talk from our guide Lesley in the Great Hall the group went upstairs onto the Balcony Room and then into the Chippendale Room. Lesley mentioned many features of the room, beams, furniture etc and also that some people felt queasy in there.
Possibly that the beams had come from an old ship. From then on my legs became very wobbly and I would tilt forwards, backwards and sideways. My arms seemed to drift away from me as if they were gently being lifted .
This continued throughout all the rooms. When I was stepping (up ?) into the Hidden Room I dropped to my knees. I did not trip or stumble ,I definitely dropped , which was quite painful. Again the feelings of wobbly limbs continued in the Kitchen and Chapel.
I remember propping myself up against the stooped Chapel wall. When the tour returned into the Great Hall I sat down in one of the Wainscot Chairs and explained to Dad what had happened. He didn’t believe me until I stood up and went again. I decided to write in the Guest Book. I wrote my details but found then that I was unable to write the word Fascinating.
It was as if someone else was holding the pen and they couldn’t spell that word. I managed to finish my comment and then I started to write Mr Barrington (Dad) in the book but the last part of his name seemed to drop down the page. Once we came out of the Manor I was fine ,I managed a cream tea and also a walk around the gardens !! At no time during my experience did I feel frightened, sick or giddy.
Mr Roger Watt
Whilst Lesley was talking in the Great Hall I felt a dog lick my leg (I was wearing shorts that day). I asked Lesley if any dogs had lived in the house and she said that a Jack Russell dog lived in the house along with other animals. I didn’t mention what had happened to anyone until we had left the house.
Also when we were in the Chippendale Room I felt slightly wobbly and then all the hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I felt as if something went through me. It seems that almost as soon as this happened my wife started her experience.
Note from Lesley Tour Guide:
I remember Anne very well – we get lots of reactions to the house, but that was unusual. She was literally collapsing in a heap everywhere we went – until she got outside the door, when she was perfectly okay again. Thankfully she’s been fine ever since! And thank you to Anne and Roger for taking the time to write this out for us