The Chaworth Musters Phantoms

The Legend

On dark autumn evenings, when mist rolls across the grounds of Colwick Hall Hotel, visitors have reported glimpsing a terrified woman darting between the ancient trees. She moves with desperate urgency, her face etched with fear, forever fleeing from pursuers who existed nearly two centuries ago. This is Mrs Chaworth Musters, trapped in an eternal moment of terror from the night an angry mob descended upon her home.

But she is not alone in her spectral existence. Within the elegant corridors of this Grade II* listed building, another presence makes itself known—the quiet, sorrowful figure of Mary Ann Chaworth, whose tragic life story became intertwined with one of England’s greatest poets.

The History

Colwick Hall’s haunted history is rooted in the violent Reform Bill riots of October 1831. As political tensions erupted across Nottingham, Colwick Hall became a target for the fury of the mob. The Chaworth Musters family, who had occupied the hall for generations, found themselves under siege as rioters stormed the property, setting fire to buildings and terrorising the household.

The terror experienced by Mrs Chaworth Musters that night was so profound that it seemingly imprinted itself upon the very fabric of the estate. The family witnessed their home violated, their safety shattered, and the event left psychological scars that apparently transcended death itself.

Mary Ann Chaworth holds a different, equally poignant place in history. She was the childhood sweetheart of Lord Byron, who fell deeply in love with her during his youth at nearby Newstead Abbey. However, Mary Ann married John Musters instead, leaving Byron heartbroken—an experience that influenced much of his romantic poetry. Her life at Colwick Hall was marked by unhappiness, and local historians suggest her restless spirit has never truly departed.

The Hauntings

The manifestations at Colwick Hall take multiple unsettling forms. Outside, among the grounds that once witnessed the chaos of riot and destruction, Mrs Chaworth Musters has been observed hiding behind trees. Witnesses describe a woman in period dress, her movements furtive and frightened, as though still concealing herself from the mob that attacked on that fateful October night in 1831.

Inside the hotel, Mary Ann Chaworth presents a more melancholic presence. She drifts through the corridors silently, a sorrowful figure whose unhappy marriage and unfulfilled life seem to bind her to this place. Staff members have reported sudden cold spots and an inexplicable feeling of sadness when encountering her presence.

Perhaps most disturbing are the phenomena reported from the former servants’ quarters. Disembodied footsteps echo through empty passages, while the innocent sound of children’s laughter rings out when no children are present. Voices carry through the air, their words indistinct but their presence unmistakable.

Witness Accounts

One particularly striking account comes from a guest who awoke in the night to a cacophony of shouting—voices raised in anger and alarm, reminiscent of the chaos that would have filled the hall during the riots. More alarming still, the witness reported the distinct physical sensation of being poked by an unseen presence, as though something was attempting to rouse them to flee from danger that had passed nearly two hundred years before.

Staff members have grown accustomed to the unexplained sounds emanating from the servants’ quarters, accepting them as part of the hall’s character. The children’s laughter, in particular, has been noted by multiple witnesses across different occasions, always emanating from areas known to be unoccupied.

Investigation and Evidence

Colwick Hall’s paranormal reputation has attracted attention from investigators and journalists alike. Featured by Spooky Isles as one of Nottinghamshire’s most compelling haunted locations, the hotel has been documented by the Gedling Eye as among the borough’s most significant supernatural sites.

The historical evidence supporting the haunting is compelling. Records from Historic England confirm the hall’s significance and its connection to the Chaworth Musters family. Local history archives, particularly those maintained by nottshistory.org.uk, document both the devastating 1831 raid and Mary Ann Musters’ tragic life story, providing the historical foundation upon which these ghostly legends stand.

The convergence of documented trauma, tragic personal histories, and consistent witness accounts across generations suggests that Colwick Hall Hotel harbours genuine supernatural activity—echoes of violence, fear, and sorrow that refuse to fade into history.

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This ghost story is part of the haunted history of Colwick Hall Hotel. Book a stay to experience the paranormal atmosphere for yourself.