Haunted Hosts

Rhinefield House stands as a magnificent testament to Victorian grandeur and New Forest heritage, with dwellings recorded on this site since William the Conqueror proclaimed the "New Forest" in 1097. The earliest keepers lived in a series of lodges, with Rhinefield being the first built in 1709. The oldest surviving element of the current structure is the fire-back in the central Grand Hall, bearing the date 1653, suggesting continuous habitation for centuries. The present Gothic Tudor mansion was constructed in 1887 after the Walker family, wealthy Nottinghamshire colliery owners, acquired the site around 1877. When their only daughter became engaged to Lieutenant Munro RN in 1885, her father gifted her an extraordinary £250,000 to build a family home. Following their marriage in 1887, the couple adopted the name Walker-Munro and supervised the construction of this impressive country seat. The house remained in the Walker-Munro family until after 1950, witnessing decades of Victorian and Edwardian society, serving as a backdrop to countless family gatherings, social events, and the changing fortunes of the English aristocracy. The estate's transformation from a private family residence to a luxury hotel in the 1980s preserved its architectural integrity whilst opening its doors to visitors seeking to experience the grandeur of a bygone era.