Ellenborough Park
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
The primary haunting at Ellenborough Park centres on a tragic figure from the building's time as a girls' school. A matron who worked at the institution earned a reputation for her harsh, tyrannical treatment of the pupils in her care. Her methods eventually led to her dismissal from the position. Unable to cope with her termination and the disgrace it brought, she hanged herself in her bedroom within the building.
The room where she took her life is now the hotel bar, a transformation that has done nothing to diminish her presence. Witnesses have reported seeing her apparition in multiple locations throughout the property. The accounts describe a distinct female figure, recognisable and consistent across different sightings.
One of the most disturbing manifestations occurs in the guest bedrooms. Visitors have reported waking to find the figure of a woman hovering over their beds, watching them as they sleep. These encounters create understandable distress for guests unfamiliar with the building's history. The sensation of being observed, combined with the visual confirmation of an unexplained presence, has left lasting impressions on those who experience it.
Beyond visual manifestations, guests and staff have documented pronounced cold spots throughout the building. These temperature anomalies occur without any apparent cause and often coincide with other phenomena. The cold spots move through rooms rather than remaining stationary, as if something unseen passes through the space.
These accounts were most thoroughly documented during the property's time as the De La Bere Hotel. The hotel management at that time kept records of guest complaints and unusual incidents. Staff members who worked during this period corroborated many of the guest reports, adding their own experiences to the growing body of evidence. Whether the phenomena continue under the current Ellenborough Park ownership remains uncertain, as the hotel now emphasises its luxury hospitality credentials rather than its paranormal reputation.
The Matron (unnamed female ghost from the school era)
The most frequently reported and disturbing encounter involves guests waking during the night to discover they are not alone. The figure of a woman appears above the bed, positioned as if looking down at the sleeper. Witnesses describe the experience as paralysing. The woman does not speak or move aggressively. She simply watches.
One account from the De La Bere Hotel era describes a businessman who checked in late following a conference in Cheltenham. He woke around 3am with an overwhelming sense of being observed. Opening his eyes, he saw a woman standing at the foot of his bed. Her clothing appeared dated, though the darkness made details difficult to discern. He remained frozen for several seconds before the figure simply vanished. He did not sleep again that night and checked out at first light.
The bar area, once the matron's bedroom, generates the most consistent reports of temperature anomalies. Staff working late shifts have documented sudden drops in temperature that cannot be attributed to draughts or air conditioning. These cold spots appear to move through the space, sometimes passing directly through people.
A former bartender recalled an evening when she felt an intense cold pass through her body whilst closing up. The sensation lasted only seconds but left her shaking. She turned to see if a door had opened. Nothing had changed. The room was sealed, yet the cold had been absolute.
The matron does not confine herself to her former room or the bedrooms above. Witnesses have reported seeing her figure moving through corridors, particularly in the older sections of the building. These sightings tend to be brief. The figure appears, moves with purpose, then disappears when observed directly.
A maintenance worker at the De La Bere Hotel described encountering the figure on the first floor landing during an early morning shift. He had arrived before dawn to address a plumbing issue. Walking along the corridor, he saw a woman in dated clothing enter a room at the far end. Assuming it was an early-rising guest, he thought nothing of it until he realised the room she entered had been vacant and locked. Checking with reception confirmed no guests were registered for that room.
Beyond concrete sightings, numerous guests have reported an oppressive sense of being watched, particularly in certain rooms. This sensation persists even when nothing visible manifests. Guests describe feeling unwelcome, as if an unseen presence resents their occupation of the space. Some have requested room changes in the middle of the night, unable to shake the discomfort despite seeing nothing specific.
A school matron dismissed for her cruel treatment of pupils hanged herself in her bedroom. Her ghost has been witnessed hovering over sleeping guests and wandering the corridors, accompanied by sudden drops in temperature.
Built circa 1540 - 16th century
Tudor manor house and private country estate
Ellenborough Park stands as one of the Cotswolds' most significant Tudor manor houses, with origins dating to approximately 1540. The estate takes its name from Edward Law, 1st Earl of Ellenborough, a prominent 19th century statesman who served as Lord Chief Justice of England and later as Governor-General of India. The property changed hands numerous times over the centuries, each owner leaving their mark on the building's architecture and grounds.
During the early 20th century, the manor underwent a significant transformation when it was converted into a girls' boarding school. This period proved pivotal to the building's paranormal reputation. The school operated for several decades before the property transitioned once again.
In the latter half of the 20th century, the building became the De La Bere Hotel, a name under which it operated for many years and during which time the most detailed accounts of supernatural activity were recorded. The De La Bere Hotel gained a reputation among paranormal enthusiasts and travellers seeking unusual accommodation experiences.
The property was extensively restored and reopened as Ellenborough Park in 2011, marketed as a luxury country house hotel. The restoration preserved many original Tudor features whilst adding contemporary amenities. The hotel sits adjacent to the Cheltenham Racecourse, home of the famous Cheltenham Festival. The building's position within the Cotswolds means it shares the region's rich heritage of local folklore and ghost stories, including the well-documented 'Cheltenham Ghost' associated with Pittville Circus Road, one of Britain's most thoroughly investigated Victorian hauntings.
Tudor manor house with later Georgian and Victorian additions. The building features original stone mullioned windows, exposed timber beams, period fireplaces, and traditional Cotswold stone construction. Interior spaces retain historic character with wood panelling, flagstone floors in common areas, and ornate plasterwork ceilings in principal rooms.
Full-bodied apparitions of a woman in period clothing, figure hovering over beds during the night, pronounced cold spots that move through rooms, tactile sensations of cold passing through the body, unexplained feelings of being watched, sightings in corridors and common areas, appearances in the bar (former death chamber), temperature drops without apparent cause
The hotel bar occupies the former bedroom where the matron hanged herself. This room generates the most consistent reports of cold spots and an oppressive atmosphere. Guest bedrooms, particularly those in the older sections of the building, have produced accounts of the hovering figure appearing above sleeping visitors. The first floor corridor connecting these rooms has yielded sightings of the apparition moving between spaces. The main staircase and landing areas have also been mentioned in witness accounts.
Staff and guest testimonials accumulated primarily during the De La Bere Hotel period, spanning several decades of operation. Bartenders reported cold spots and uncomfortable sensations whilst working in the bar, particularly during evening and late-night shifts. Night managers documented guest complaints about unexplained presences in bedrooms. Housekeeping staff reported feeling watched whilst cleaning certain rooms. Maintenance workers encountered the apparition in corridors during early morning hours. Guests who had no prior knowledge of the haunting reported identical experiences, lending credibility to the accounts through their consistency.
No formal paranormal investigations or television programmes have been publicly documented at Ellenborough Park or its predecessor the De La Bere Hotel. The haunting has not received the same level of scrutiny as the nearby 'Cheltenham Ghost' of Pittville Circus Road, which was investigated by the Society for Psychical Research in the 1880s and 1890s. The current hotel management emphasises the property as a luxury hospitality venue rather than a paranormal destination.
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📅 Sample dates:2026-03-22 to 2026-03-24 • 2 adults
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Paranormal Tip: Book rooms near the hotel bar occupies the former bedroom where the matron hanged herself. this room generates the most consistent reports of cold spots and an oppressive atmosphere. guest bedrooms for the best chance of supernatural encounters!
The hotel does not currently market specific ghost tours or paranormal experience packages. Seasonal packages focus on spa treatments, dining experiences, and proximity to Cheltenham Racecourse events.
The hotel provides wheelchair accessible rooms and ground floor accommodation. On-site parking is available. The spa and restaurant facilities are accessible. Specific accessibility requirements should be confirmed directly with the hotel prior to booking.
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Cheltenham holds one of Victorian England's most documented ghost cases, alongside centuries of spectral activity in its Regency streets and ancient churches. Ellenborough Park provides a historic Cotswold base for investigating the region's supernatural hotspots.
Read GuideEllenborough Park has occupied its position on the Cotswold escarpment for over five hundred years. The manor house witnessed the English Civil War, survived Victorian agricultural decline, and emerged in the twenty-first century as one of Gloucestershire's most distinguished country house hotels.
Read HistoryBook your stay and experience The Tyrannical Matron and other supernatural activity firsthand. Many guests report paranormal encounters during their visits.