Prince Rupert Hotel - Shrewsbury's Most Haunted
The Prince Rupert Hotel in Shrewsbury's Butcher Row dates back to 1150, making it the oldest hotel in Shrewsbury and one of England's most haunted locations. The Grade II*-listed building incorporates a 17th-century structure with parts dating to Norman times. Originally known as Jones Mansion in the 1600s when inhabited by Edward Jones, steward to the borough of Shrewsbury, the property gained its name from its most famous guest, Prince Rupert of the Rhine - nephew of King Charles I and grandson of King James I - who stayed here while raising troops for the Royalist cause during the English Civil War.
Historical Background
After Edward Jones died, the mansion passed to his son Thomas, a lawyer. By the late 1800s, financial troubles forced the owners to divide the building into five separate houses, each selling at huge losses. Throughout the 20th century, these houses were gradually incorporated into the hotel. In 1996, the Matthews family acquired the building and invested heavily in renovations. Many believe these updates awakened the long-dormant ghosts. The hotel features original elements including a stone vaulted cellar with extensive underground tunnel networks, a Jacobean staircase, oak-beamed suites, and 12th-century sections. The cellar was sealed for years and only recently rediscovered when a spiral staircase was found beneath floorboards during renovations. The Resident Ghosts
- The Jilted Bride - Room 5/6: During the Victorian era, a lady arrived in Shrewsbury to marry and stayed in Room 5 (formerly Room 6). On her wedding eve, she discovered her betrothed had abandoned her for another woman. Overwhelmed by despair, she hanged herself from the beams in the room. Her ghostly apparition is frequently seen, and she particularly targets young single men by removing and rearranging their bedclothes. The room caused so many unexpected encounters that it had to be converted from a guest room into a conference suite (now the Prince Philip Suite).
- The Jilted Groom - Room 7: A young man discovered his fiancée in the arms of his best friend. In anguish, he grabbed a gun and ended his life in this room. His transparent form has been seen standing at the window with a distraught look on his face before fading away, leaving overwhelming sadness in his wake.
- Martha the Maid: In the 1980s, a medium staying at the hotel reported encountering a maid named Martha asking why gunshots were being fired, then descending a spiral staircase. At the time, the hotel had no known spiral staircase. Years later during refurbishment, workers discovered foundations for a spiral staircase beneath the floorboards - and uncovered a skeleton dating to the mid-1700s, coinciding with the last known maid named Martha who worked there. Her shadow has been spotted standing in corners of the kitchen, and she's witnessed wandering the stairs near the Prince Rupert Suite, going about her daily chores of making beds and fluffing pillows. When spotted, she acts surprised and vanishes.
- The Drowned Boy: The cellar is haunted by a little boy who allegedly drowned in a nearby pool in the 1800s. He grabs visitors' hands and pulls at their clothes - when they look, there's nothing visible. Former kitchen staff report this area as one of the most terrifying in the hotel. The cellar room where he manifests is the site of intense paranormal activity, with some people unable to stay there without fleeing in panic. Séances have been conducted in this space.
- The Man in the Nightshirt: A ghostly male figure in an old-fashioned nightshirt carrying a candleholder appears in the hallways. The most famous encounter occurred with Tony Imi, the director of photography for the 1984 film "A Christmas Carol" when it was filmed in Shrewsbury. He greeted the man, but the figure ignored him. Imi then realized the candle had no shadow, and watched in horror as the man walked straight through a wall and vanished.
- The Floating Cavalier: A sleeping Royalist soldier has been seen floating in mid-air near the entrance to the Chambers Restaurant.
- The Hostile Presence: In another basement room lurks an unfriendly male spirit who aggressively tells people to leave.
Paranormal Activity
- Physical Sensations: An invisible presence sits down on beds in the Prince Rupert Suite, with guests feeling the weight and pressure. In the cellar, visitors report being choked by invisible hands and feeling unseen presences holding their hands. Objects are tugged and pulled by unseen forces.
- Object Movement: Pillows mysteriously disappear from rooms and reappear in lifts on the other side of the building. Bedclothes are removed and rearranged, particularly by the jilted bride. Objects move around rooms on their own, with bookmarks changing positions.
- Apparitions Captured: Numerous guests have photographed what appear to be ghostly figures throughout the hotel. Transparent forms and shadow figures are regularly witnessed.
- Cellar Phenomena: The extensive underground tunnel network beneath the hotel is extraordinarily active. An oppressive atmosphere pervades the space, with visitors feeling constantly watched. Some report seeing observers in their peripheral vision that vanish when directly viewed. The cellar connects to mysterious bricked-up doorways and passages, including possible connections to St. Mary's Church and surrounding buildings.
- Environmental Anomalies: Unexplained temperature changes occur throughout the hotel. Remote controls for televisions frequently drain of battery power (a common occurrence in the Prince Rupert Suite). An eerie atmosphere permeates the creaking floors and oak-paneled corridors.
Most Haunted Areas
The Prince Rupert Suite is considered the most active guest room, with multiple spirits present. Room 5/Prince Philip Suite (the jilted bride's room) experienced so much activity it's no longer used for guests. Room 7 harbors the grieving suicide victim. The cellar and kitchen pantry are among the most terrifying locations, with the drowned boy and hostile male presence. The stairs near the Prince Rupert Suite where Martha wanders. The hallways where the man in the nightshirt appears.
Featured in Media
The hotel was featured on "Great British Ghosts" hosted by Michaela Strachan on Yesterday channel. The West Midlands Ghost Club has conducted investigations here with numerous unexplained experiences. The hotel actively embraces its haunted reputation, offering cellar tours and sharing its paranormal history with guests.
Modern Day
The hotel operates as a luxury 4-star AA-rated establishment with 70 en-suite bedrooms featuring Tudor beams, period features, and hand-picked antiques combined with modern comforts. Four restaurants serve guests: the Chamber Brasserie, La Trattoria, Camellias Tea Rooms, and the Royalist Restaurant. It's a popular wedding venue accommodating up to 120 guests. Located in medieval Shrewsbury - considered one of England's most haunted towns with over 500 documented ghost stories - the hotel stands as the paranormal hub of the area.