When you hear the name Longleat, it may conjure up images of a grand stately home, a expertly crafted maze, beautifully ornate gardens and of one of the best safari parks in Europe. But Longleat house has a darker side, one of deceit and murder. It is said that the spirit of Lady Louisa can be seen wondering the hallways in search of her loyal footman.
Longleat House is located in the South of England in the ever stunning county of Wiltshire. The stately home sits proudly in more that 1000 acres of park land built by the ingenious Capability Brown. Not only that but the estate also includes 4000 acres of let farmland and 4000 acres of forest, making it one of the largest privately owned houses in the UK. It has been standing since 1580 and is currently in the possession of the brilliantly eccentric Alexander George Thynn the 7th Marquees of Bath. The house you can in the picture however is not the original, as that burnt to the ground in 1567.
If you are planning a visit to Longleat, you may spend most of your time enjoying the safari park located within its grounds, home to incredibly cheeky rhesus macaques that like nothing better than riding around on cars causing all sorts of havoc. Or find yourself lost in the imposing hedge maze for hours. Maybe if you have enough time left in the day you’ll take a tour of the house itself. But beware as you may see a ghostly figure dressed in grey roaming the halls.
It all started in 1733 when Lady Louisa married Viscount Weymouth who at the time owned the Longleat estate. Just after being wed Lady Louisa moved into the house bringing a number of her own servants. She was particular fond of one footman, who she described as being a loyal and a true servant. Over time her fondness for this man sparked jealousy within the other servants. In an act of cruelty they told Viscount Weymouth that he was having an affair with Lady Louisa, which wasn’t true. This news sent The Viscount into a fit of rage and vowed to get his revenge.
It isn’t really known what happened next, but some accounts claim The Viscount paid someone to ambush the footman, having him thrown down the spiral staircase that is located near the main library. Others claim that The Viscount did it himself, but I feel a man of his position would find it beneath him to do his own dirty work. Either way the poor footman met his end with a broken neck and his body was buried in the cellar.
To cover up the disappearance The Viscount told Lady Louisa, the footman had been seen in the wee hours of the morning leaving never to return. Feeling a sense that something wasn’t right, she spent her waking hours wandering the hallways in search of him. This took its toll on Lady Lousia’s body and she developed pneumonia, which sadly led to her death at the age of 22, while giving birth. She died never finding the body of her favoured footman.
According to eyewitnesses, it would seem that Lady Lousia is still in search to this day. People have told of seeing a lady dressed in grey creeping along corridors of the house, especially around the library where it is said that the footman died. She now carries a new name however the Grey Lady and it would appear that she is condemned to wander the house for eternity.
Most have said that this tale isn’t true and I, as sceptical as ever, question it. There is however some evidence to collaborate the story. In the early 20th century, while having a heating system installed, a body was found in the cellar underneath the flooring. The body was male dressed in a period style footman’s uniform. The remains were promptly removed and given a proper burial in a local graveyard.
The next time you visit Longleat House to see the animals, maybe it’s worth visiting the house to catch a glimpse of the Grey Lady, I know I will.
Thanks for reading and all the best.
Curious Densetsu 
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