12/10/2025
Haunted sightings at an old Historic Plymouth Manor House....
Widey Court House
Widey House was situated in the parish of Eggbuckland. Widey’s routes can be traced back to 1590-1591 when Sir Francis Drake constructed two mills in the area. The Mills purpose was to connect to Drakes brand new leat system which originates from upon Dartmoor.
In December 1643 during the English Civil War, Prince Maurice based his headquarters for a short time at Widey House.
Widey House earned the right to be given the titled of “Court” when King Charles 1st held court at Widey House in 1644 during the Civil War siege of Plymouth.
At the time the impressive Widey House was under the ownership of Yeoman Heale. It was at this very location that King Charles the 1st demanded that Plymouth surrender.
The King Resided at Widey House from the 9th to the 14th of September in the year 1644. It is said that after the Monarch’s stay at the impressive location neither of his rooms were used or indeed disturbed by any individual for many a year after.
The house was rebuilt between 1675 and 1699 with a number of alterations in the 18th century. The Morshead family had once lived and owned Widey for over 300 years, ownership passed to two naval gentlemen who intended to turn the ancient manor house into a high class hotel, although this ceased to happen.
In it’s heyday Widey Court consisted of an Inner and Outer Hall, two Conservatories, Dinning Room, Morning Room, A Library, Biliard Room, Cloak Room, Lavatory, Two Staircases – consisting of a main staircase and a secondary, Servants hall, Scullery, Pantry, Kitchen, Store Room. The house had two further vast Cellars in the basement.
Upon the First floor you would have found a total of eight Bedrooms, along with three Dressing Rooms, two Nurseries.
On the Attic floor another eight Bedrooms were situated along with a Box room.
The grounds also housed Stables, a Coach House and a Dairy.
In more recent times after the requisition of Widey Court House in 1941 it was used by Plymouth City Police until 1945 after years of neglect Widey Court House was eventually demolished in 1954. Today Widey Court Primary School sits upon the site of where the impressive Manor House once stood.
Widey’s haunted past
Rumored to have been a very haunted site, with the likes of ancient priest holes, a number of secret tunnels and passages to mention a few, which gives all the ingredients to add flavor to a classic haunted manor house that was once Widey.
The ghost of a white lady is one of the well-known phantoms to have haunted the awe inspiring building, the Lieutenant – Colonel H.W.Markwick tried to save Widey Court from being left to rack and ruin in the earl 1950’s and spent a large amount of his time wandering around the manor although he stated that he had heard tales of the suspect ghost, but had never encountered the white lady first hand.
Although two unfortunate individuals did not escape there encounter with the nebulous ghost. The married couple had been working on the estate in 1952 when the white lady appeared before them, this was such a heart stopping experience that it left the woman’s husband almost frightened to death. The source of these hauntings dates back to when one of the former daughters from the manor house was apparently murdered on her own wedding night by one of the houses butlers. The butler was so distraught of the young woman’s marriage, as unbeknown to her he had a secretly loved the bride for many years. In a fit of jealous rage he killed the woman that he had loved rather than see her married to another man.
The Grey Lady of Widey is another spectre that has also been witnessed in past years.
Another particular unnerving phantom sighting is said to have taken place in 1873, when an impressive dinner party had taken place at Widey Court House.
One particular dinner guest an elderly lady made a passing comment to her family members on the way home in her carriage after the evening’s party. The lady commented regarding a rude man who had sat next to her during the evening meal, without speaking a single word to her. Although she did recall that he was wearing a very unusual uniform. She went on to say it was almost as if he was dressed as a solider from the English civil war era. It was at this point of the conversation that the elderly lady was informed by her family members that there was no one sitting next to her throughout the evening meal. As that particular place had not been occupied due to the guest being unable to attend dining therefore the seat was vacant.
Therefore could this unexpected phantom dinner guest been none other than one of King Charles officers, sitting in stony silence next to this elderly woman.
Unfortunately in 1954, the manor was demolished by Plymouth City Council. Built upon the land was a new housing estate, a school and a dual carriageway runs through part of the old estate today.
From the book 'Haunted Plymouth' by Kevin Hynes
www.hauntedplymouth.com
