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In brief
A beautiful old 17th-century coaching inn with stunning original features and an infamous haunted reputation that has attracted media interest for many years. From a ghostly figure in the bar to the apparitions of an old man and a ghostly maid. Dare you stay in notorious Room 16?
Category
About
The pretty and atmospheric Crown Inn in Amersham is a cosy and inviting hotel dating back to the 1600’s. With 40 beautifully designed rooms, function rooms, a bar, and the welcoming Hawkyns pan-Indian restaurant, the Crown Inn provides guests with an opportunity to enjoy an impeccable combination of stunning historical architecture and contemporary indulgence and relaxation.
In 1994, The Crown was featured in the film Four Weddings and a Funeral with Hugh Grant and Andie MacDowell when the hostelry's Queen Elizabeth I suite was used for the couple’s bedroom scene.
The paranormal activity at The Crown Inn has been giving staff and patrons a fright for some time and has been featured in a number of press articles over the years.
History
The quaint town of Amersham in Buckinghamshire belies a cruel and savage past that was dominated by 16th-century religious protest and persecution.
During the reign of Henry VIII, a group of Protestants, made up of one woman and six men, were burned at the stake just a hundred yards from the hilly spot behind St. Mary’s cemetery, where a memorial dedicated to these unfortunate souls now stands. The group, now known as the Amersham Martyrs, were followers of Protestant John Wycliffe’s teachings. They tragically paid with their lives for their religious belief that they had the right to read the Bible in English and worship God according to their own conscience. Shamefully, the children of two of the dissenters, William Tydesworth and John Scrivener, were forced to ignite the pile that would end their fathers’ lives so barbarically.
From the 17th century, prominent Quakers settled in the area and similarly suffered religious persecution for their own unorthodox beliefs, which deviated from traditional Christian doctrine.
The main commercial enterprise in Amersham in the 1600’s was chair and lace making in addition to straw plaiting for the production of hats and bonnets. Being so close to London, Amersham was perfectly placed to provide overnight stopovers for horse-drawn carriages carrying traders and their goods. The Crown was one such coaching inn that was built for these purposes around the early 1600’s.
After suffering several fires, the exterior of the inn was partially rebuilt in the early 19th century, but the premises beautifully retain their original wooden beams, archetypal narrow corridors, cobbled courtyard, and even an original 16th-century mural.
Ghostly activity
- The ghost of a maid dressed in an old-fashioned uniform has been seen by guests staying at the inn and is thought to be the one responsible for moving personal belongings in the hotel rooms and rearranging clothing.
- One of the hotel’s housekeepers admitted to a reporter that she has often fled from the area where she is working upon hearing a loud, disembodied voice shout, “Get out, now!” Guests have also heard this being yelled at them when nobody is there.
- The apparition of a woman dressed in a grey Victorian-style dress or uniform has been spotted by guests staying in Room 16. She is also seen in other parts of the hotel and appears to glide through solid doors.
- The 24-hour reception staff frequently experience guests, especially young men fleeing terrified from Room 16 in the early hours and complaining of the sensation of being touched or tucked into their beds by unseen hands.
- Staff and visitors frequently report seeing the ghost of a woman silently ascending the staircase and floating through a normally creaky door without making a sound.
- On several occasions, a figure has been witnessed leaning against an old post in the bar area when the hotel is closed or empty of customers.
- The ghost of an old man has been spotted sitting in a rocking chair in one of the rooms.
Location
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16 High Street, Amersham, Buckinghamshire HP7 0DH, UK
Access
Please note that the Crown Inn is an Elizabethan and Grade II listed building, which renders certain areas inaccessible to wheelchair users. There are however ground-level rooms and the use of ramps, and every effort is made to accommodate wheelchair users and guests with restricted mobility as much as possible.
Travellers wishing to book a stay are advised to contact the hotel reservations team prior to booking in order to discuss specific requirements on 01494-721541.
Region
A full record of any articles, websites, webpages, books, or other materials that have assisted us in the research and presentation of this listing can be found below.
www.thecrownamersham.com
‘Crown Hotel (14 Market Square)’ undated – Available at https://amershammuseum.org/history/old-town/market-square/crown-hotel-14-market-sq/
‘Tales of Old Inns – No. 4 The Crown at Amersham.’ (1937) Available at https://amershammuseum.org/history/old-town/market-square/crown-hotel-14-market-sq/
‘The Crown Amersham.’ (1998-2024) Available at https://www.english-inns.co.uk/HauntedInns.htm
Birch, V. (2001) ‘Bar staff spooked by ghostly sightings.’ Bucks Free Press, 25th January. Available at https://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/511.bar-staff-spooked-by-ghostly-sightings/
The appropriate copyright attributions for any images and videos included in this listing can be found below.
Images of the interior and exterior of The Crown Hotel, Amersham used on this page are provided with permission of https://www.thecrownamersham.com/. All rights to the images are reserved by https://www.thecrownamersham.com/.
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