Blickling Hall

Although Hever Castle is known as Anne Boleyn’s family home, she was actually born at the original family home, a manor house in Blickling, Norfolk. The manor house no longer exists but the Jacobean house, Blickling Hall, now stands on its former site. You may want to visit this National Trust property on 19th May because Anne Boleyn’s ghost is said to haunt the hall on the anniversary of her execution. Apparently, a carriage pulled by headless horses with a headless coachman arrives at the hall and a headless Anne Boleyn gets out carrying her severed head! Anne then roams the hall’s corridors until daybreak when she disappears.

Blickling Hall is also said to be haunted by Thomas Boleyn, father of Anne, on the date of Anne’s execution. This is the man who stood by as his daughter and son, George Boleyn, were executed for high treason, incest and adultery. Thomas Boleyn died in 1539 and legend has it that as penance, for the untimely deaths of two of his children, he must cross 12 bridges before c*ckcrow on 19th May. With his ghostly coach of headless horses, he starts at Blickling and crosses bridges at Aylsham, Belaugh, Burg, Buxton, Coltishall, Hautbois, Meyton, Oxnead and Wroxham.

More information about visiting Blickling Hall can be found at www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-blicklinghallgardenandpark.htm and the myths surrounding the hall can be read at http://norfolkcoast.co.uk/myths/ml_blickling.htm