- Are there ghostly goings-on at Hampton Court Palace,
or is the robed, wraith-like character caught on camera at Britain's most
famous haunted building just an elaborate prank?
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- A mysterious figure dressed in a 16th-century cloak is
caught on CCTV closing a fire door at Hampton Court Palace. The palace,
built in 1525, is famous for its history of hauntings and visitors have
reported seeing ghostly images. - AP
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- Closed-circuit security cameras filmed the eerie figure,
dressed in a 16th-century cloak and a hood, shutting a fire door at the
palace on the banks of the River Thames in London.
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- A still photograph of the ghostly figure was published
in national newspapers in Britain and shown widely on television yesterday.
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- The palace, home of King Henry VIII's fifth wife Catherine
Howard, who was accused of infidelity and beheaded in 1542, is open to
the public and 300 visitors over the years have reported seeing ghostly
images.
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- But the CCTV image marked the first time an 'apparition'
has ever been photographed at the castle.
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- Security staff had been mystified by the fire door suddenly
flying open on two consecutive days.
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- But a close examination of film from a high, fixed CCTV
camera revealed no one in the vicinity.
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- On the third day, patrolling guards noticed the doors
were open again. By the time they searched the CCTV film, the doors had
been closed.
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- A frame-by-frame examination revealed the mysterious
cloaked figure appearing suddenly out of the darkness, grabbing the two
handles of the door and closing it.
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- All staff at the palace were interviewed but none had
closed the door.
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- One tourist wrote in the visitors' comment book that
he had seen a ghostly figure in the castle at the time.
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- One of the Hampton Court guards, Mr James Faulkes, said:
'The figure we caught on film sent a shiver down my spine. Its face didn't
look human.'
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- A spokesman for the palace said: 'We are convinced that
this is not a prank by any member of our staff. We are totally baffled
by what has happened.'
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- The palace built in 1525 is a popular tourist attraction,
not least because of its history of hauntings.
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- King Henry VIII's third wife, Jane Seymour, died there
in childbirth and her spirit with candle in hand is said to haunt one of
the cobbled courtyards.
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- There have also been sightings of the shrieking ghost
of Catherine Howard, who is said to be dressed in white as she floats down
one of the palace's galleries.
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- Britain's leading ghost hunter, Professor Richard Wiseman,
said that while the image was fascinating, he believed the figure may be
that of a member of the public.
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- 'If so, following all the current publicity, this person
will hopefully come forward,' said Prof Wiseman, whose studies into paranormal
activity have been reported in scientific journals.
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- He said he did not believe in ghosts, but added: 'I will
die a happy man if I ever see one for myself.'
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