The Mermaid is so well-known for its ghosts that Most Haunted, a paranormal TV reality show, previously investigated it. The Elizabethan Room was supposed to be the scene of a duel between two sword-wielding men dressed in “16th-century clothing.”

Several inexplicable light abnormalities have been reported in the middle of the night. On one occasion, while tending to the fireplace, all of the bottles on the bottle shelf at the other end of the room came off.

The ghost of a maid is supposed to haunt the inn; she was the lover of one of the Hawkhurst Gang’s smugglers and was murdered by his other gang members because they feared she knew too much and would reveal their identities.

Other ghosts supposedly seen at The Mermaid include a grey or white lady sitting by the fireplace, a white lady walking across a room and stopping at the foot of the bed and an apparition of a guy walking through the bathroom wall and into the main room.

There have been reports of unexplained cold patches and a rocking chair swaying on its own.

There have been reports of a duel being fought in The Elizabethan Bedchamber, with the loser being tossed down the secret passage’s stairs. The body would have landed at the hotel’s current bar area.

A guest recently set up a night camera, and movement of swords was captured, as well as the shadow of a “figure” in the corner of the room. A week or so later, the guest sent in some images of the room, which showed the identical shadow of a “figure” in the corner.

We attempted from every angle to capture this shadow on camera, but it proved impossible. In the Kingsmill Room. On occasion, the room appeared to get quite cold, and the rocking chair began to move for no apparent reason.

The chambermaids would only clean the room in pairs since they disliked being alone in it. In the Nutcracker Suite, a ‘Lady-in-White’ has been observed walking from the single room across the main room and through the door, briefly crouching at the foot of the bed.

An American lady sleeping in the Hawkhurst Suite’s single room stated that a male dressed in old-fashioned attire sat on her bed throughout the night.

When he wouldn’t leave, she moved her mattress into the double room where her sons were sleeping and stayed until morning.

Many people have reported seeing a ‘Lady in White (or Grey)’ in The James Rooms. Who has been observed sitting in the chair by the fireplace?

Guests have told the same incident many weeks apart: they left their clothing on this chair at night and woke up to find them damp.

There are no windows or pipes around the chair! A couple reported to reception around two years ago that while spending the night in this room, the husband was surprised to see a family of what appeared to be a mother, father, and child go through the wall to the other side of the room as he laid in bed.

However, despite its haunted reputation, travellers continue to come to The Mermaid.

It includes lovely suites with four-poster beds, two comfy lounges and a pleasant bar with one of the largest log fires in the country.

It also has a lovely terrace and a courtyard garden, and it is well-known for the great quality of its locally based cuisine, with an AA Rosette restaurant.

The Mermaid has traditionally served as the location for the Mayoral feast following Mayor Making festivities in the mediaeval town.

Lord Alfred Douglas, Henry Dodge, the American automobile entrepreneur, and Ford Maddox Ford, the novelist, were among the notable guests at the Inn. Other guests include Dame Ellen Terry, an actress, and writers Hilaire Belloc, Henry James, Rupert Travers, and Ben Travers.

If you’re a budding ghost hunter looking to view the Mermaid for yourself, owner Judith Blincow provides Guided Tours of the 600-year-old building. Tours can be pre-booked.

Contact reception at info@mermaidinn.com or 01797223065. They only ask for a donation to the Mermaid’s Charity, the National Deaf Children’s Society.

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