Episode 49: The Mistletoe Bride
The perfect ghost story to share within the light of a fire’s glow during this, darkest time of the year.
Episode Transcript
It has long been a holiday tradition to tell ghost stories on Christmas Day. I know it sounds sort of silly when said out loud, but trust me on this. Today is a lot more chilling than you might think.
This practice spans hundreds of years, dating back to a time when paganism was still quite popular throughout Europe. However, instead of on Christmas Day, these ghost stories were shared around a blazing fire during the sabbath called Yule.
For some context here, this feast is celebrated during the Winter Solstice--or rather the shortest and darkest day of the year. During Yule, it's quite common to burn a traditional Yule Log as a metaphorical yet practical way to fend off this vast darkness and the bitter cold that often comes along with it.
Now even though times have definitely changed, there are some aspects of the Human Spirit that will always remain. In other words, just as we do today, our ancestors too loved to share ghostly tales within the warmth of a fire's glow. And what better time to tell these stories than on the darkest night of the year?
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Of course, as Christianity became more and more popular, Yuletide traditions began to shift. But the connection between Christmas and chilling stories of the great beyond remained ever-present in our holiday celebrations. In fact, as someone who maintains an eclectic sort of spiritual beliefs myself, burning a Yule Log has been a tradition in my own home. And well we all know that I love a good ghost story.
All of this is to say that I have a Christmas tale to share with you. However be forewarned, this story is anything but merry.
I’m Courtney Hayes and you’re listening to Haunts. Stay tuned…
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Dating back to the 14th century, the Bramshill House, of course, had a storied past. In fact, they say that it’s one of the most haunted houses in all of England—With 14 separate spirits dwelling within those very walls.
Now given today’s festivities, there’s one in particular that I think is worth bringing to your attention. The spirit of a now nameless woman who is known simply as the Mistletoe Bride.
But before we get into that, let’s take a moment to discuss the history of this renowned haunt. Even if only to get a bit of context for who this woman may have been.
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Ever since it was first constructed, the Bramshill House acted as the private home of various English noblemen. Originally known as the estate of 'Bromeselle,' the residence was first owned by French-English Norman aristocrat Hugh de Port.
After his stint at the property, ownership changed hands to Sir Thomas Foxley—yet another English nobleman who acted as the Constable of Windsor Castle. Of course, there were other nobles who followed the Foxley Family—each of whom made their own unique mark on the grand estate—but it was Thomas who made the Bramshill House what is today.
Now beyond these somewhat regal residents, Bramshill has also hosted a handful of notable figures over the years. In 1620, for instance, King James I paid a visit to the property. Then, in the following year, the Archbishop of Canterbury toured the grounds.
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All of this is to say that the Mistletoe Bride, whoever she may be, must have led an influential yet short life.
There are, of course, a few theories to account for this woman’s identity. There are some who believe that this ghostly bride to be the spirit of Anne Cope—who purportedly was betrothed to Lord Hugh Bethell. Others say that this spirit is actually that of Genevre Orsini—whose wedding at Bramshill in 1727 was arranged by her well-to-do Italian family.
So yeah, like I said, influential and hopefully happy, but short all the same. Which, of course, makes the following story that much more tragic.
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There are a few variations to this tale, but they all begin on Christmas Day at the Bramshill House. On that frosty morning in the 17th century, there was an extra layer of merriment to the Yuletide festivities. You see, this was not meant to be an average holiday celebration; no instead, this was also the day of a wedding.
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Now for simplicity’s sake, let’s go ahead and assume that the bride in question was in fact, Anne Cope. That she and her soon-to-be husband, Hugh Bethell had planned an extravagant wedding at the grand estate.
The Bramshill House was no doubt a beautiful venue for a wedding. And beyond that, it would have been a spectacular place for a newlywed couple to build a life together.
That’s exactly what Anne and Hugh had planned on doing. They were married that afternoon in what I can only imagine was a storybook wedding. They spent the better half of that evening celebrating with friends and family. Toasting to the life that they were about to embark on.
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Then it became time for the couple to consummate their union. As was tradition at the time, their guests were keen on escorting the newlyweds to the marital chamber. That is until someone, somewhere along the way, came up with a somewhat different idea.
One more game, one more celebration before Anne and Hugh set out on their own. That was likely the thought process here. But regardless of the why, the wedding party ultimately decided to play a round of hide and seek with the newlywed bride.
It was an innocent gesture that is until it wasn’t. Because in the end, poor Anne Cope would pay the ultimate price.
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To be honest, this impromptu game of hide and seek, was a bit odd and somewhat problematic. Evidently, it was Hugh’s groomsmen who proposed the idea that Anne go off and hide somewhere in the estate. They could then fan out to find her. oh, and whoever did would win a kiss off of Hugh’s bride.
I know like I said weird and very inappropriate. But for whatever reason, the couple went along with the charade. So with a sprig of mistletoe in hand, Anne set off in search of a hiding spot while the groomsmen closed their eyes and began to count.
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Not long after Anne Cope took her leave, her groom as well as the rest of the wedding party began to search. They scoured the mansion, going over each room with a fine toothcomb, only to find that Anne was quite good at this game. Maybe a little too good.
You see, after quite some time searching the house from top to bottom, it became obvious that Anne’s hiding spot was next to impossible to find. At first, the wedding party joked—maybe the young bride didn’t really want to be found.
Although as the minutes turned to hours the jokes too began to change. What was once playful banter was now concerned discussion. Where was Anne hiding? And why hadn’t she revealed herself by now?
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These were sobering questions, but they were asked all the same. And when they ultimately went unanswered, Hugh was sent to bed alone, instead of with his beloved bride.
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Lord Hugh Bethell spent the next 50 years searching for his long-lost bride. Of course, there were rumors that swirled around Hampshire.
Some said that Anne Cope used the game as a chance to flee—leaving a jilted and very distraught Hugh in the dust. Then there were others who thought she had disappeared under somewhat more nefarious circumstances.
For Hugh, both possibilities were heartbreaking and incomprehensible. But through it all, he knew their love to be true. So then what happened to his bride on the night of their wedding? And was there any hope for him to see her again?
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In the end, the truth of the matter was far more tragic than he could have imagined. It was an otherwise ordinary afternoon and Hugh was up in the attic just as he had been so many times before.
You see, over the course of the last 5 decades, Hugh Bethell continued to search Bramhill House for clues. Maybe his wife had fled that night, but surely she must have left something of merit behind, right?
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On this day in particular, Hugh had been knocking on some wood paneling in the far reaches of the attic when all of a sudden a hidden compartment revealed itself.
He was obviously startled by the discovery. I mean, even after all these years, Hugh had no idea that there were secret rooms inside his home. Surely you see where this is going.
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With a somewhat apprehensive swing in his step, Hugh slowly walked toward the hidden room. Inside he found a large chest, sealed tight from the top down by a heavy wooden door.
Slowly he pried it open, making yet another heartbreaking discovery. There, lying inside the chest, sat the remains of a young bride. she was still dressed in her wedding gown with a sprig of mistletoe clutched in her hands. And with that, the mystery of the missing mistletoe bride had been solved at long last.
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The tragic story of the mistletoe bride is certainly haunting enough as it currently stands. But as I’m sure you likely guessed this tale isn't over just yet.
You see, over the course of the last four centuries, an eerie legend has taken shape within the walls of the Bramshill House. Apparently, along with those 13 other spirits, the specter of a woman in white haunts the estate.
Evidently, she is most often encountered in the Fleur de Lyes room. Accompanied by the scent of lily of the valley, this spirit is said to pass through the room on a nightly occasion—paying little mind to anyone who may be resting there.
In fact, during his stay at the Bramshill House, Micheal I of Romania requested to change quarters. I guess he had originally been staying in Fleur de Lye's room, but asked for different accommodations a few nights into his stay. Supposedly, he was having trouble sleeping through the night thanks to the overpowering presence of this spirit.
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Now, it’s still widely debated, whether or not this spirit is that of the mistletoe bride. But in theory, at least, it does sort of make sense.
I mean given the tragic circumstances surrounding her death, it seems only natural for the bride to stick around. Well, that is, if she ever even existed in the first place. And that of course is a very big if.
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According to several sources, at least, this legend is almost purely based on fiction. The story itself has been shared throughout various pieces of literature—including Kate Mosse’s aptly named horror anthology entitled The Mistletoe Bride.
Beyond that, this tale has also been told throughout various oral traditions. Sure the setting and the characters may change throughout each retelling, but the spirit of the story remains the same: A young bride is lost during a jovial Yuletide festivity, and in the end, she is doomed a haunt the very home where she was meant to live.
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Suffice it to say, it’s a chilling tale. But it’s likely only that. The perfect ghost story to share within the light of a fire’s glow during this, darkest time of the year.
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Credits
Sources
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bramshill_House
https://wyrdwordsandeffigies.com/2020/12/16/the-darkest-days-the-mistletoe-bride/